Swim wear

[franciscanheart]

I am interested on hearing the thoughts of the pham on swim wear and what is enough. Is there a line on the body that can be drawn? Is swimming with people of the opposite sex too much of a temptation in and of itself?

I sit and read a lot at the pool. It is a Knights of Columbus pool and yes the majority of the members are Catholic. I look up occasionally only to find myself watching a practically naked girl walk by me and no it's not a teenager, it's a toddler. I think to myself... 'what gives?'

I'm just interested in knowing yalls thoughts on this....

thanks and happy posting.

[picchick]

Racing swim suits I say are the best. They usually have a higher front and what not. If not that then go for something that isn't to plunging.

I would say as far as the opposite sex, depends on who they are. I am not ready to go swimming with my boyfriend. I don't think I ever will. But I am fine swimming with guy friends (except with body image but that is with everyone)
Meg

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I prefer one piece for women, but recognizing how hard those are to make comfortable, a very modest two piece is okay.

Likewise, I'm curious what men can do to be more modest at the pool.

[picchick]

[quote name='Raphael' date='Jun 18 2005, 11:47 PM']I prefer one piece for women, but recognizing how hard those are to make comfortable, a very modest two piece is okay.

Likewise, I'm curious what men can do to be more modest at the pool.
[right][snapback]615852[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]


Tankinis are good two pieces...

[picchick]

Guys can wear swim tops simialr to surfing garb and stuff.

[bx_racer]

whatever bikini supermodels are wearing

[Oik]

My girlfriend wears a bathing suit two-piece with a pink surf shirt and a pink skirt deal (it's a thin light-weight cotton skirt).

I usually wear shorts and a t-shirt or A-shirt.

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='Oik' date='Jun 18 2005, 11:07 PM']My girlfriend wears a bathing suit two-piece with a pink surf shirt and a pink skirt deal (it's a thin light-weight cotton skirt).

I usually wear shorts and a t-shirt or A-shirt.
[right][snapback]615875[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]
You both sound like snazzy dressers.

[blovedwolfofgod]

I think that the swimming with opposite sex can be tempting and if you find yourself lusting after them perhaps you should reevaluate why you are there. A priest at my school challenged me to look at each woman as I would look at my sister. I found that when I was checking out the more feminine parts of females at school, that thought would pop into my head and well, the habit broke itself a little more easily. I dont like drawing lines on the body on how far is too far. People need a healthy degree of shame sometimes. Some people like to show off. If you want to show off, get something skimpy and revealing. However, that would be causing your brethren to fall and that is prohibited in Corinthians (the part about eating meat sacrificed to idols and such). I think children can pull of less clothing better because the characteristics of their gender are not yet very distinguished. A three year old is not going to look that tempting in a two piece (unless you are sick). A thirteen year old female, however, can look very tempting, especially because women phycically mature much faster.

Basically, we need to keep in mind the dignity of every human being and that we are made male and female to reflect the goodness and symbolize the union we are to have to God. We need to look at our brethren in a manner that is life affirming and giving. Modesty is a good thing at the pool. Im not saying dont go. However, pray that God will help you resist the urge to look at women and men as life giving gifts to one another affirming the dignity of man made in the image of God, rather than as objects of lust.

I guess Im saying the line would be to be comfortable, but not make yourself an easy object of lust.

Tankinis are .

[jasJis]

[quote]I guess Im saying the line would be to be comfortable, but not make yourself an easy object of lust. [/quote]I think BelovedWolf hit the nail on the head. It isn' t that God made the opposite sex so sexy that we can't control our thoughts. Guys should consider looking at women as their sister, mom, aunt, etc., (basically a decent looking woman that you aren't looking at as a sex object.) If you are getting aroused seeing little kids naked, then you have problems. If you can't re-direct your thoughts while at the pool or beach, then [u]don't [/u]go. Use the example of an alcoholic. Many of us can go to a bar and drink moderately. A few recovering alcoholics may be able to go without being tempted to drink. But if the temptation is too strong for you personally, don't put yourself in that situation.

I don't think the Church would have allowed Adam to be OBVIOUSLY naked in the Sistine chapel if it didn't have faith in how God made us and faith in Grace, Patience, and Forgiveness.

Edited June 19, 2005 by jasJis

[Dudette]

[quote name='picchick' date='Jun 19 2005, 01:26 AM']Racing swim suits I say are the best.  They usually have a higher front and what not.  If not that then go for something that isn't to plunging. 
[right][snapback]615850[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]

I quite agree with Meg, racers are the best, and some Tankinis are very modest.

When you go swimming, you're going to swim, not to check out on the guys/girls that are there swimming.

[blovedwolfofgod]

What??!! No crazy rough house poolball???

[Dudette]

[Good Friday]

[quote name='Raphael']Likewise, I'm curious what men can do to be more modest at the pool.[/quote]
Well, speedos are out... not just because they're immodest, but also because they're gross.

But seriously, I think modesty for guys is really more about attitude than clothing. Men don't wear shirts in some situations, and swimming is one of them; I don't see why this would be considered immodest in our society. I think it's more about how the guy acts than how he dresses... if he's trying to show off his physique, if he's trying to make girls lust after him, then he's probably going to be successful, and that's immodest. If he just isn't wearing a shirt, but if he's not showing off about it, then most people probably aren't going to be lusting after him since a male without a shirt is not all that uncommon in our society.

However, if it's really a concern, then perhaps whenever out of the pool, men should wear a shirt of some sort, and only go without a shirt in the pool.

I think what jasJis and BelovedWolf have said in this thread are also right on. There's no reason why the human body should drive us to lust, and if it does that's something for us to work on, not necessarily to ask other people to cover up. If we get too silly about the modesty thing, we'll be asking our women to walk around in burqas.

[Lil Red]

just a side note, i heard this year that old-style swimsuits are in for women. you know, the kind worn in the 40s, 50s, 60s.

[Kilroy the Ninja]

One piece swimsuits - preferrably racing suits - are truly the most modest choice for women. If one must wear a two-piece, a tankini is acceptable.

Anything less than that is just underwear and is inappropriate.

And yes, Good Friday you have excellent taste. Speedos are just gross except for swimming competitions. And even then I wonder.

[Oik]

[quote]You both sound like snazzy dressers.


[/quote]

LOL!

Thanks, we try (and usually end up looking nerdy, especially myself).

[Guest]

[quote name='bx_racer' date='Jun 18 2005, 11:57 PM']whatever bikini supermodels are wearing
[right][snapback]615857[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]

[franciscanheart]

[quote name='jasJis' date='Jun 19 2005, 08:20 AM']If you are getting aroused seeing little kids naked, then you have problems.
[right][snapback]615949[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]
my point was simply that this immodest dress starts young. fathers and mothers, Catholic men and women, are dressing their young children in very revealing clothes (swimwear) and even though they do not yet have anything to show, what gives? why would you put your three year old in something like that? what happened to the one piece suits with little frilly things all over? what happened to flowers and little skirted suits?

i like the guys that wear shorts and swim tops. i appreciate when girls do this too. speedos are my personal favorite but ive seen nice speedo/swim shirt matches and also full body suits or swim shorts and shirts. they dont look ridiculous and are a lot less tempting. lets face it... most people do not try to control their thougths and actions. (im talking about teenagers in general) i think parents should take more responsibility in covering up their children and emphasizing the importance of modesty.

[Dudette]

ditto to everything Laura said.