Many religions have standards of dress associated with modesty, but Islam is usually singled out as having
extreme practices for women. For this discussion, explore the Muslim idea of modesty in dress. Is it required?
What are the arguments for and against the practice of religious veiling? What points do you find the most
compelling? Who decides what constitutes modesty in dress? How does one practice modesty in the different
life situations (work, home, recreational, etc.). You should also explore veiling within religions other than Islam.
Are you surprised by the results of this search?
Before writing on this topic, you should research modesty in dress associated with the various world religions.
This is because you are required to do research in association with each of the discussion topics so that you
can provide well-informed opinions
The Hebrew Scriptures involve many stories of God and his interactions with the Israelites. These scriptures depict an almighty God, who is merciful towards his people, but also capable of destruction. There are three passages in particular that display similar interactions and themes. The passages are Exodus 3:1-21, Isaiah 6:1-13, and 1 Kings 19:1-19. In the Exodus passage, Moses is visited by God in the burning bush at the base of Mount Horeb. Here, God promises to save the Israelites from oppression and instructs Moses to lead them out of Egypt to the Promised Land. In Isaiah, the prophet Isaiah sees a vision of God in a temple, surrounded by angels. Here, Isaiah is cleansed of his sins by burning coals, and is also warned of the demise of his people for not following God. In Kings, the prophet Elijah is fleeing persecution and falls asleep under a broom bush. While at this bush, an angel of God feeds Elijah and he then travels for 40 days and 40 nights to Mount Horeb. He talks to God in a cave and is exposed to the power of God through natural disaster and is instructed to anoint two new Kings and a new prophet. The similarities between these passages can help to understand the passages individually, and also the scriptures as a whole.
These passages all share certain similarities. One thing they all have in common is that none of the people speaking to God ever look directly at him. In Exodus, Moses hid his face because he was “afraid to look at God”. In Kings, when Elijah hears the whisper of God, he “pulled his cloak over his face”. In both instances, the prophets seem fearful of looking directly at God, for whatever reason that might be. In the passage from Isaiah, it becomes clear why they may be fearful. When Isaiah sees the vision of God in the temple, he is overcome with a sense of unworthiness. Isaiah remarks, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”. God represents the ultimate embodiment of holiness, and looking at him makes people only realize how they have strayed from God’s will. This also shows people reading that even the prophets of God are not perfect in their pursuit of holiness. Another similarity betw