[304] World Scripture - Modesty - 2. Modesty in Manners and Deportment

[대태양/김현수]

Part Three - The Path of Life

Chapter 12. Morality

10) Modesty

2. Modesty in Manners and Deportment

World Scripture

Turn not your cheek in scorn toward folk, nor walk with pertness in the land. Lo! God loves not each braggart boaster. Be modest in your bearing and subdue your voice. Lo! the harshest of all voices is the voice of the ass. Qur’an 31.18-19

Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet; the lord will smite with a scab the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the lord will lay bare their secret parts. Isaiah 3.16-17

If you are handsome, do not go astray after lewdness, but honor your Creator, and fear Him, and praise Him with the beauty which He has given you. Pesikta Rabbati 127a (Judaism)

He who beholds a beautiful woman should say, “Blessed be He who hath created such in His universe.” But is even mere looking permitted? The following can surely be raised as an objection: “Thou shalt keep from every evil thing” [Deut. 23.10] implies that one should not look intently at a beautiful woman, even if she be unmarried, nor at a married woman, even if she be ugly, nor at a woman’s gaudy garments, nor at male and female asses or at a pig and a sow or at fowls when they are mating. Talmud, Avoda Zara 20ab (Judaism)

Easy is the life of a shameless one who is as impudent as a crow, back-biting, presumptuous, arrogant and corrupt. Hard is the life of a modest one who seeks purity, is detached, humble, clean living and reflective. Dhammapada 244-45 (Buddhism)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon

We must uphold etiquette proper to the law of love. When your parents-in-law come to see you, can you tell them, “Father, mother, please wait until we finish kissing”? We must have modesty and observe proper etiquette. A man must keep the etiquette proper to a husband, and a wife the courtesy proper to a wife. (112:65, March 29, 1981)

Children in reputable families are raised to be prudent in all things. Every step taken, every word uttered, every action contemplated must be prudent. Manners are complex, and it’s not easy to master them. What child likes to mind his manners? In this age of permissiveness no one cares much about manners, yet they are critical. If we don’t teach young people manners, it’s our own ruination: our family has no future. Families with noble traditions contain many useful educational resources for teaching their children how to relate well with adults, with siblings, and with parents. (42:17, February 19, 1971)

Women chased Elvis Presley wherever he performed. They tried to touch him and grab him and even jump on him. If he had announced, “Any woman who likes me can come to see me tonight,” undoubtedly there would be a long line of women at his door, many leaving their husbands behind. Do singers like Elvis Presley and sports champions fulfill a good purpose or an evil purpose? Generally these superstars influence the world in a satanic way. Men and women who carefully groom their appearance and dress in the most elegant fashions generally have a satanic effect on the world. (122:263, November 21, 1982)