Well timed modesty

Funny how things work out so often.  I guess more surprising is that I am surprised that God's hand seems to be in our lives so often.  Offering grace and counsel when we need it.  I pray for guidance and I guess I shouldn't be so shocked when the Holy Spirit uses one of the gift of Counsel when I ask.

 

As two of my boys just went to camp this week, I had a little talk with them about manners, obedience and modesty.  The eight-year old came home last night because he got quite sick and so I had the chance to hear how it was all going.  They are having fun, enjoying the camp and behaving well.  But one issue has risen that will need to be talked about when the both return. (the one gets to go back as he felt much better today.)

Sharing a cabin with 8 or so boys will invariably lead to the topic of modesty of speech.  A couple boys are using vulgar language.  My eight-year old informed them it wasn't okay to use such language.  I didn't perceive a major conflict so I just informed my boy that he was right, but that he wasn't responsible for them, only himself.  He was right to stand up for what is right, and if the language continued he could mention it again or just try ignoring them. 

 

Then today, what do I find but an article on Catholic Exchange, Modesty in Speech.

Immodest speech undermines a child’s purity. “Purity requires modesty” (CCC 2521). It is hard to think of a quicker way to sexually activate generations of children than by violating modest speech through sex education and sex “safety” programs. Such violations tear down innocence and the natural barrier of modesty God put in place to protect children and their purity.

Modest speech does more than just protect children. It shows respect for their dignity and value as human beings. John Paul II (then Karol Wojtyla) in his book, Love and Responsibility explained that “sexual modesty…protects the value of the person. But there is more to it than that. It is a matter not just of protecting but of revealing the value of a person” (p. 179). We cannot strip modesty from speech without stripping dignity from children. If we are to uphold dignity, then we must uphold modest speech.

Now there are those who would suggest that children have to "learn" about sexuality sooner or later.  That this is just a part of growing up.

 

That is a bunch of crap in my opinion and in the teachings of the Church.  If a child is to understand and value sexuality, what value is there in learning it in a disgusting and vulgar way?  If you learn about it as a secretive thing, spoken only in hushed and embarrassed tones, what will the child learn.  They should be embarrassed by it.  If it is learned in a vulgar setting, they will learn that it is vulgar and disgusting, yet funny in an animalistic sense.  I am sure that is not the way to build a healthy attitude towards the opposite sex. 

 

Sex Ed is not the proper location method either.  Speaking to a co-ed group of young children is confusing to them at best, and likely corrupting of their morality.  Boys will laugh and make jokes to cover their embarrassment. 

The feministic promoters of sex-ed are deceiving us or are themselves deceived when the promote sex-ed at an early age.  They proclaim that they want men to see them as more than objects, but then try to ensure that the next generation will be completely objectified.

"explicit and premature sex education can never be justified in the name of a prevailing secularized culture. On the contrary, parents must educate their own children to understand and face up to the forces of this culture, so that they may always follow the way of Christ” (Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality,  p. 143; emphasis added).

So as parents, we need to step up.  It is our job to educate them in modesty, purity and sexuality.  We must protect them from the forces of the world that try to corrupt them at an early age.  And if they is the possibility of exposure, we must prepare them in truth before they get the wrong message.