Shockingly Seventeen

Yesterday, while I was at the nail salon waiting to get my nails done, I perused through the June 08 edition of Seventeen Magazine. I was interested in the article about country music sensation Taylor Swift, and I ended up reading the whole magazine! I have to admit, I was shocked at some of the content in Seventeen Magazine - and even more shocked to realize that it's target audience isn't actually seventeen year old young women, but rather girls, ages 12-17. I admit, I'm far past the target age group, but I feel that the some of the magazine content is wholly unacceptable for Royal Daughters of any age.

Taking advantage of any summer theme they could get their hands on, the writers/editors of Seventeen Magazine had a 4 or 5 page article about bathing suits to fit any body shape. Please remember that the target age group is preteen and teenage girls. Most of the featured bathing suits were bikinis, and the few one-piece suits that were featured were mostly "cut out" suits (exposing the waist line, chest, and other unmentionable areas of the female body.) From string-tied bikini bottoms, to low-cut halter tops, there were a handful (if that) of modest bathing suits. Seventeen Magazine encourages girls to expose and flaunt their bodies at the beach/swimming pool. However, the Word of God gives explicit instructions for Royal Daughters, "I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves..." (I Timothy 2:9) Peter, a disciple of Christ also writes in I Peter 3:4, You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."

There were several articles about summer love. In "How to Meet the Hot Lifeguard" and "Getting Any Guy at the Beach", readers are encouraged to take the initiative in summer romances. According to Seventeen Magazine, girls shouldn't wait for hot guys to approach them - but be bold and introduce themselves and even give out their phone numbers. When it comes to kissing, girls should once again take the initiative and make the first move. Seventeen Magazine also consoles the girls whose new crush is leaving the beach with his family. They write, "for every one hot guy who leaves, three more hot guys show up, and now you've got your pick of three!" The adolescent girls that read Seventeen Magazine are reading that fickleness and promiscuity are completely normal and acceptable behaviors. This is completely anit-Royal Daughter behavior! In Song of Solomon we read, "Promise me, O women of Jerusalem...not to awaken love until the time is right."

In the OMG! (basically a most embarrassing moment) section of the magazine young readers write in with stories about being caught making out with their boyfriends (one girl was making out with a boy who was actually dating someone else - talk about OMG!), being embarrassed in front of their crushes, being heard describing their new underwear to their boyfriends, etc. What is exceptionally shocking about this is that the readers who wrote these OMG! moments were 12,13, and 14 year old girls! They have probably never read the Bible,where it says that Royal Daughters should "live wisely and be pure...then they will not bring shame on the Word of God." (Titus 2:5)

I say, shame on you, Seventeen Magazine for leading astray vulnerable young girls! They are created by, and in the image of God, and they are precious in His sight! I wish the girls could read Proverbs 31:30, "Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God."