Signs of the Times

There is a lot wrong with our culture when a ten year old girl is protesting against her school for the right to wear a mini-skirt with the blessing of her mother.

First is the disturbing sexualization of children. Why are little girls wearing mini-skirts to begin with? The mother pushes the responsibility off on retailers, reasoning that if these items are sold in stores, they must be decent clothing choices. Mom is allowing fashion designers and advertising executives to make parental choices for her. As a teacher, I'm often shocked at the kinds of movies young children are permitted to see, as well as the clothing they wear when not in their school uniforms. Teenagers, preteens, and even very little children wear shorts with writing on the buttocks - as though encouraging young boys (and perhaps even dirty old men) to stare at their behinds is something that needs additional encouragement.

Young children, especially girls, also mimic the sensuality of pop music stars - while parents find this "cute." Even something as wholesome as cheerleading by grade school girls sometimes raises eyebrows when it comes to dance moves and choices of music.

My students often walk around singing graphic rap lyrics - many of them probably blissfully unaware of the meanings. I wonder if their parents know - or even care - that their sons and daughters are being robbed of their childhood in this way. It's little wonder that there is an epidemic of teens and preteens engaging in sexual behavior. They're surrounded in it, immersed in it, with very little encouragement from role models for modesty, chastity, and good taste.

There is also an element of the diabolical in this matter with regard to a lack of respect of authority. Notice the almost sacred use of the word "choice." In our postmodern culture, all choices are equal. No-one has the right to criticize another's choice. Pregnant? Abortion is a choice. If you have the baby, breastfeeding and staying at home is one choice, but an equally acceptable choice is bottle feeding and going to work. Marrying across biological lines of sex (by the way, people don't have "gender," that's a grammatical term) is also a matter of choice. Hetero- or homo- are equally valid lifestyle options.

And so the little girl with the miniskirt is seem as a sort of Rosa Parks or Joan of Arc - a strong female figure fighting patriarchal injustice - instead of a spoiled child who needs to learn to obey those in authority. She obviously doesn't realize she is being made a pawn in the sexualization of children - and her mother apparently doesn't see it, or perhaps worse, doesn't care. She thinks it is good, right, and salutary to "stick it to the man" - even when the "man" is a godly authority trying to protect her from leering boys and perhaps even dangerous predators.

God established a hierarchy for our protection. He is highest authority, and mankind is below him. Within humanity, there is a pecking order: father, mother, children. And man has dominion over the animals and over the world. This is for our good. Submission to those above us is divinely mandated - unless, of course, the authority above us asks us to do something immoral or is overstepping its rightful authority.

This is why we have such Satanic chaos in our culture. God's authority is ignored, mocked, and shunned. Man sees himself in the place of God. Feminists buck against submission of women to men. The homosexual agenda wishes to muddle up the familial hierarchy (as do sexual predators of children, who confuse the God-given familial roles). The extreme animal-rights movement also bucks against the God-given hierarchy, trying to impose an equality of man and animal (some even arguing that man is inferior).

We see elements of this rebellion in the Church, where human reason strives for superiority over Scripture (instead of its God-given role as servant of Scripture). We find government seeking to dominate the Church - even though God has never given the state such rights (which led to the oppressive conditions in the Church of Sweden). We find laypeople bucking against the authority God has given His bishops - pushing for open communion, cohabitation, and adopting a hire-and-fire mentality regarding their pastors.

Our Missouri Synod finds itself in chaos as we don't have episcopal authority (having shunned it for congregational supremacy) - which leads to confusion in both doctrine and practice. On the other hand, we also have synod and districts abusing the authority they do have - with the result of bitter factions and divisions.

It will be interesting to see if the principal capitulates, and allows little girls to sport mini-skirts. What cannot be far behind will be little boys wishing to wear mini-skirts - with the blessings of their fathers.

Come, Lord Jesus.