The Eternal Ramifications of Immodest Dress
July 5, 2017
ST. John Chrysostom (347-407), the Bishop of Constantinople and one of the 32 doctors of the Church, condemned immodesty in dress in strong terms:
“You carry your snare everywhere and spread your net in all places. You allege that you never invited others to sin. You did not indeed by your words, but you have done so by your dress and your deportment. And much more effectively than you could by your voice. When you have made another sin in his heart, how can you be innocent? Tell me whom does this world condemn? Whom do the judges in court punish? Those who drink poison or those who prepare it and administer the fatal potion? You are more criminal than those who poison the body. You have given the death-dealing drink. You murder not the body but the soul, and it is not to enemies do you do this nor are you urged on by any imaginary necessity nor provoked by injury. But you do it out of foolish vanity and pride.”
Woe to women who dress immodestly! Woe to fathers and husbands who do not correct their wives and daughters! Woe to pastors of souls if they remain silent! Woe to us, for this is one of the sins which causes most souls to go to hell, sins of the flesh. “O that they would be wise and would understand and would provide for their latter end.” (Deut.32:29) “There is a way that seemeth just to a man; but the ends thereof leadeth to death.” (Prov.14:12) “Few find the narrow way to life.”