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I’m going to say this in advance– I apologize for the lack of clothing on the girl in this picture, but I’m using this picture to hopefully make an important point.
The man on the right is said to be the father of the girl on the left. What is wrong with this picture? What bothers you more?
- That the girl is dressed in a provocative way?
- That the father doesn’t seem to care that his daughter is immodest?
- That the father allowed this photograph to be taken of him and his daughter?
I haven’t really had the chance to write up a review of Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know, but I really like this book and it’s a must read for both Christian and non-Christian fathers.
One of the chapters starts out in a shocking way. Dr. Meeker starts off that you’re out on some camping trip, dad, and you happen to see a Playboy or other adult magazine around and you start leafing through it and as you’re seeing the different girls in different stages of undress you stumble upon your daughter– and it gets you mad, and you want to get all the copies there are and burn them…
This is the appropriate reaction a real father has in protection of his daughter. He doesn’t want her parading around in clothing like the girl above. He doesn’t want her to be looked at by sex hungry guys as an object, a thing. He loves his daughter and wants her best.
Shame on you, dad, if you’re not actively taking steps to help guide your daughter into being the best that she can be! Stand up and be a man– she is your daughter and she needs you to say that there’s a line and she’s not to cross it.
I’m more concerned with the daughter’s badly bleached hair and dad’d beer gut. Not all that concerned with what she’s wearing. If she was smoking a bowl and had a beer in her hand as an under aged person, I’d have something to complain about. Since that’s not the case, I’m hardly seeing the newsworthiness of this picture.
Again, not everyone is this world thinks the same way you do. You have issues with CA schools teaching tolerance, yet you see fit to push your beliefs onto this father and daughter. Very intersting.
Since when is leveling criticism and/or positing shame the same as “pushing beliefs?” I’ll answer my own question…since the advent of post-modern beliefs. But even if it IS a primary tenet of postmodernism, that does not make it true.
In no way is the criticism of another the pushing or the forcing of one’s beliefs on that person. That person is free to ignore the criticism. On the other hand (as is the case here), this is a beautiful teaching moment for dads of daughters on what NOT to do…unless your desire for your daughter is for her to be a sex-object and the subject of many a man’s (both young and old) primal lust. What one wears on the outside is a very accurate indication of the state of their heart on the inside. I’ll take daughters who are beautiful on the inside…for outward beauty is fleeting, and charm is deceitful; and a man who marries this young thing for her beauty will divorce her when she isn’t so beautiful any more. That’s not the type of man I want my daughters to attract….
A little criticism and the return of shame could go a long way to recovering a sense of decency within this society.
Charley
HomeDiscipling Dad Blog
what’s wrong? she’s dressed like a slut, father has no spine to tell her to go put something decent on — oh, something else – where’s the mother?
Musicguy, I’m guessing you don’t have a little girl.
Suffice it to say, you’re right, the two posts are linked– in that they are both talking about parenting and what it takes to be a good parent.
We live in a sexualized society and that’s not a good thing.
Charley, you’re absolutely correct– we need more shame, and if it takes posting pictures and calling them out, then maybe that’s what we have to do.