Hillsong? (How do you know)

[tgg]

I'm not surprised they gave you the flick. Completely inappropriate for grown men to be walking around in public naked let alone enticing kids to do the same. If you want to get around naked in the privacy of your own home thats your right to do so but you need to realise that the vast majority of people do not consider it normal. Wouldn't it be easier to just put on some clothes?

You are also completely ignorant about the Bible's stance on naturism. Here are some verses to prove that God does not have a problem with human nakedness:

Go and read Isaiah 20:2.

"2 at the same time the LORD spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and remove the sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off your feet.” And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
3 Then the LORD said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia, 4 so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians as prisoners and the Ethiopians as captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt."

Would you call God's instructions to a prophet 'inappropriate'? Christian naturists take this verse literally to mean that it's ok to preach the gospel in the raw.

Luke 12: 27-28

27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?"

Colossians 2:23

"23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh."

Wearing clothes does not prevent one from having lustful thoughts. Instead, it achieves the complete opposite. In naturist cultures that exist in places like Europe, sex related offences like rape, paedophilia, teen pregnancies and unwanted pregnancies are far lower than in cultures where nudity and sexuality are oppressed and repressed.

Colossians 3:12

Character of the New Man

"12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering."

Being naked is not dangerous behaviour. People should have the right to go nude where they want (including church), as long as they are not sexually stimulating themselves in the open, or soliciting strangers for sexual favours. It's only "dangerous" because narrow-minded and immature so-called 'adults' can't handle the sight of God's creation. Jesus taught that if people's eyes cause them offence then they should gouge them out and throw them away.

 

[tgg]

I personally don't understand why naturism is so important to you and why it pertains to Christianity. I'd love to hear it (I'm serious). I also understand why they wouldn't want that kind of stuff in their youth groups. I don't understand your point of view though as yet, so I won't make an opinion until I see the full picture.

Naturism is important for Christians because it teaches them to have a sense of respect and reverence for the bodies that we are born in as well as respecting the planet we live on. In cultures and societies where human nudity is venerated there are virtually no sex offences like rape, child abuse, paedophilia, teen pregnancies or unwanted pregnancies.

European people tend to have a much more rational and sensible approach to the human body, and I don't see why Australians shouldn't follow suit, especially as we've got the perfect weather for naturism (most of the time anyway). In countries like France, Germany, Denmark, Scandinavia and Spain it is not uncommon to see people going nude in public places such as in public parks, clubs, beaches, spas, saunas - and this is in mixed company with people of all ages (even people in their teens and 20's). Nobody gawks or makes lewd comments about each bodies or anything else of that nature.

As for naturism in youth culture, there are quite a few websites where it is a growing thing with them over in the UK and America.

http://www.freebodyzone.com/board
http://www.ynai.com

I contribute to the former board as 'fatpizzaman', and used to contribute quite heavily to the latter until I left because I was over the age limit for them.

I'd agree with your view on how the church has to set out a conforming religious dogma that seems to have to be followed.

One of my favourite quotes comes from Jim Morrison which goes "Conformity is an excuse for the gutless". Dogma is the enemy of truth, and the enemy of experience.

<snipped>

But yeah explain to me your views on naturism anyway. I'd like to hear them.

Well, I've outlined my views on it above. I personally think that the world would be a much happier and saner place if it was more widespread than it presently is.

It's really something that has to be experienced to be able to understand and appreciate. I've found that as a whole, naturists tend to be far more nicer and balanced people than textiles (naturist jargon for people who depend upon wearing clothes even in situations where they aren't necessary).

I'm also going to post an interview with myself, Dr. Les Rootsey (the publisher of The Australian Naturist magazine) and Richard Fidler on 612 ABC radio that I was invited to back in 2005 where I discuss my Yahoo! group Brisbane_Christian_Naturists and how naturism pertains to Christianity.

If you want to do some further reading by other Christians who are naturists, I would highly recommend these sites:

http://www.geocities.com/boydallen
http://www.geocities.com/sunnydaynew
http://www.jimccunningham.com
http://www.experiencegrace.com/Good_Nudity.html
http://www.religioustolerance.org/nudism.htm
http://www.libchrist.com/nudity/contents.html
http://www.experiencegrace.com/bible_society_and_nudity/bible_society_and_nudity.html

 

[GodsoldierClintus]

I'll reply later about those.

 

[Anduril]

You are also completely ignorant about the Bible's stance on naturism. Here are some verses to prove that God does not have a problem with human nakedness:

Go and read Isaiah 20:2.

"2 at the same time the LORD spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and remove the sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off your feet.” And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
3 Then the LORD said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia, 4 so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians as prisoners and the Ethiopians as captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt."

Would you call God's instructions to a prophet 'inappropriate'? Christian naturists take this verse literally to mean that it's ok to preach the gospel in the raw.

Surely you're taking the mick? Isaiah was told to remove his sackcloth as an omen to the Egyptians and Ethiopians that they too would be stripped of all their possessions and made captives of the Assyrians.

It actually tells you this is verse 3: "Just as My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia." How you got the idea that it means we should all preach in the nude is beyond me, althugh I have to admit has made me chuckle.

Besides, no serious theologian actually believes that Isiaiah and others who are described as being naked in the Bible were actually fully nude. They would have been wearing some kind of undergarment.

Kings of Israel are also described as being temporarily naked, for example in 1 Sam. 19-24, however all it means in this case is that Saul was stripped of his royal robes. He still had ordinary clothing underneath.

Luke 12: 27-28

27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?"

Nothing to do with nakedness whatsoever. Jesus is telling His disciples not to worry.

Colossians 2:23

"23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh."

Have no idea how this supports nakedness either. If anything "indulgence of the flesh" would be a warning against nakedness not for it.

Wearing clothes does not prevent one from having lustful thoughts. Instead, it achieves the complete opposite. In naturist cultures that exist in places like Europe, sex related offences like rape, paedophilia, teen pregnancies and unwanted pregnancies are far lower than in cultures where nudity and sexuality are oppressed and repressed.

Correlation does not equal causation.

Colossians 3:12

Character of the New Man

"12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering."

Nothing there about nakedness.

Being naked is not dangerous behaviour. People should have the right to go nude where they want (including church), as long as they are not sexually stimulating themselves in the open, or soliciting strangers for sexual favours. It's only "dangerous" because narrow-minded and immature so-called 'adults' can't handle the sight of God's creation. Jesus taught that if people's eyes cause them offence then they should gouge them out and throw them away.

Yes how "narrow-minded" and "immature" of me for not wanting to see naked men running around at church.

Well at least they won't be stimulating themselves or soliciting me for favours. Thats good to know.

 

[Monarchist]

You take only parts of the Bible, tgg, to justify your self centered opinion. You say your spirit filled. I doubt it. What you preach would make me leave any church you attended.
I see nothing in the Bible to justify nudity.

Genesis8..... And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" 10 And he said, "I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." 11 He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" 12 The man said, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate." 13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent beguiled me, and I ate."
Genesis.......

21 And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them. 22.
(The first animals killed for clothing because of sin).

 

[jessesgirl]

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