| Author |
 Topic  |
|
catbird
Forum Member
|
 Posted - 07/07/2007 : 5:28:51 PM
|
I have many times felt close to God while naked. I have numerous times agreed with various writers who point out the Bible doesn't condemn nudity. "Clothe the naked" means to supply the needs of the poverty stricken. I could go on and on about that naturism is compatible with Christianity.
Nevertheless, I cannot mention my naturism among my fellow parishioners, because that could stir up controversy. That is because "nudity equals sex" is the view of the majority of Christians (hence "thou shalt not commit adultery").
For example, I mentioned Sandy Hook to a brother parishioner. He responded, "You don't mean the nude beach -- I hope not." My response to that was silence.
I enjoy doing church work and prayer chain. If they find out that I am a nudist, that could jeopardize my standing among my fellow parishioners.
Naturally, Lester
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 202 |
|
|
CMx2
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/08/2007 : 12:45:00 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by catbird
That is because "nudity equals sex" is the view of the majority of Christians
I'll make the argument that Christians hold no monopoly on the "nudity equals sex" view.
Heck, I'm not convinced that that view is held higher within the Christian church than it is in the secular world.
|
|
Country:
| Posts: 210 |
 |
|
|
StuffedTiger
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/08/2007 : 01:41:54 AM
|
One of the ways we deal with our own failings is to transfer them into hate, and to give that hate a face. Then we feel strong and righteous instead of weak and shamed.
Hate is always evil. Your brother parishioner showed his inner hate when he said, "I hope not." That was an implied warning to you that there would be serious repercussions. Such repercussions are often said to be for the person's own good or the good of all, but that is nonsense. Jesus dealt with such judgements many times among His followers to help them understand that the aspersions they cast on others were, in fact, reflections of their own failings. (For example, pointing out the splinter in our brother's eye vs the beam in our own.)
Your brother is most likely caught up in false modesty, a form of self-hatred that denies the human body as God's creation. His failing to accept his own God given humanity, as Jesus did, leads him to an enormous burden of unnecessary guilt, guilt not for doing anything bad but for just being himself. In that prison of guilt, he is easy prey to the temptation to hate those who accept their own human body as it is, as God's creation.
Knowing that such hatred is wrong, I believe your brother sought socially acceptable expressions for his hate. Instead of inquiring into the motivations of your heart and seeking to understand you (as one would who truly wanted to help you), he apparently felt free to speak for the entire congregation in threatening you with serious consequences. He has no business doing that, either as a human being or as a Christian or as God's representative.
The answer, of course, is not to hate your brother back. The answer IMHO is education. It was not until I understood that my body was God's gift that I begin to see that all the everyday, humdrum good work we all do with our bodies might just turn out to be the most perfect prayer we can give back to our Maker.
|
|
Country:
| Posts: 246 |
|
|
|
CMx2
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/08/2007 : 04:50:07 AM
|
I don't know about all that "hate" stuff.
I would venture a guess that when the guy said "I hope not." he was just hoping not.
|
|
Country:
| Posts: 210 |
|
|
|
Paul1011
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/08/2007 : 08:50:38 AM
|
We have come to accept that the majority of our friends and people we know at church wouldn't understand the enjoyment and spiritual uplift of the naturist lifestyle. While we would like to be more open about it, however we are not moved to do so because it would complicate our lives way too much. This is probably the same for most people that are hesitant to make their naturism widely know at work or in the community. The norm of society is to cast a judgemental eye on nudists and I don't see that changing quickly. By the way, in the US, this issue has relaxed considerability in the last 30 years. Many Asian contries are way more hung up about nudity than we in the US are.
The fact that we cannot be open about being nudists at church is a disappointment that we live with. Change will come very slowly in this area in my opinion. I have chosen to focus on being a person who loves others and tries to serve them as Christ would. If someone finds out I am a nudist, then the only conclusion they can make is that nudists can be godly and caring towards others. No harm there.
Paul
Paul
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 36 |
|
|
|
Balto Bob
$ Supporter
|
Posted - 07/08/2007 : 11:04:57 AM
|
Leviticus is full of references to nakedness. All of them seem to refer to sex. I believe this is the problem. Can anyone help with the Hebrew origin? I'm not sure the word means NUDE.
Bob
Have a nice NUDE day !!
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 830 |
|
|
|
Cheri
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/08/2007 : 11:32:22 AM
|
The nakedness in the Old Testament is not about sex, but nude. BTW, the original scriptures were not written in Hebrew. Hebrew is the languange. In the beginnings, those who were Jewish were called Israelites.
My new rabbi is aware of my lifestyle as is most of the congregation. The rabbi who retired last year Bar Mitzvah'd me and was aware. In fact, when I adopted a new kitten and named it Teva, I was told that the name was appropriate. Teva means natural in Hebrew.
In the story of Noah, the father's nakedness meant his drunken state and included his actions rather than anything else.
Cheri
Doing what I can to positively promote nudism
-
-
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 3519 |
|
|
|
catbird
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/08/2007 : 8:41:24 PM
|
Leviticus 18 especially presents a challenge, as to what is meant. The King James Version and the New Revised Standard Version repeatedly says "Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of _____" (referring to various family members). Some of the modern versions says that this means sex, and this includes Eugene Peterson's "The Message." I will say that I don't know what Leviticus 18 means. I would be interested to hear what some rabbi says about Leviticus 18.
I don't believe in using The Bible to conk people on the head. IMHO the Bible can be used to prove anything.
Naturally, Lester
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 202 |
|
|
|
crewneckturtle
New Member
|
Posted - 07/08/2007 : 11:18:11 PM
|
uncover the nakedness of
I used some online tools and I may not have this right, but it seems to be a phrase that is a figure of speech. Euphemisms were in use, apparently, way back then.
The word translated "uncover" -- say the books --was used (and may be to this day used, for all I know) in the example of "uncovering the hair from another person's ear" -- a figure of speech meaning:- to tell a secret. At least among the Christian commentators I've read so far, the phrase in this context -- of uncovering nakedness -- among next of kin, was done to establish (or re-establish) definitions of incest and to affirm that copulation between certain kinds of close relatives was not (and is not) a good thing.
I would like to look into this more, and compare with various views on the so-called Seven Laws of Noah, and ethical obligations for non-Jewish people.
Interestingly the figure of speech cited above is elsewhere in the Bible (or Israelite usage) modified to refer to the Almighty G-d when He "uncovers the eyes" of the prophets (and perhaps of the righteous).
In other words, it is not always or necessarily or only a bad thing, this Biblical uncovering of something. (Specific context can be very important to the discovering of the meaning.)
Michael, crewneckturtle@yahoo.ca
|
|
Country:
| Posts: 1 |
|
|
|
bornnude
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/09/2007 : 07:36:58 AM
|
Along with it's monthly (free through email) newsletter, FigLeafForum (http://www.figleafforum.com) has a scripture project which explores various Bible passages related to naturism and nudity.
They start out the discussion on the Lev 18 as follows:
quote:
Many will quote the extensive prohibitions in Leviticus 18 against seeing nakedness. Starting with verse 6, there are a lot of warnings about uncovering the nakedness of relatives. The term "uncovering" seems to indicate a forceful act of making someone naked against their will, and probably has other meanings of a sexual nature. Matthew Henry's commentary, for instance, considers all of these prohibitions not as seeing simple nakedness, but rather as taking the person in marriage or some sexual activity. Most modern Bible translations clearly show that the warnings of Leviticus 18 refer not to seeing nakedness but to illicit sexual relationships.
If you are interested in nudity and how it relates to the Bible and a Christian life, I would suggest you subscribe here.
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 462 |
|
|
|
Balto Bob
$ Supporter
|
Posted - 07/09/2007 : 10:47:46 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Cheri
The nakedness in the Old Testament is not about sex, but nude. BTW, the original scriptures were not written in Hebrew. Hebrew is the languange. In the beginnings, those who were Jewish were called Israelites.
My new rabbi is aware of my lifestyle as is most of the congregation. The rabbi who retired last year Bar Mitzvah'd me and was aware.
In the story of Noah, the father's nakedness meant his drunken state and included his actions rather than anything else.
Cheri
If the books of Moses weren't written in Hebrew then what was the language??
I hope I didn't imply they were written BY Hebrews.
Also, I would have thought you were Bat Mitzvah'd.
I spent 8 years working in the Jewish area of Baltimore. I learned the varriations from Hasidic to Reconstuctionist. My divorce was handled by Leonard Kerpelman whose greatest case made him hated by most Christians (prayer in school).
I was asking if the KJV & RSV were an accurate translation. Your reference seems to support my point. It was the actions while nude that was sinful.
Most churches worry far too much about avoiding temptation.
Bob
Have a nice NUDE day !!
|
Edited by - Balto Bob on 07/09/2007 10:56:50 AM |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 830 |
|
|
|
Tuffers
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/09/2007 : 4:33:13 PM
|
This is getting very heavy. I am of a Jewish mother so my heritage leans towards the Jewish faith albeit I do not follow any religion specifically. However what ever your religion in my opinion you must do as you see right on this earth. With all the evil that is being shown to the human race in these violent times, God , I am sure will look kindly upon us who want the trnquility of enjoying the nude lifestyle. I think our God has more pressing problems amongst the human race to try and sort out.
|
|
Country: United Kingdom
| Posts: 336 |
|
|
|
catbird
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/09/2007 : 5:47:00 PM
|
When I wrote the original posting, I wasn't looking for any erudite discussion.
Naturally, Lester
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 202 |
|
|
|
Tim
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/10/2007 : 02:00:44 AM
|
I have Christian friends who I have introduced to naturism, but I am selective. Adam and Eve is the best introduction. Last year I was driving out of my club, when I spotted someone else from church on the way in. She was as surprised as I was.
|
|
Country: United Kingdom
| Posts: 50 |
|
|
|
LarryK1052
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/19/2007 : 10:05:29 PM
|
Tim, seeing a fellow church member entering into a nudist resort just ahead of you must of been a delightful experience for both of you. You are no longer alone..
As for my experience, I am a Southern Baptist. Sothern Baptist definately would see nudism as sin. But, they also see drinking a "little" wine or beer as sin as well. I enjoy nudism and a little wine and beer. These two liberities put me at risk of being branded a sinner.
There is no getting around the official church teaching on these two practices and no amount of debate or showing bible proof verses that they are not wrong will change church teaching.
The Apostle Paul in the book of Romans covered this situation quite well. Chapter 14, I believe, tells us that there are those you drink wine, eat meat and celebrate certain days and holidays that others find offensive even sinful. Paul says that the stronger should practice his liberty before the Lord. In other words, don't be a in your face nudist or user of wine.
If my liberty is ever made public I will deal with it scripturally. I know what the bible teaches on nudity it may not save me, but I know the truth.
Larry in Kentucky
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 26 |
|
|
|
Bare Warrior
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/20/2007 : 11:14:01 AM
|
Hi everyone,
The Bible does not support the idea that nudity, in and of itself, is sinful. Jesus was far more interested in a person's intentions or motivations than strictly obeying a specific rule.
When David danced naked in celebration of the Lord, the Bible, specifically references that his male parts were exposed. David's entire family was present. His wife and other women chastized him bitterly for his nakedness and embarassment. Who did God punish? He punished the women. God said that David's "motivation" was celebrating God's blessings. Although he did not say it within the Biblical text, I think God punished the women because they could only see David's nakedness as sexual, not an expression of praise and joy.
If our purpose of being naked is the celebration of life, relaxation and God's creation, I see no sin in it.
Unfortunately, many of the things taught in churches are culture based, not Biblically based. I am a Deacon in my own church ad a conservative Christian. I work hard to expose and educate people on what is really Biblical and what is not. It's a slow process and one has to carefully pick which battles to fight so that you can remain a changing force within the congregation. Go too far and too fast and you will find yourself marginalized and ineffective.
If I told everyone I was going to clothing optional beaches I would loose my ability to effect change.
Take care everyone.
Bare Warrior
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 61 |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Nudist-Resorts.Org Discussion Forum Bulletin Board Nudism Clothing Optional Resort Naturism Nude Beaches |
© 2002-2020 SUN |
|
|
|
Nudism must be a secret among church people
