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Question: "What Should Be The Christian Perspective On Nudity In Art?"

Skwim

Veteran Member
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Answer:
The Bible has much to say about the human body, which was not only created perfect by God, but also created unclothed. Adam and Eve were innocent in their nakedness, but when they sinned, “the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked” (Genesis 3:7). Never before had they realized they were unclothed—the concepts of “clothed” and “unclothed” were meaningless to them. But sin affected their hearts and minds, creating vulnerability, guilt, and shame, and these things produced fear (verse 10). In their attempt to cover their spiritual shame, Adam and Eve intuitively covered their bodies. We should note that, when God took away their fig leaves—a sadly inadequate covering—He replaced them with something more permanent—animal skins (verse 21). Thus, God regarded clothing as appropriate and necessary in a fallen world.

We are not saying that the naked body is evil or repulsive; on the contrary, we see the body as a beautiful part of God’s creation. However, due to the fall, nudity now has implications of sinfulness attached to it. With few exceptions, the Bible presents nakedness as shameful and degrading.

source


Just to note; I came across this question and its answer while looking for other information on Christianity.


So, what are your thoughts?

venus de milo.png


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Greetings.

I think the issue of nakedness for adam/eve was a symbol or act of trust. Nakedness shows vulnerability, self conciousness. So, when they ran and hid and put figs on after they sinned, it showed a fear. Trust was gone. The clothing was a outward act or symbol of a inward reality.

Plus, even apart from the trust issue, they needed clothes if it got cold.
 

Skwim

Veteran Member
Greetings.

I think the issue of nakedness for adam/eve was a symbol or act of trust. Nakedness shows vulnerability, self conciousness. So, when they ran and hid and put figs on after they sinned, it showed a fear. Trust was gone. The clothing was a outward act or symbol of a inward reality.

Plus, even apart from the trust issue, they needed clothes if it got cold.
So, nudity in art: :thumbsup: or :thumbsdown:?

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Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
Almost nobody over the age of 40 should neither pose nude nor be portrayed as being nude.

**Edited** Original comment was written as "Nobody over the age of 40 should neither pose nude nor be portrayed as being nude.

Edit was made in response to Skwim's posting of persons over age 40 with beautiful healthy bodies.
 
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Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
Why is that?

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When I was younger, I used to have a nearly perfect body; but now wear and tear on my back from working out has taken away my ability to maintain 6-pack abs. Also, the toll of gravity and slower body metabolism at an older age makes older bodies look saggy instead of well buffed.
 

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
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Answer:
The Bible has much to say about the human body, which was not only created perfect by God, but also created unclothed. Adam and Eve were innocent in their nakedness, but when they sinned, “the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked” (Genesis 3:7). Never before had they realized they were unclothed—the concepts of “clothed” and “unclothed” were meaningless to them. But sin affected their hearts and minds, creating vulnerability, guilt, and shame, and these things produced fear (verse 10). In their attempt to cover their spiritual shame, Adam and Eve intuitively covered their bodies. We should note that, when God took away their fig leaves—a sadly inadequate covering—He replaced them with something more permanent—animal skins (verse 21). Thus, God regarded clothing as appropriate and necessary in a fallen world.

We are not saying that the naked body is evil or repulsive; on the contrary, we see the body as a beautiful part of God’s creation. However, due to the fall, nudity now has implications of sinfulness attached to it. With few exceptions, the Bible presents nakedness as shameful and degrading.

source


Just to note; I came across this question and its answer while looking for other information on Christianity.


So, what are your thoughts?

The "Christian perspective" really ought to be, "this is how God created us, so how can it be bad?" Tragically, the obvious choice to any question isn't the one that Christians (or any of the other shepherd-originated religions) can accept. Something to do with flawed communication from a faultless deity, I suppose.
 

Skwim

Veteran Member
When I was younger, I used to have a nearly perfect body; but now wear and tear on my back from working out has taken away my ability to maintain 6-pack abs. Also, the toll of gravity and slower body metabolism at an older age makes older bodies look saggy instead of well buffed.
So they shouldn't pose or appear nude in art because they don't look as good as they once did. Hmmm. Interesting. Not to start an argument, but here


are 50 some over-forty (even over 50) people in pretty darn good shape. Just click on the picture.

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Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
So they shouldn't pose or appear nude in art because they don't look as good as they once did. Hmmm. Interesting. Not to start an argument, but here


are 50 some over-forty (even over 50) people in pretty darn good shape. Just click on the picture.

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I'll take the one on the right nude even at his age...and probably for quite a few years more. The one on the left can be nude too, if she wants to be, but I doubt I'd pay any attention. :p
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
So they shouldn't pose or appear nude in art because they don't look as good as they once did. Hmmm. Interesting. Not to start an argument, but here


are 50 some over-forty (even over 50) people in pretty darn good shape. Just click on the picture.

.

Thanks for sharing...There are exceptions...I stand corrected....I changed my comment in post #5 from "Nobody over the age of 40 ... " to " Almost nobody over the age of 40..."
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
It seems to me that a whole lot of Christians can't see a nude person without thinking about sex. But then, that's not just Christians. Most of us Americans are that way because most of us Americans are prudes. That is, we are a people whose myths about sex are both repressive and naive.

Contrast most of us Americans with a Amazonian tribe of "naked primitives". The "primitives" are at least experienced enough with nudity to notice that nudity in and by itself is not sexy. It's only us relatively inexperienced people who are crazy enough to always judge nudity in terms of sex.

The notion that one must be sexually attractive to go nude -- or at least physically beautiful to go nude -- is about being a prude. It's the way people who aren't realistic enough to think of themselves as prudes display their prudishness.
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
It seems to me that a whole lot of Christians can't see a nude person without thinking about sex. But then, that's not just Christians. Most of us Americans are that way because most of us Americans are prudes. That is, we are a people whose myths about sex are both repressive and naive.

Contrast most of us Americans with a Amazonian tribe of "naked primitives". The "primitives" are at least experienced enough with nudity to notice that nudity in and by itself is not sexy. It's only us relatively inexperienced people who are crazy enough to always judge nudity in terms of sex.

The notion that one must be sexually attractive to go nude -- or at least physically beautiful to go nude -- is about being a prude. It's the way people who aren't realistic enough to think of themselves as prudes display their prudishness.

The Amazon is warm enough for somebody to run around naked, but that can't be done here near Chicago in the winter that'd cause nasty frost bite .

Also, most Amazonian persons don't know about Christianity where God caused people to be embarrassed towards their nakedness.
 
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Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
Our cities have naked statues displayed in squares....
and we (allegedly) are Catholics...so...
 

1213

Well-Known Member
So, what are your thoughts?

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There is basic rule, what ever makes you reject God, is bad and becomes sin and if you have not rejected God, you have no sin. So, if naked art makes you reject God, it is not good. If you can watch it without rejecting God, then it is not bad. It is possible that naked art leads your mind to wrong path that leads you astray from God. That is why one should be careful and it would be good that person can avoid things that could be harmful for him. That is why I think naked art should not be shown so that person doesn’t have possibility to avoid it.
 

Skwim

Veteran Member
It seems to me that a whole lot of Christians can't see a nude person without thinking about sex. But then, that's not just Christians. Most of us Americans are that way because most of us Americans are prudes. That is, we are a people whose myths about sex are both repressive and naive.

Contrast most of us Americans with a Amazonian tribe of "naked primitives". The "primitives" are at least experienced enough with nudity to notice that nudity in and by itself is not sexy. It's only us relatively inexperienced people who are crazy enough to always judge nudity in terms of sex.

The notion that one must be sexually attractive to go nude -- or at least physically beautiful to go nude -- is about being a prude. It's the way people who aren't realistic enough to think of themselves as prudes display their prudishness.
Gotta agree. :thumbsup:

Here is a link to an eleven minute video (it's on a porn website, but not pornographic itself) showing the almost complete indifference many Europeans have to nudity, and in public no less. It consists of a naked girl walking through a crowded street in some European city (It looks to be in Germany).

Click HERE

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