Again --women do not “make” men lust —men do that on their own. She can be responsible for her own actions --when she engages in acts of her own – like prostitution – porn – stripping/pole/lap dances – having her picture taken for purposes of men’s magazines. Even then --we are not privy as to her judgement from God.
OK, so explain this. How exactly is a woman - or man - consciously choosing to wear clothing that shows a massive amount of flesh not an ‘act’ that the woman or man who does it ‘engages in’ - and so is ‘responsible’ for? I don’t mean with the intent to make people lust, I simply mean the intent to wear clothing that shows a huge amount of flesh.
Do a person’s clothes fall onto them out of the sky and then stick peramently to their skin such that they cannot be removed or changed?
Does someone hold a gun to a man’s or woman’s head and say ‘put on the skimpy revealing outfit or else’?
Of course not. So the choice to wear a certain type of clothing (and it is always a choice) IS an act that a person engages in and that they are responsible for. That’s WHY the church exhorts us all to dress modestly at all times!
As for a man or woman being judged by God for their choice of clothing - well, we aren’t privy to what God will say to them, no. Neither are we privy to whether Hitler or Stalin are in hell or heaven (after all, they might’ve been severely mentally ill or had a last-minute repentance prior to their deaths or whatnot).
But I’m not going to turn around and say ‘y’know what? It’s fine for people to behave the way Hitler and Stalin did, I’m going to leave Joe Blow down the street alone if he does start behaving like that, after all, he probably doesn’t INTEND to cause all the damage he will inflict’.
No, because we are told that it is an act of mercy (and hence our duty) to counsel the ignorant, admonish the sinner, and otherwise help anyone who needs it (and if Joe Blow is contemplating mass murder a la Hitler or Stalin then he needs either counsel, admonishment or other help, and fast!)
So frankly, I don’t give two hoots whether that very skimpily clad woman intends to entice men to lust, I will inform her that that is exactly what she is doing. And in some cases there can be absolutely no doubt.
If she ignores my counsel, has no other pressing reason behind her skimpy dress, and continues to dress skimpily, then she is INDEED responsible for her act of dressing in this way, and is guilty of the sin of gross immodesty, since she cannot now plead ignorance or lack of mental consent.
