How should a Christian parent think about cultural or societal differences between men and women in parenting their children? What I mean is this: suppose my five-year old son wants to wear a dress to school or my teenage daughter wants to go topless at the beach because "boys can do that." What reasons (if any) should I give for why that would not be appropriate?
Now, I'm sure that outside of the U.S. or even historically, there would be nothing wrong with boys/men wearing dresses or women going topless. In fact, I can think of several countries, tribes, or time periods in which that would have been culturally acceptable. Since Scripture is silent on many of these matters, then we shouldn't seek to impose restrictions if not needed.
However, in the context of the 21st century United States, such behaviors would indeed raise eyebrows not only in society at large but even more so in the context of the church. On what basis do I have to stand on to say that men and women should act, behave, or dress in a certain way because that is the acceptable view of the dominant culture while Scripture remains silent? Is there a way to affirm any goodness in the culture that God has ordained that we live in?
Now, I'm sure that outside of the U.S. or even historically, there would be nothing wrong with boys/men wearing dresses or women going topless. In fact, I can think of several countries, tribes, or time periods in which that would have been culturally acceptable. Since Scripture is silent on many of these matters, then we shouldn't seek to impose restrictions if not needed.
However, in the context of the 21st century United States, such behaviors would indeed raise eyebrows not only in society at large but even more so in the context of the church. On what basis do I have to stand on to say that men and women should act, behave, or dress in a certain way because that is the acceptable view of the dominant culture while Scripture remains silent? Is there a way to affirm any goodness in the culture that God has ordained that we live in?