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Can Christians go Naked?

Skwim

Veteran Member
Remarks to the author (not Salvador) of the quoted piece.

Adam and Eve were innocent in their nakedness, but after the fall everything changed. 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.
Sounds reasonable.

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.
But the Bible never mentions shame in connection with their nudity.

Nudity now has implications of sinfulness attached to it. With few exceptions, the Bible presents nakedness as shameful and degrading (Genesis 9:21; Exodus 20:26; 32:25; 2 Chronicles 28:19; Isaiah 47:3; Ezekiel 16:35-36; Luke 8:27; Revelation 3:17; 16:15; 17:16).
Other than one or maybe two of the cited verses, none equate nudity with shame.

We still live in a fallen world, surrounded by lust, immorality, and perversion.
Yup

The innocence of Eden is gone. Naturist philosophy ignores the results of the fall.
Need examples.

Even in “asexual” contexts, public displays of nudity dishonor God by pretending an innocence that no longer exists.
BS

A Christian should definitely not be a nudist or participate in nudist activities."
And I think they should. Now what?

In summary, from a Christian apologist my viewpoint,

.
 

Misunderstood

Active Member
Well, from post 12.

"Even in “asexual” contexts, public displays of nudity dishonor God by pretending an innocence that no longer exists."​
:shrug:

.
You call part of what was quoted in post 12 "BS" and then go on to say "Well I think they should" (that is go naked).

Well if you disagree with the quote from post 12, why can't I?
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
I suppose being an aroused nudist could come across as either an embarrassing moment or a bare a$$ moment. :D
Well...what I meant is that once I was going to the swimming pool...and my female cousin took me. She said "lucky u... u can go into the male locker room".
well...I guess she really wanted to snoop around there
 

Misunderstood

Active Member
Skwim, I think your conversion is about complete. In this post I see you agree with the Christian nudists in post 1, disagree with an agnostic in post 21 and then again agree with a Christian (me) in post 21 by disagreeing with post #12.

I think it is getting close to the time for you to remove your clothes, take to the streets and dance for the Lord.


2 Samuel 6:20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
 
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Looncall

Well-Known Member
I personally have no problem with nudism, but then I don't consider myself as Christian.

According to gotquestions.org/Christian when asked "Can a Christian be a nudist?". ...

"Many pagan cultures throughout history considered public nudity normative, especially Spartan, Greek, and Roman societies. In more recent years, pubic nudity has become more and more acceptable, with many groups promoting a “back-to-nature” philosophy and the supposed health benefits of taking off one’s clothes. Nudists, or naturists, form clubs, frequent clothing-free beaches, and engage in activities ranging from hiking to horseback riding au naturel.

Although the world’s standards may permit or even encourage nudity, the Bible has a different perspective. It is true that the first humans were created unclothed by God (Genesis 2:25). Adam and Eve were innocent in their nakedness, but after the fall everything changed. 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. 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.

Nudity now has implications of sinfulness attached to it. With few exceptions, the Bible presents nakedness as shameful and degrading (Genesis 9:21; Exodus 20:26; 32:25; 2 Chronicles 28:19; Isaiah 47:3; Ezekiel 16:35-36; Luke 8:27; Revelation 3:17; 16:15; 17:16). The only passages in which nudity is free of shame are those that describe Eden’s idyllic setting or that deal with marital relations (Proverbs 5:18-19; Song of Solomon 4).

We still live in a fallen world, surrounded by lust, immorality, and perversion. The innocence of Eden is gone. Naturist philosophy ignores the results of the fall. Even in “asexual” contexts, public displays of nudity dishonor God by pretending an innocence that no longer exists. A Christian should definitely not be a nudist or participate in nudist activities."

In summary, from a Christian apologist viewpoint, Christians do please correct my summary if wrong, Eve in her nudism was deceived by a talking snake, and now nudism is shameful, sinful and not permissible for Christians. :D

The flaw in your account is that the A&E myth never happened. It's just part of the religious scam that gets power over people by evoking feelings of guilt.
 

Faithofchristian

Well-Known Member
Dear Bronwyn,

"My husband and I enjoy being nude in a controlled non-sexual environment, (swimming nude, visiting nude, sharing a meal nude, walking on wooded trails nude.) This is not something we share with our Christian friends and church members, since it seems that when people think of adults being in a social group nude, they assume that it is sexually oriented. That assumption is not always true, as my husband and I can attest.

My question is this: Must we give up our occasional nude lifestyle if we are members of a church and participate in church activities? Is it biblically based sinning? We have studied and searched the bible for an answer. Culturally this would not be acceptable however, my question is, are we sinning in the eyes of God?

– Bare Necessities"

source

So, must Bare Necessities give up their occasional nude lifestyle if they are members of a church and participate in church activities?
AND is such a lifestyle Biblically based sinning? Are they sinning in the eyes of God?

.


Ok, to answer your question, Back in the garden of Eden, if I'm not mistaken, God did make coats of skin to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness. So what does that tell you, unless your looking for an easy way out, to go naked.
 

Skwim

Veteran Member
Ok, to answer your question, Back in the garden of Eden, if I'm not mistaken, God did make coats of skin to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness. So what does that tell you, unless your looking for an easy way out, to go naked.
That he was accommodating A&E; however, I didn't see an answer here to any of my questions.

1) Must Bare Necessities give up their occasional nude lifestyle if they are members of a church and participate in church activities?

2) is such a lifestyle Biblically based sinning?

3) Are they sinning in the eyes of God?​

Care to give them another shot?

.
 

The Holy Bottom Burp

Active Member
Don't mind you going naked if you are reasonably buff (male or female) but please not if you are old and flabby. Save that for the bedroom, your partner may still enjoy your physique, regardless of your sagginess, but that doesn't mean the general public will. Whatever religious message you ascribe to, it is probably best to keep those saggy appendages under wraps. :expressionless:Thankyou.
 

whirlingmerc

Well-Known Member
Dear Bronwyn,

"My husband and I enjoy being nude in a controlled non-sexual environment, (swimming nude, visiting nude, sharing a meal nude, walking on wooded trails nude.) This is not something we share with our Christian friends and church members, since it seems that when people think of adults being in a social group nude, they assume that it is sexually oriented. That assumption is not always true, as my husband and I can attest.

My question is this: Must we give up our occasional nude lifestyle if we are members of a church and participate in church activities? Is it biblically based sinning? We have studied and searched the bible for an answer. Culturally this would not be acceptable however, my question is, are we sinning in the eyes of God?

– Bare Necessities"

source

So, must Bare Necessities give up their occasional nude lifestyle if they are members of a church and participate in church activities?
AND is such a lifestyle Biblically based sinning? Are they sinning in the eyes of God?

.



Adam and Eve were married and were naked and unashamed
within the bounds of marriage its ok
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Dear Bronwyn,

"My husband and I enjoy being nude in a controlled non-sexual environment, (swimming nude, visiting nude, sharing a meal nude, walking on wooded trails nude.) This is not something we share with our Christian friends and church members, since it seems that when people think of adults being in a social group nude, they assume that it is sexually oriented. That assumption is not always true, as my husband and I can attest.

My question is this: Must we give up our occasional nude lifestyle if we are members of a church and participate in church activities? Is it biblically based sinning? We have studied and searched the bible for an answer. Culturally this would not be acceptable however, my question is, are we sinning in the eyes of God?

– Bare Necessities"

source

So, must Bare Necessities give up their occasional nude lifestyle if they are members of a church and participate in church activities?
AND is such a lifestyle Biblically based sinning? Are they sinning in the eyes of God?

.

This is just my reasoned take on such things. I would assume that a small minority of Christians use the same reasoning, though most would be scandalized.

Modesty is culturally defined. I go by the modesty rules of Southern California in the 1970s. If I dressed this way in Afghanistan, I would be dressed like a prostitute. If I dressed this way back in 1940's Samoa, I would be considered strangly overdressed and hilariously prudish, even wrongly over modest (the way my society views women with their faces covered.) Modesty basically means you are saying with your physical appearance that you are not available for sex. This can range from i.e. wearing a burka to being stark naked (yes there are such societies) but using neutral body language.

Nudists live in a SUBCULTURE. This subculture has its own rules about modesty. In their world, nudity is not a signal that one is available for sex.

Thus, a Christian who is a Nudist is not being immodest, strictly speaking.

Now for me, I don't cover up for reasons of modesty. I cover up to make my old ugly body more attractive. Trust me, my nude body would be considered a weapon of mass destruction.
 
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IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Well, from post 12.

"Even in “asexual” contexts, public displays of nudity dishonor God by pretending an innocence that no longer exists."​
:shrug:

.
In some cultures, lust is not connected with nudity. People go stark naked and no one is aroused. It is only after the culture is exposed to outside world that they begin wearing clothing.
 
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Skwim

Veteran Member
This is just my reasoned take on such things. I would assume that a small minority of Christians use the same reasoning, though most would be scandalized.

Modesty is culturally defined. I go by the modesty rules of Southern California in the 1970s. If I dressed this way in Afghanistan, I would be dressed like a prostitute. If I dressed this way back in 1940's Samoa, I would be considered strangly overdressed and hilariously prudish, even wrongly over modest (the way my society views women with their faces covered.) Modesty basically means you are saying with your physical appearance that you are not available for sex. This can range from i.e. wearing a burka to being stark naked (yes there are such societies) but using neutral body language.

Nudists live in a SUBCULTURE. This subculture has its own rules about modesty. In their world, nudity is not a signal that one is available for sex.

Thus, a Christian who is a Nudist is not being immodest, strictly speaking.

Now for me, I don't cover up for reasons of modesty. I cover up to make my old ugly body more attractive. Trust me, my nude body would be considered a weapon of mass destruction.
Understood. And it makes good sense. However, from what I've heard about nudist organizations any faults in a person's body are quickly overlooked.

.

.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Adam and Eve were married and were naked and unashamed
within the bounds of marriage its ok
Part of our job as followers of God is to return the world to that state of paradise. For example, we design technology so that we don't have to work so hard, or we give epidurals so that women don't have to suffer during childbirth.

Me? I'm too sensitive about how I look to go naked in public. But if these nudists can go naked without it being sexual, without feeling ashamed, then to that extent they have returned to the Garden.
 

Misunderstood

Active Member
That he was accommodating A&E; however, I didn't see an answer here to any of my questions.

1) Must Bare Necessities give up their occasional nude lifestyle if they are members of a church and participate in church activities?

2) is such a lifestyle Biblically based sinning?

3) Are they sinning in the eyes of God?​

Care to give them another shot?

.
If asking in the eyes of God is something a sin. I have no response as I would never have the authority to speak for God. Only God is the able to judge on sins against God or others.

As for myself, and I speak only for myself; not Got or even other Christians, my answers to your questions are:

#1) No.

#2) No.

#3) No.

I feel if you are nude in areas where nudity is accepted and not a hindrance to others, or you are not in a sex club to cause others to sin or cheat against themselves or others it is fine.

I feel to go out to the mail nude will get you arrested and cause shock in most and disgust in people whether Christian or not as our culture would not be accepting of that.

As I remember the story of A & E, I think they were ashamed to see God for what they did and wanted to hide from him, not each other. The shame was their sin against God.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Understood. And it makes good sense. However, from what I've heard about nudist organizations any faults in a person's body are quickly overlooked.

.

.
Right!!!!! But that's them, not me. I'm extremely judgmental. I expect people to dress in such a way as to hide their flaws, and I'm very careful about it myself. For example, I adore dresses and other girly girl clothing. But dresses make me look fat. I look best in tunics and leggings, so that's what I wear.
 
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