Confusion and reformation

I'm feeling very confused right now. I've just read 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, in which Paul commands the believers that the men should not cover their heads while "praying or prophesying" but women should cover their heads. Well, first of all this seems like a weird command to me, because what does it matter whether you're head is covered or not? (But on the other hand, we're supposed to obey God even if we don't understand His reasons.) Secondly, if we're supposed to be doing this, why aren't we?? How many women do you see wearing veils in church? Uh, none, unless they're getting married!

So what's with this anyway? I mean, my Bible has a note down the bottom of the page saying that some Bibles speak about "hair" rather than a "covering", but I went to this site (Let Her be Veiled) which looked at the original Greek, and whoever wrote the article reckoned that it definitely referred to a veil-like covering.

Well, I guess if we gals are supposed to wear veils in church it doesn't really bother me...if we're all doing it. But I can just imagine the weird looks I'd get if I walked into church with a shawl draped over my head. (Yeah, I know, I shouldn't mind that. But I am human!) I can also imagine the sort of response I'd get if I tried to encourage everyone else to do it too. Besides, it still seems like a funny command and before I do anything drastic I want to research different interpretations.

But it leads me on to something else. It got me thinking (especially what the guy was saying in the article I read) about what the Bible says in other places about how women shouldn't place so much store on beauty but spend their energies on becoming Godly women. Which makes me freak out a bit (especially after all the references to Jezebel and feminine pride and so on in that article) in case that means we're not supposed to worry about our appearance at all. Because I admit it freely, I'm entirely feminine (or maybe just human) in that I like to look nice whenever possible. And I like wearing jewelery and makeup. That surely isn't wrong? It's not like the Bible comes right out and says "Don't bother with nice clothes and throw away all your makeup and jewelery (etc)." I don't see why I can't take a few pains with my appearance and still focus on becoming a Godly woman. I mean, if that guy can throw Jezebel at me, why can't I just throw Esther right back?

I'm probably getting all freaked over nothing. I think I do that a lot. ;)

Anyway, I guess that's something I'll have to mull over for a while. I suppose I can't expect any quick answers when I'm wrestling both with not entirely clear verses and my own natural bias.

All this stuff has made me think that the girls at church would benefit from some sort of ministry thingy where the older women guide the younger ones in becoming Godly women. You know, teaching us about modesty and the Biblical role of women and so forth...dunno, it's just an idea.

In any case, with all these somewhat radical -- or at least out-of-the-ordinary -- ideas, I'm kind of wondering if I'm going to end up turning into a bit of a reformer. A scary possibility! ;)