Modesty Survey Closing Soon
The following email was sent out this morning to all of the registered respondents:
Dear Modesty Survey Participants,
Don’t lose your chance to let your voice be heard! The Modesty Survey is quickly nearing completion. Over 105,000 answers from 1,100 Christian guys have been submitted in just 10 days! At the current rate we could be closing the survey as early as Monday, January 22nd. This means that your chance to share your thoughts on this crucial issue is quickly slipping away. If you have not yet completed the survey we would highly recommend that you do so over this weekend.
To complete the survey, click here.
Thank you all for your participation. May God richly bless you!
In Christ Alone,
The Survey Team
January 20th, 2007 at 10:12 am
Wow!! That is so cool that it is almost done!!! Looking forward to seeing the answers!
Will us girls be able to see the answers on Monday or will it be later on in the week? Thanks to all the guys who have answered the questions! 
January 20th, 2007 at 10:54 am
Woah, I can’t believe the survey has gotten that many answers already! I’m so excited!
Will the modesty survey be put on the blog when it is completed?
January 20th, 2007 at 11:55 am
I thought I’d repost this on a newer post, because PRAYER AND ACTION ARE STILL NEEDED.
…There is an urgent situation in the entertainment industry right now that needs to be talked about, prayed for, and acted upon.
You can read about it at my blog. This is the article: http://kingdomadvancing.blogspot.com/2007/01/wrong-in-so-many-ways.html
I really would be obliged if ANYONE would create short posts on your blogs linking to the article, or writing about the topic yourselves. You have such a large readership and blogroll that I am not able to reach even close to all the people. I hope some of you canl help. This is not about sponsoring my blog or popularizing it: it’s about a young girl (actress Dakota Fanning) who needs protection and prayers from those responsible to do so, and this is about standing up for what’s right.
Thanks,
Kingdom Advancer
January 20th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Don’t be too hasty, Stephanie! 150,000 answers can’t be processed overnight.
The survey team must also carefully review the guys’ text responses to the different questions… We’ve already printed over 1,500 pages of text responses. We’ll do our best to have the results released as soon as possible, but that might not be until early February. The most time-consuming work is still to come. 
January 20th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Thank you for all your work. I know it must take a while! I look forward to the results whenever they came out.
January 20th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
I’m sorry if I sounded pushy or too anxious. I didn’t mean to be. I guess I didn’t really think through the 150,000 answers and how long it must take to go through. I really appreciate all the work that the survey team has put into this!
January 20th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
I am thankful for all of the guys who have taken the time to complete this survey!
What a blessing it will be to us - AND them!!!
January 20th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Wow! that’s so cool! Thank you guys for doing this! This is going to be such a help for girls and guys alike! You can totally tell God is in this. It’s amazing how fast answers have been coming in! I am so excited! God Bless You
Elizabeth
January 20th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
Wow! That is so amazing. I’m really happy to hear the news… I’d call this project a success, and I haven’t even seen the finished product yet!
January 21st, 2007 at 5:03 am
Hi, I just finished the survery (answered all the questions) so I was wondering if there was anything else I needed to do. You know, press a button that says ‘I Completed the Survey’ or click ‘Submit to Harris Brothers.’ Do I just need to answer all the questions?
Jdc
January 21st, 2007 at 5:37 am
That’s all. Once you’re done. Just forget about it and wait for the results.
January 21st, 2007 at 3:44 pm
I pray you boys are asking for volunteers to help you out with this huge project? I’m sure you have a “few” volunteers with in your own household. (;
I want to let both of you know that your willingness to take on such a task is a wonderful example to all the young men and young ladies that read your blog. You are truly showing how a young person productively uses their time. Not only are you being a good example, but you are also advancing God’s Kingdom by educating young ladies on the importance of dressing in such a way as not to cause a brother in Christ to stumble and to glorify the Lord.
Keep up the good work and thank you for being an inspiration for the young people in my home (;
Mrs. Anita Koller (Sean and Erin’s momma)
January 23rd, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Thank you so much for doing this! must be very tiring… 150,000 answers?! woah. i’ve gotta commend you both.
January 23rd, 2007 at 5:35 pm
This was the funniest thing I’ve seen in ages. Thanks for the laugh!!! (It IS a joke, right?)
January 23rd, 2007 at 5:44 pm
It really would be much simpler to just go with a Burqa. No need to make all these specific allowed’s and disallowed’s.
January 23rd, 2007 at 6:53 pm
So when will you post a poll in which women get to vote on clothing restrictions for men?
January 24th, 2007 at 6:23 am
It really would be much simpler to just go with a Burqa.
Yes, it would be. But there is freedom in Christ.
No need to make all these specific allowed’s and disallowed’s.
Hmm. Not one specific allowed or disallowed mentioned. Which survey were you reading?
January 24th, 2007 at 8:50 am
The issue, isn’t really clothes, but heart and motivation.
January 24th, 2007 at 8:53 am
Appreciate the great work you guys are doing!
January 24th, 2007 at 9:48 am
Indeed, who needs the Taliban when we’ve got 1,100 Christian guys to tell us how we ought to dress?
Personally, I hang out with guys who aren’t so pathetic as to get dangerously turned on when a woman takes her sweater off…..and I pray to a God who has bigger things to worry about than panty lines.
Since it’s going to be so “time-consuming” to tabulate the answers to this ridiculous survey during the next few weeks, why not use all those hours to serve meals to the homeless or work on a Habitat project instead?
January 24th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Hey guys,
I just want to really thank you for what you are doing. The way you serve is an example to all. My friends and I can’t wait to see the results!
Don’t ever feel like your effort is being wasted. A lot of girls are ready to respond to the responses of this survey. We need to know these things!
January 24th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Hey guys,
Thank you so much for this modesty survery. This is going to be so helpful for all of us girls who care about not causing a guy to stumble. I know many of us our very thankful for the work you have put into this.
Stumbling Block- this is not a ridiculous survery. This is something that will help ladies know what the majority of men are troubled by in a women’s dress. There are many people that build houses and serve meals. Alex and Brett’s vision is different. But it is equally useful and important.
January 24th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
We need to know these things!
No, Ali, we need to learn to make decisions that aren’t based on the instructions of a bunch of hormonal teenaged guys. Isn’t that the whole point of this site—to encourage young people to make intelligent, reasonable choices from our own minds and hearts?
No one with an ounce of respect for you is going to tell you (directly or via a silly survey) that you’re a temptress because you adjust your bra strap, dance in a leotard, sling your purse across your chest, recline on a couch, or wear a V-shaped necklace that causes him to be reminded of the existence of your boobs. This survey is all about making girls feel ashamed of their bodies, and frankly, it’s a pretty short leap from here to the “but she was wearing a short skirt, so she was asking to be raped!” school of thought.
We are not required to shroud ourselves in drab, baggy clothes to protect the innocent eyes and hearts of our Christian brothers. Women have hips, boobs, legs, shoulders, lips, and skin. God put ‘em there, and apparently he was content with a fig leaf to cover up the “immodest” parts, so I don’t know why today’s boys need so much extra coddling.
Sorry….used to think this site was cool, but now I see what it’s really about.
January 24th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Stumbling Block, I think you’re missing the point of the survey. Most girls are not going to consider this survey as the be-all and and end-all of what is modest or not. The purpose of the survey is to inform, not to say that everybody needs to dress a certain way.
And actually, I don’t think God was content with the fig leaf. He made them clothes out of animal skins.
Anyways, so is the survey closedn ow? Can we expect the answers sometime around the beginning of February?
January 24th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
With all due respect, Mary Beth, I think you’re missing the point too. This survey would not exist if not for the assumption that the way girls dress is responsible for the way men behave. Why is this website “informing” girls on how to dress “modestly” (i.e., how to avoid triggering those awful lustful feelings in their male counterparts) rather than informing boys on how to respect women no matter how they look?
Or is it just a handy excuse for a lot of guys to picture girls in tight outfits?
I’m not trying to be a jerk, I just think this is an incredibly dangerous message to send to girls.
January 24th, 2007 at 3:46 pm
Girls, how we dress is not responsible for how boys act. Period.
January 24th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Is there any evidence to support that claim?
January 24th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Is there any evidence to support that claim?
You are joking, right?
January 24th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
Yes. Free will. Personal responsibility for one’s actions. Males are responsible for their own behavior. The basis of the logic behind this survey is LITERALLY the justification for oppression in theocracies in the Middle East.
January 24th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Yes, boys should not act in a certain way just because of the way we dress. However, we are potentially harming their thoughts. There are certain thoughts which run through our heads when we see something. Guys are wired differently than girls. That’s a fact. And it’s how God made us. We complement one another. For something to complement something else, the two things have to be different in at least some ways. Guys have different perspectives, different weaknesses, different strengths than girls. Praise the Lord for this!
Guys often struggle with lust. I want to help my brothers in Christ as much as I can by identifying the things that really cause a problem and avoiding those things. This survey gives us a good picture of what Christian guys think. It’s not a list of rules. No one will be enforcing them. It’s not even a list of guidelines. Instead, it’s the guys’ honest thoughts. If I can serve Christ by guarding my brothers’ minds, what a privilege! As Christians, we are called to consider others greater than ourselves. And I would not appreciate guys constantly trying to flatter me with their sweet words… that would be a stumbling block for me. I’m thankful for the guys that help guard my purity and my heart, and dressing modestly is a way I can help them. And this survey is such a blessing in knowing what things REALLY bother Christian guys. We girls tend to speculate a lot, which is sometimes helpful, but we aren’t wired like guys. So thank you all who have put so much time and energy into making this happen. May the Lord bless your efforts to answer our many questions about modesty.
Your sister in Christ,
Ella
January 24th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Stumbling Block, et all: First, the survey results (which, may I gently remind you, you have not seen) are not laws. We expect young people to make intelligent, loving, and responsible choices. To equip them to do so, we’re simply facilitating a discussion. No one controls how the guys respond to the different statements and none of the statements have complete agreement or disagreement.
Second, no one has said that the way guys act is due to the way girls dress. Unfortunately, it’s often the opposite. From reviewing the results, I can tell you that all but a very small handful of the guys who have taken the survey fully recognize their own responsibility to control their thoughts and actions. They are not blaming the girls, but they are admitting that some (not all) things can be a problem for them. The survey results are only intended for Christian girls who wish to assist their brothers in that fight.
Third, you are judging the modesty survey entirely based on the statements the participants are evaluating, despite your complete ignorance of their evaluation. Even if the survey results were laws—which I repeat, they are not—you would still be free to dance in a leotard, sling your purse across your chest, recline on a couch, and wear a V-shaped necklace.
January 24th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
Stumbling Block:
You don’t have to like this survey or even this website and though it may seem rediculous to you, it is not to others. As girls, we are comanded in the Bible to clothe ourselves in modesty and I’m not saying that you don’t. I agree that we should not be too legalistic, but for me and for many others I am sure, it is important for us to know what makes our brothers in Christ stumble. That is what I am hoping to learn through this survey. I am in absolutely no way judging you, please know that! I don’t want anyone to ever think that I would judge them because I have different opinions. I don’t agree that this is a dangerous message for girls. I think it is helpful, though, it may not be for everyone. This is just my opinion. Thank you for reading this even if you don’t agree with what I have said. God Bless.
January 24th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
However, we are potentially harming their thoughts.
Isn’t it rather “immodest” to believe that you have that much control over another person’s mind?
January 24th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
no one has said that the way guys act is due to the way girls dress.
I’m sorry, Alex, but the structure of these 154 “agree/disagree” statements never calls into question whether girls’ choices can cause guys to “stumble”—it only seeks to determine which choices are most likely to.
you would still be free to dance in a leotard, sling your purse across your chest, recline on a couch, and wear a V-shaped necklace
Thanks, I think I will.
January 24th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Stumbling Block,
I don’t feel threatened, judged or restrained. Why do you? I, for one, don’t want guys lusting over me, i’d prefer to wear something that would cause them to appreciate my mind. NOT my body. What’s the big deal to you? If we are wearing something that hurts or causes our brother’s to stumble, it is a sin to us as well. All things are lawful for us, but not all things are profitable. Lust can lead to dangerous places, and if I can help even one guy out with not going there, I’d do it. Of course their own thoughts are their own sin….but why even let them think it? Why NOT dress modestly?
-Wondering
January 24th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Is this “preview” a list of the questions only or a list of the collected responses so far?
Because some of the things listed seem very, very, very bizarre: purse straps across a girl’s chest, skirts that are narrower at the waist than the hip (in case you don’t know this, if your skirt is not narrower at the waist than at the hip, it will fall off, which is not very modest at all), and garments that are immodest alone yet are paired to cover the body completely.
If this is meant to be a set of recommendations, it’s stricter than any religious modesty set of guidelines I can think of (with the exception of allowing pants and knee-length skirts, which not all religions permit), and I moderate an interfaith modesty forum on Live Journal and am very familiar with the modesty laws of Holiness, Pentecostals, Mormons-LDS, Orthodox Jews, and Muslims. I know of no religious modesty code that says you may not wear long necklaces, carry your purse across your chest, or wear a belt.
January 24th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
Azalais: no these are not the final answers. These are just sentences that the guys have to agree or disagree with. The statements in no way represent the results of the survey. For more info on that, you can read this post.
January 24th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
Thank you for the question, Azalais. The “preview” is only a list of the statements guys are free to agree or disagree with. In this case, the statements are based on questions submitted by over 215 different Christian girls from around the world.
As I mentioned above, the actual results (which have not yet been released) show that most Christian guys do not find purse straps, necklaces, or belts to be a problem—as you would expect. Those “questions” were included because certain girls wanted to know what guys thought about those particular articles, but the statements themselves in no way reflect the survey results.
January 24th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
This is quite a relief to me.
Thanks for answering my question. I will be curious to see the results. I think that I dress quite modestly but I do in fact wear layers in order to be able to wear stylish things without exposing parts of my body I would rather not show to the world at large, carry my purse across my chest when I am in less pleasant neighbourhoods, wear necklaces of all lengths and clothing with a defined waistline–and I think most modest women of all religious traditions do that, except for women who wear chadors/burkas and women who only wear traditionally styled garments such as Amish cape dresses or jilbabs/abayas.
I would be the last person to object to girls being more curious about modesty, although my approach is that I prefer to stress the benefits of greater dignity, gracefulness, self-esteem and a closer relationship with G-d (we’re an interfaith community, I personally approach the issue from a Jewish perspective) over the issue of what men are thinking when they look at women. I feel that anyone who feels she has to put herself on display is probably feeling a lack of self-confidence and poor sense of her own value, you know? I’d like to see a survey about how women and girls feel about themselves when they wear some of these different kinds of garments; that would be equally revealing, if you will pardon the phrase
January 24th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
What is being overlooked here is that what women wear is NOT the cause of mens’ stumbling. It is socialization. Men think that it is acceptable to blame their stumbling on purse straps and dangly jewelry, rather than accepting that blame upon themselves. Maybe some behavior DOES cause temptation–overtly sexual behavior like actual physical contact. But for some reason, society has conditioned men–and apparently some women–to believe that men do not have to accept responsibility for their actions. That they can blame things like RAPE on the clothing of the rape victim. Until you all are willing to address the root causes of “stumbling,” it can never even begin to go away. You are attempting to treat symptom of the problem–and by blaming the victims and/or objectified women, nonetheless–instead of getting at what might really be encouraging the sin…things like this survey.
January 24th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
Z: I think what you have overlooked is the entire conversation that has taken place under this post.
January 24th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
I’m confused…what girl needs advice from male strangers about how to dress? Is this advice for blind girls? Don’t they have moms or sisters or friends or…someone? Maybe we should concentrate on the real problem: finding homes for these poor blind orphans!
In all seriousness girls, I have a secret to tell you: Guys don’t actually like spineless females. You may think that acting subservient will make boys like you, but in the end it won’t. Don’t take the blame for the actions of horny teenage boys. They can stumble no matter what you wear. Stand up for yourself and get the respect that you deserve. Wear the kind of clothing that makes you feel comfortable and lets you expresses yourself.
January 24th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
I’ve recently finished reading a book by Lisa Bevere, “Kissed the Girls and Made them Cry: Why Women Lose When They Give in.” Something she said in a discussion to a high-school youth group of teen girls about modesty I think is appropriate for this conversation:
A girl asked if it was okay to dress “sexy/suggestively.” She (Lisa Bevere) responded by saying “Sure, I think it is a great idea. Go right ahead and dress like a whore if you want to attract a whoremonger. It’s like fishing - the bait you use will determine what you’ll catch. So if you want to hook a sleazy guy, by all means, dress sleazy.”
January 25th, 2007 at 1:41 am
Valencia: While we gladly tolerate differing opinions, your comment could come across as ridiculing the very girls you’re apparently concerned for. Here on The Rebelution we operate under the classical view of tolerance, in which you are not required to agree with your opponent’s ideas, but must respect them as people. We know you will respect this principle in any future interaction.
In regard to your specific allegation—that The Modesty Survey places blame on women—I’m afraid you’ve misinterpreted our purpose. The survey does not imply that women are responsible for men’s actions—it merely encourages Christian women to help Christian men in a recognized area of struggle. That help is largely conditional on whether those men are already fighting hard themselves.
I actually find it slightly amusing that here we have 1,500+ men humbly admitting their weakness and voicing their need for women’s help—and all at the women’s request, I might add—and the feminists object.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:44 am
I don’t know, Brett, I thought the first part of Valencia’s comment was pretty cute, and the second part was pretty mild, all things considered. (Though it could have been better.)
Your comment could have been more respectful itself, you know, with its talk of “what amuses me most about this whole situation” and “you feminists” and such - though I certainly admire how respectful you and Alex have been of the arguers through most of this!
January 25th, 2007 at 6:19 am
well, there have certainly been plenty of comments on this topic.. but I just wanted to add my two cents.
The reason I want to know how to dress modestly, is because I want the true Christian guys in my life to be able to fully look at me without having to avert their eyes. I have noticed many times over, that the guys who really care about me, or don’t want to lust after a girl look away when the girl’s clothing reveals too much.
There are plenty of guys who realize their own responsibility, and try to avoid sinning as well as they can.. but it makes ME feel uncomfortable to know that those guys have to avoid looking at me because of the way I’m dressed.
Guys either look away when they see immodesty.. or they stare. My body is not for sale.. and I don’t need to advertise it.
January 25th, 2007 at 9:47 am
Why not believe that males can act like mature and responsible human beings and control themselves?
Or do y’all really believe that males will simply be weak-minded infants all their lives and females should treat them as such?
Perhaps your ilk should begin to understand that our bodies are wonderful, natural gifts and they should be appreciated and respected, no matter how much of them is showing.
You don’t have to spend your entire life enslaved to shame and reacting like an animal.
I truly feel sorry for those of you who have bought into this. I was reared very much like you, but I had the strength to leave and learn. I hope you do as well.
January 25th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Jenna: I assume you are part of a nudist colony, based on your comments?
To the rest:
No one here is claiming that guys are not to be held to the utmost standard with regard to what they do. In fact, the opposite has been stated quite strongly.
And definitely, stumbling can occur even if a girl wears a burka, I am sure.
I have heard from numerous women that they were never even aware that guys noticed certain things - so that is what I would think will be the best benefit of this survey: more knowledge about how others think. I think some of these statements/answers will have more of an effect coming from 1000 guys, rather than being taught at a ladies’ meeting somewhere.
January 25th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Azalais: Thank you for your kind reply. I wanted to briefly clarify the purpose of the modesty survey in the context of what this website is about. The purpose of the Rebelution is to inspire and equip Christian young people to rebel against low expectations. Part of those low cultural expectations include the constant pressure for girls to flaunt their bodies by the way they act and dress, while largely ignoring—often disparaging—the qualities that make up girls’ true beauty and worth.
I applaud your emphasis on the greater dignity, grace, self-esteem, and spiritual focus that accompany modesty. My support for modesty goes far beyond the mere external (and certainly far beyond any list of recommendations or survey results). True modesty is primarily an inward quality. I see consideration for others as only one aspect of modesty—one that can be served through communication. That is the purpose of the modesty survey. I know that many of the Rebelution’s regular readers understand this, but it is harder for those who have only just stumbled (no pun intended ;)) on the survey.
I hope you will see this comment. Brett and I have both appreciated the thoughts you have shared in this discussion. You said you approach modesty from the Jewish perspective; are you familiar with Wendy Shalit’s book A Return to Modesty: Discovering the Lost Virtue? I suppose you are, as Wendy also approaches modesty from the Jewish perspective. Her book is one of our favorites on the subject.
January 28th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Hey! I’ve really enjoyed this site. Just wondering if there’s a new release date. I’m looking forward to seeing the results and using them as a guide for how I dress.