command that the soul had over the body, the latter could not revolt against the spirit; it was kept in check at all times, and therefore there was nothing to be ashamed of. After sin, however, Adam and Eve lose this control; the lower passions seek to be autonomous and are no longer easily held by reason; thus it is that they realise they need to clothe their bodies to avoid the excessive sensual preoccupation which would otherwise lead them down a path that is sub-human, because it resembles that of the animal world in which there is no resistance possible to the sex urge when it presents itself. I hope you understand now a little more clearly, Amanda, that the events of the night of that party, right from your choice to wear that immodest dress, despite your conscience pricking you, to the reactions of those present, can all be traced back to Original Sin and concupiscence. It was precisely this reaction of concupiscence in your male counterparts that night that led you to feel that you were “on show”. A woman, when not modestly dressed, can trigger in a man concupiscence, which is really animal instinct, and is essentially a desire to enjoy a physical pleasure that is contrary to what his reason tells him. The account of Genesis goes on to tell us what Adam and Eve did when they realised they were naked: they sewed together fig leaves, and made themselves aprons (Gen 3:7). Fig leaves are pretty big leaves compared to other trees, but they are small compared to the size of the human body. The obvious meaning is that they covered the bare minimum. This was understandable. They did not yet know how to make clothes, and so they did the best they could as fast as they could and with what they had at hand; they simply could not bear to remain naked in each other’s presence, because they no longer controlled the movements of their flesh. What is even more significant is that God did not leave them to their own devices. Genesis explicitly tells us that He Himself gave them clothes. The Lord God made for Adam and his wife, garments of skins, and clothed them (Gen 3:21). In other words, God decided that the fig leaves were not enough. It was not enough to cover the bare minimum, to wear a loincloth (a mini-skirt?); one needs more, and the more takes the form of a garment of skin, in other words, a tunic (or dress) that hides not only the skin but also the shape of the body. God did not make them shorts or trousers, but a tunic that veils both flesh and form. These tunics were for both Adam and Eve, for modesty concerns men as well as women. However, because of the natural differences in the sexes, women are far more 32
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