A conversation about modesty in church—even for people standing outside the building—swelled online after a woman posted images of herself wearing an evening gown and posing in front of a Catholic Church alongside the Facebook messages her father received after he shared the pictures.
The woman, named Brianna, took to Reddit and wrote, “I posted these photos on Facebook from a gala I went to last weekend and this is the DM my dad received.”
“I’m sending this private message because I don’t want to post publicly,” the message read. “I’m deeply saddened and disturbed that you and Brianna would pose in front of [redacted] Catholic Church. I suppose I really don’t mind using the church as a backdrop, but several of her pictures, appearing to show her legs, seems inappropriate.”
“Would you pose like that in front of [redacted] Baptist Church? I don’t think so. I attend [redacted] and that’s why I’m sensitive. I suggest you take down those few [pictures in] which she is posing with so much of her leg showing,” the message continued. “She is a beautiful lady!”
RELATED: New Dating Apps—And ‘In-Person’ Mixers—Target Religious and Political Niches
After some time passed with no response, the person followed up with another message.
“This is my second message…Brianna is beautiful. But I am offended by the provocative poses in front of [redacted] church. That’s disrespectful to everyone at the Catholic Church and simply not acceptable. Please take down from your posts those provocative poses,” the message read.
Later in the Reddit thread, Brianna clarified, “I am a photographer and I have taken 1,000’s of photos in front of this church, and every time the pastor or elder in the church has seen me and my clients they have been nothing but kind, accepting, and loving. No matter what my or my client’s appearance was.”
“They have even offered for us to use the interior as a backdrop and invited us inside to eat with them,” Brianna added. “I always ask permission to photograph there when I see a leader or elder and they always are happy we are there and using their beautiful church as our backdrop. This is not a representation of the religion or church which I guess is why these messages she sent my father bother me.”
RELATED: Candace Cameron Bure: Marital Sex Shouldn’t Get ‘Such a Bad Rap’
Brianna further expressed that she was in the area for a charity gala and walked over to the church building to take a couple photos, adding, “I’m incredibly insecure and haven’t had my photo taken in years and this was my opportunity to do what I have always wanted to do.”
