Religious beliefs and nudity.
So I have a question, and I hope to ask it in a way that does not offend anybody. Also hope that it was not previously discussed and I missed it.
I was raised Catholic by my grandmother. But decided that it was not for me, I had issues with certain parts of the belief that, for the most part are irrelevant to my question, so I won't go into them. I have also tried going to some nondenominational (?) Christian churches, but again did not feel that they were right for me. Anyway, among these many attempts to find a right place for me, I was always told nudity was wrong, especially in a mixed group with someone you are not married to. I was even given grief, by a youth group I was once a part of, over a comment I had once made about a girl's bikini when we went swimming at a member's pool. In case it matters, a girl came out wearing a suite that was practicaly not there and I had said "hey, girl's name, with a suit that small, we my as well go skinny-dipping". I got a couple of evil looks, and had a conversation with some later. No issue with the girl in the bikini, quite a bit of grief over my comment, which was by the way, I admit was a bit inappropriate and I did apologize for it. But I was also kinda testing the water about how receptive they were about the idea. But the main problem with the group was my suggestion of nudity amongst us.
So in a long winded kind of way, my question is;
How do people of any religious belief, especially those with strong stances against being socially nude find a way to get the two issues to coexist within themselves? I hope I phrased it right.
Again, I'm not asking to be the cause of any trouble, to be a wiseass, or to offend. If someone is offened, I apologize, and you don't need to comment if you don't feel like it. But, I am sincerely asking as someone who is ignorant of information and am asking for that information. The only way to learn, is to ask. Right?
Sincerely, Stitch.
Hey, Stitch...I'm no expert and although I don't see a conflict between being Christian and being a nudist, probably the best resource would be the Christian Naturists group on here. They have a lot of discussion, a number of them are very active church leaders, and they can discuss or direct you to good reading on the topic on various websites.
That was a great question, by the way!
Gator1
Welcom to the site, Liloandstitch. That is a great and sincere question. But one that I can't answer. Although I have strong spiritual beliefs I don't consider myself "religious" and am not affiliated with any one particular church. My biggest difficulty was accepting the "label" nudist as I don't much care for labels. Being on this site and entering into discussions with many people here on the forum helped me to define for myself what a nudist/naturist is and to accept that particular label. (although I don't know where to put it as I have no clothes on!)
Jen
Hey, Stitch...I'm no expert and although I don't see a conflict between being Christian and being a nudist, probably the best resource would be the Christian Naturists group on here. They have a lot of discussion, a number of them are very active church leaders, and they can discuss or direct you to good reading on the topic on various websites. That was a great question, by the way! Gator1
Good question Stich, and good answer Gator. I am not an expert either but I can say I am a strong Christian and have no conflict with also being a nudist. There is nothing in the bible prohibiting nudity that I have found. Adam and Eve were created nude, it was only by the influence of the devil that they became ashamed of being nude.
You may be counted amongst the people who care to entertain the thought that
we all came from apes, lol but for the educated the possibility of that in non
existent to the infinite power! Our existence had to come from intelligent
design, or if you think life came from some cosmic goop made of love sick ameba
you might as well eat drink and be merry - party till you die and become
fertilizer for the next pile of goop in the evolution chain.
On the other hand for those who carry on the belief of what the American
people have been founded on from day one, "One Nation Under God" in it's truest
intent, we need first respect the divine designer of creation, the Bible has and
is the only writings to survive the test of time, and no other writing of
intellectual matter has been made that even comes close to the number of copies
in more languages of the bibles content. The Bible tells of Jesus Christ and the
purpose of His existence, and if you want to dig up secular history you will
find many times more proof of the existence of Jesus Christ and his death on the
cross, and resurrection, than the evidence of the existence of Julius Caeasar.
That said back to the topic of Christianity and naturisms coexistence in
harmony, to take a glimpse of the well recorded his-story from the Bible we will
see early on that the intelligent designer, here in after called God, did create
man and woman in His own image and likeness, naked un ashamed! Now ask your self
who could make it better than God? Now that that is settled we always hear the
old "but God clothed them" not so God gave Adam and Eve a old animal hide He
tore in half, and gave it to Adam and Eve as part of their punishment while
being evicted from the Garden of Eden because they were going to need it to lay
on and cover up with at night to keep from being ate up by mosquitoes. Besides
it was in an area that was tropical, extremely warm and humid in an area where
few or no clothing is ever worn.
Bottom line if you are a believer in God and His Son Jesus Christ you are to
live for Him and by His word, do not try to be as they call it "men pleasers" or
as we see many trying to be denomination pleasers, as it is very hard to please
God and please the mass of denominational leaders, they can't even get along
with each other, even though they all claim to be interpreting the same Bible
book. Keep your relationship with Jesus Christ personal, the way God likes it.
And remember when God made man and woman He made the naked unashamed, He looked
at all that He made and said it was all very good - you can not make it better
than God!
I have no problems at all with being Christian and a naturist. As you say, we are all born naked. The Bible does not prohibit naturism at all. although there are warnings about rude stuff that the misguided associate with naturism. You might as well say that The Bible says not to go into a supermarket because of its warnings against materialism.
For me, naturism and being a Christian have a common goal of finding freedom. The truth shall set you free indeed. Alleluia!
I too see that naturism is in complete harmony with Christianity. Adam and Eve were clothed and ashamed because of their sin. It was sin that they were ashamed of. The fact that they saw eachother as naked with sin in their hearts. Before there was sin, there was nudity. As a Christian, we are supposed to live our daily lives according to the teachings of Christ and we are supposed to strive to be as sin free as possible. Though we will never be free of sin in this life, we are to live our lives as Christ lived His. We are to strive to avoid sin and turn from sin toward God. Even Pope John Paul II said nudity in and of itself is not sinful. Indeed, it is the thoughts and desires that are associated with it. Especially in todays society, nudity is heavily associated with sex...they pretty much go hand in hand. To me, for a naturist/nudist to be at a place where they can be nude around others, not have the sexual desires and thoughts that society pushes but to realize the innocence and freedom of nudity, in fact one's God given right to be nude; they have overcome the sin associated with nudity. If you have overcome the sin, then you as a Christian are living a Godly life as you are supposed to.
I do not mean to judge all Americans when I say this, but I find it quite rediculous to claim that you belong to God's nation so to speak. I guess that here in Canada we are the Evil doer's right? The contradictions within the Bible are so evident and have absolutely no evidence to support their claims, especially when it comes to the Old Testament. Adam & Eve? Give me a break! I guess that it was ok to sleep with your brother and,or sister in those days than? Noa's Ark? I guess that there were not any gay people or species in those times because every species on earth were saved on that boat. I am very spiritual and I believe it is important not to follow those who claim to have found the word God, but to follow those who are in search of.
We Americans do not claim to be God's nation, rather we are One Nation Under God. The difference being our nation was founded by people with strong religious beliefs and as such our laws and values were established accordingly. That doesn't say other nations don't have same values, it simply says that we do. This in not intened as a start of a strong political dissention, but simply an answer to the above comment.
"A serious question was asked, and yet all you seem to want to do is denegrate Christians".
What's the problem ? - The thread header is 'RELIGOUS BELIEFS AND NUDITY'
Surely we can discuss ALL religions ? - or is Christianity outside the remit ?
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