Is Nudism for All Christians?

[Fresh Air]

Some time ago I came to the conclusion and personal belief that nudity and the practice of nudism itself is not a sin. I still believe this, but have often doubted my own actions. I ran across this article the other day:

Naked for Christ?

I thought it had some valid points. Some of the points I have strugled with myself and some of the other points I have seen others acting out.

I was just wondering if any other fellow Christian Nudists have any insight and input into the matter.

Is the article making valid points?

Fresh Air

[Fresh Air]

Some time ago I came to the conclusion and personal belief that nudity and the practice of nudism itself is not a sin. I still believe this, but have often doubted my own actions. I ran across this article the other day:

Naked for Christ?

I thought it had some valid points. Some of the points I have strugled with myself and some of the other points I have seen others acting out.

I was just wondering if any other fellow Christian Nudists have any insight and input into the matter.

Is the article making valid points?

Fresh Air

[Naturist Zoar]

In my humble opinion, I don't see any valid points in the article.

[TXK NUDE]

I read that article years ago when I first began to explore social nudism, and researching it and Scripture for compatability. IF a Christian wants to explore nudism, and their spose does not, then their FIRST priority is to their spouse... in fact, the order of priorities for any Christian should be like this:
1. God (my relationship with the Almighty)
2. Spouse (my relationship with my wife/husband)
3. Family (my realtionship with my children/parents)
4. Nudism (my relationship with myself/my body/my health)

Should any of the other three interfere significantly with the other, then you should always go with the one of a higher priority. An example would be that if your nudism is driving your relationship with your spouse to divorce--then put your nudism on the back burner and focus instead on your relationship with you wife. She may see your sincerity to her and decide to eventually join you at a club or beach!

The article does make some points, but I think it is a little heavy handed, and not very balanced to the truth.

[Trailscout]

Paul and Lori (moderators) said, "We think the Bible is clear that nudity is to be limited to the marriage relationship, but since no single verse says this it's not always easy to "prove" this point".

If they were considering the Torah verses forbidding "uncovering the nakeness of...(near relatives)", you might ask yourself if it meant that the Bible teaches that nakedness itself is wrong, but that would divorce the word "nakedness" from the context of the act of undressing for the purpose of sexual union in a society where people generally wear clothes. In other words, those often-cited passages condemn fornication and incest, not simple nudity. This presupposition of the immorality of social nudity ignores the accounts in the Bible where nudity was treated matter-of-factly with no condemnation, or a case or two where nudity is mandated directly by God.

The guest columnist seemed to recognize the weakness of this argument and proposed instead, the following premise: Social nudism becomes a wedge that drives spouses apart.

The guest columnist cannot directly find fault with nudism, so he proposes that social nudity should be avoided because he regards it as a controversial divisive issue. But I could say the same thing about a couple divided over the issue of becoming a Christian. If one spouse of an unbelieving couple becomes a Christian, it could create division and stress in the marriage, yet no one would argue that coming to Christ is to be avoided if it would in so doing, create the tension of a mixed marriage. The unsaved spouse may be driven to jealousy and anger when his/her newly saved spouse becomes active in a church, and no longer participates in immoral activities the couple once shared.

I know that some clubs ban married people from attending a resort without the spouse, but that really is a separate issue from whether one's marriage is strong enough to tolerate a difference of opinion about the morality of social nudity or if there is enough trust in a relationship for one spouse to take a separate vacation that accomodates his interest in golf, fishing, bowling or any number of things.

The guest columnist suggested that nudist resorts are undesireable because one would be exposed to immoral people. Let me give a non-nudist example of a similar situation:
My father took an interest in community theater and derived a lot of satisfaction from his acting avocation. He ran into a few unsavory characters in the theater group among a generally very genial and wholesome group, but the few bad apples did not tempt him to sin, did not sully his reputation in the community, nor did it prevent him from enjoying his time in the theater.

The guest columnist then discussed the problem of "secret nudism".
He made the mistake of assuming that all members of one's congregation will condemn you for visiting a nudist resort. Gossips can be found in some churches. A visit to a nudist resort is simply one of many things I would not discuss with people I did not know well nor with people who have proven themselves to be unworthy of trust. If I had a wayward son or daughter, I certainly would not tell such people, even though I am innocent of wrongdoing in the matter.

Families that are regularly nude at home vary their wardrobe when company comes. I don't know of any nudist couples who don't invite non-nudist friends over from time to time. They simply dress on those occasions. There is no deceipt involved. I have a non-nudist friend who used to allow his children to frolic nude in the living room when I was visiting, but I was a trusted friend. He would not allow his children to be nude in the presence of a stranger who was doing some home repairs or making a sales call.

I have met quite a few nudists who remained active in their local churches. I know of some who privately, but matter-of-factly mentioned going to a nude beach or camping nude. These people I refer to are pillars of the church and highly regarded.

I realize that some churches are intolerant, but certainly not all are.

I am blessed to be an easy drive away from a nudist resort where the vast majority are monogamous family folks, quite a few of whom are Christian.
I have found that in that resort, some non-Christian nudists are open-minded and that they listened respectfully and with interest as I shared my faith.

I am also aware that some couples are not so lucky as I and they may find that the nearest nudist resort has a sizeable number of immoral people to the point that the place is not a pleasure for a Christian to visit. Then again, I could find workplaces that are just as immoral. I admit that a Christian family, particularly one with young children would do well to avoid resorts with an prevailing atmosphere of carnality. That still leaves the option of trips to resorts that are wholesome, nudity on campouts, nude beaches and household and backyard nudity.

I cannot ignore the claim that the fruits of nudism "tend to be contrary to Biblical teaching".

Many Christian nudists can attest to the benefits of living nude as God intended. Regular nudity helps break the link between sexual lust and the sight of bare skin; nudity glorifies God who created the body while minimizing the false glamor of expensive clothes. There is not space to list all benefits, but there are many.

[sawdust]

Trailscout. Congratulations on once again making an excellent posting. It was to my way of thinking, well thought out and excellent in its clarity and simplicity of presentation. Thanks too for taking a stand for Christanity, your beliefs and making your outstanding posting.
Your brother in Christ Service, Sawdust

[Jochanaan]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Naturist Zoar:
[qb] In my humble opinion, I don't see any valid points in the article. [/qb]

---

I agree. All of its major points were based on how other Christians might react. But "We ought to obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29) Since the Bible never clearly condemns simple nudity, and makes it clear that the body is good, even to calling it a "temple of the Holy Ghost" (I Cor. 6:19) and "the members of Christ" (vs. 15), the writer's argument is a house built on sand.

To answer the topic question, naturism is for all Christians who can accept it. We should not condemn those who cannot embrace our freedom; but we should oppose those who would deny us any exercise of it, always treating them as brothers and sisters in Christ and potential fellow naturists/nudists.

[Vin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Trailscout:
[qb] If they were considering the Torah verses.... [/qb]

---

Trailscout,

Excellent post! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] I've often wondered how Christianity squares belief in an infallible Creator with the belief that he must have screwed up and made the human body a thing that must be hidden from view. Not to mention that, as has already been pointed out, the Bible never even implies (to my mind) that non-sexual nudity is wrong.

Vin

[Tyco]

I am writing this without having the time to read through the previous replies. If I'm repeating any points already made above, it's because they're my own and I haven't read any above yet.

The article's first point:

"This leads to the first big, big problem with social nudism in general: It becomes a wedge that drives spouses apart."

I disagree with this first point. He makes it sound like an overall problem. It may in some isolated marriages, but I've met several married couples who are both happily into nudism and enjoy sharing it together. He "shotguns" this point too broadly.

His second point about keeping it a secret is valid. I am a Christian nudist, but almost no one who knows me knows it. Is it because I am ashamed of it? No. It is out of fear of being judged, possibly being kicked out of my church, and worse, losing my job which is run by Christians. I know nudism is difficult to understand by folks who aren't into it....I understand that, and respect that, so I just don't choose to tell everyone about it. Actually they don't need to know.

I am involved with Christian ministries, both inside my church and outside. I do not find my nudism to be a hindrance to them. They COULD be a hindrance, if other Christians found out and caused problems for me, but it would be because of them, not me.

"About 40% of nudists are swingers." Where on earth did he get this?? He does not back it up with a referrence. I immediately doubt this claim. This wild point alone seriously damages the credibility of the whole article.

Overall I think this article was written by one person who had bad experiences, and decided to attack nudism out of retaliation or whatever his personal motive was. His writing was of course picked up eagerly by other Christians who disagree with nudism and think it's a sin.

Is nudism for all Christians? Absolutely not. It isn't for everyone, period. But it is for those who prefer enjoying the outdoors, sun, wind, and water, without any clothing, such as myself.

I cannot personally speak for those that frequent nudist clubs. I do not go to those; I prefer a nice skinny-dipping hole or nudist beach. I believe that the writer was more into clubs, and may have had his bad experiences in them...where he perhaps saw swinging going on, and other things that disgusted him. I don't know.

Actually, I think nudism IS for everyone, BUT not everyone is for nudism. If everyone's eyes were suddenly opened and they saw that there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with social nudism, many of them STILL wouldn't be comfortable enough with their own bodies , or with other people's bodies, to be nude with other people.