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Is artwork depicting Jesus Christ as nude or with pubic

Politesse

Amor Vincit Omnia
I think we should never have eliminated the practice of baptizing nude as was done in the beginning, and I think nude depictions of Christ's baptism and crucifixion are meaningful in part because they call to mind (or should call to mind) that he is the descendant and redeemer of Adam. Jesus, of all people, should feel no shame in lack of clothing, nor should anyone feel shame on his behalf. He has redeemed all of us, not just those members of our body deemed socially acceptable. As wrote Paul:

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.

theofaneia_gymnos.jpg
 

Politesse

Amor Vincit Omnia
Mikveh is still taken nude.

Ah, true! When I first read your post, I confess my first thought was that Mikveh was probably not very often depicted in pre-modern artwork. But a quick google search proved that I was quite wrong about this assumption! Once again, Jews are better than Christians at being Christian about something. I suppose I oughtn't be surprised!
 

Sand Dancer

Crazy Cat Lady
The Christian hatred of the nude body is very bizarre. He would've been crucified nude, after all. But apparently a bloody, tortured corpse is more acceptable for public viewing. Probably Christianity's Gnostic dualist leanings coming out. Nudity is life-affirming and Christianity rejects this life and the world, so it makes sense that they would look down on nudity. The prudish attitude is still odd, though.

They feel the same way with movies and tv shows. Violence, fine. Nudity, no way!!
 

Rival

se Dex me saut.
Staff member
Premium Member
Given that Christianity has Greek roots and the Greeks thought smaller penes better than large ones, I am not shocked he's not depicted with a large penis.
 

Jonathan Bailey

Well-Known Member
Given that Christianity has Greek roots and the Greeks thought smaller penes better than large ones, I am not shocked he's not depicted with a large penis.
The Italians, Donatello and Michelangelo, made their respective Davids rather undersized too. I've seen hung Italians. They call them Italian Stallions.
 
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