Christian Nudists

[mmksparbud]

When I read Genesis 3, I get no sense that God thought that it was sinful to be nude, and God seemed perfectly at ease with them being nude in the Garden of Eden. After eating the fruit, Adam and Eve simply "realized" that they were naked, and covered themselves up. This tipped God off that they had eaten the fruit, but there is no statement that nudity was sinful and against God's wishes. Sure, God makes clothes for Adam and Eve, but gives them no Commandment that they have to wear those clothes. The clothes seem to have the sole function of preventing the "shame" of embarrassment.

The quotes you give don't really show that nudity is sinful. They do show that nudity can be embarrassing, but those just seem to be cultural attitudes or symbolic statements, not statements of morality.


eudaimonia,

Mark

The verses plainly state don't do it. If you want the direct words "Being naked is a sin"--you will not find them. If you want to know what God says, then the verses say no. God didn't say to Adam and Eve--"Eating the fruit is a sin"--He said don't eat it.
When God wrote the 10 commandments He didn't say "It is a sin to..." He said "thou shalt not." The sin is in disobedience to His "do not." It felt good to Adam and Eve to eat the fruit, But God didn't say if it feels good do it--He said Do not.
And of course God has no problem with His seeing us naked, He made us. The problem is with seeing each other naked, and the very first thing Adam and Eve did was cover up. God is not going to kill an animal and make them clothes from it and not expect them to wear them!! The shame is inherent--that is how we are after the fall. It doesn't say don't do it because it will embarrass you, He said don't do it. He doesn't' force us to, though, so you do what you want!!

 

[dayhiker]

Sorry, I don't see anywhere where God says not to do it as in to be always clothed. I agree with you, mmksparbud, that disobedience to God is sinful.

My take on Gen.3 is that God created them naked and they were ashamed. They and God were fine with them being naked. To hike from God the covered themselves to hide their shame in disobeying God. God clearly doesn't approve of their hiding and provides a covering for them. If this was a model of how every one was to live then people making clothing of plants would still not be what God wants. Indeed God says not by our works of rightousness but by Jesus' righteousness.

 

[Eudaimonist]

The verses plainly state don't do it.

Sorry, I don't see how those quotes do that. Nothing about that is plain to me.

I don't need to see the exact words "being naked is a sin". There are many ways to phrase moral condemnation, but I just don't see that in those quotes. That message seems to be something that you personally are reading in to those quotes and just assuming is there.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[A Catholic Friend]

If this is who we really are why do we have to keep our nudism under wraps so to speak? Is there a safe way to share it with other people?

 

[Darkhorse]

Is there a safe way to share it with other people?

Yes, there are several:

Nudist resorts are the safest way to be nude with others whom you don't know. As a result, they are a great way to meet fellow nudists. People are checked out when they enter, and they will be removed and blacklisted if they misbehave. Misbehavior is rare.

Nude beaches generally have their own "rules" of behavior, usually administered by the visitors present, who don't want problems. Fortunately, problems seldom occur, and all the ones I've seen were merely annoyances, rather than serious incidents.

 

[A Catholic Friend]

I have a friend who is ok with nudity at least in the movies. Is there a way to talk about the subject to see what she thinks about nude art etc?

Or about art in general and life drawing models. If it is ok in her eyes? I want to be careful because I value her friendship very much.

 

[Darkhorse]

I have a friend who is ok with nudity at least in the movies. Is there a way to talk about the subject to see what she thinks about nude art etc?

Or about art in general and life drawing models. If it is ok in her eyes? I want to be careful because I value her friendship very much.

A great deal of Christian art over the last 1000 years contains nudity. Sometimes genitals are covered, sometimes not. Since Jesus was born nude, baptized nude, and crucified nude, there's many examples of artistic Christian nudity to discuss with her (and for the rest of us to think about).

I live near a major Christian university, and I recently asked one of their art students if they used nude models in their life-drawing class.

They do!

 

[A Catholic Friend]

I wonder if the models they use are also Christian? And do they they tell their church that they are a nude art model?

Are some people more free to share that they are a nudist?

 

[Darkhorse]

I'll have to ask the student the next time I see her.

This area is heavily Christian, so I would expect that the models are also.

Most of the people at the resort we attend are Christian; some are quite "out in the open", while others aren't. Likewise, some of the models might tell their church friends, but I expect most would not. I don't know for sure.

 

[grandvizier1006]

I don't know if I'd want to do anything with nude models, although I suck at art anyway I would feel bad having to stare at a nude model (assuming he/she was attractive) and then drawing them. I don't know if I could trust myself not to take that home and...you know. And if other people see it, they might treat it like it's porn or something. I wouldn't want to cause a person to stumble.

 

[Isaacsname]

I have days where I don't ever even make it to putting on pants

Granted, I stay home..

 

[grandvizier1006]

If you read a modern translation you will see that the verses in Lev. are to understood as sexual relationships with close family members. So again nudity isn't what's being talked about. I think those verses are there because Moses saw the inbreeding among the Egyptian leaders and the results of that when he was in the temple.

Most of the other references in the OT are about armies coming thru and conquering Israel. When that happened portions of the population were taken captive, women raped, and many taken away naked to be sold as slaves. Naked was a symbol to show that the men couldn't protect their families from their enemies. Thus the shame.

Yeah, see, if nudity is almost always associated with shame in the Bible then why are you nudists so proud of your nudity?

 

[SuperCloud]

I don't know if I'd want to do anything with nude models, although I suck at art anyway I would feel bad having to stare at a nude model (assuming he/she was attractive) and then drawing them. I don't know if I could trust myself not to take that home and...you know. And if other people see it, they might treat it like it's porn or something. I wouldn't want to cause a person to stumble.

I think in university art programs they'll pay nude models a small amount of money.

Personally, I think when it comes to the art thing is pretty cool. I've considered volunteering to be a nude model for an art class. Well... I considered it in my mind. I was never actually asked.

Figure it this way.... you'll grow old at some point. But you can have painting or drawings or photographs of what you looked like in more youthful years. Your descendants may or may not think something like that is cool too.

But as for nudist camps... it's not really something I'm interested in joining. I never trust the claims it has nothing to do with the erotic either.

 

[grandvizier1006]

I think in university art programs they'll pay nude models a small amount of money.

Personally, I think when it comes to the art thing is pretty cool. I've considered volunteering to be a nude model for an art class. Well... I considered it in my mind. I was never actually asked.

Figure it this way.... you'll grow old at some point. But you can have painting or drawings or photographs of what you looked like in more youthful years. Your descendants may or may not think something like that is cool too.

But as for nudist camps... it's not really something I'm interested in joining. I never trust the claims it has nothing to do with the erotic either.

I meant drawing nude models, not being one. Not good looking enough for that

 

[Dave-W]

If this is who we really are why do we have to keep our nudism under wraps so to speak? Is there a safe way to share it with other people?

Aren't we all nude under our "wraps," aka clothes?

 

[Dave-W]

I live near a major Christian university, and I recently asked one of their art students if they used nude models in their life-drawing class.

They do!

What denomination?

 

[Dave-W]

A couple of years ago I came across a news story about a nude bike ride and found out it was an annual event in several cities around the globe. (to draw attention to laws that leave cyclists "naked" or unprotected on the roadways)

Last month was the ride and apparently there was someone in Seattle who was removed by police for walking around with an erection. (before the ride actually started)

I don't get how someone would NOT have an erection.

 

[SuperCloud]

I meant drawing nude models, not being one. Not good looking enough for that

Man, you'd be surprised at drawings of nude models they have up in university. The models--as depicted--are sometimes pretty "out of shape."

But I've never seen any (of the art work I browsed over hanging on walls) with scars on their bodies. I have quite a number, so, I thought that might add a little "difference" into the normal drawing or painting class.

I'm sure you look just fine for being a model in an art class. But I get you were kind of joking.

Hmmm. Almost prostitution.

I don't see it as such. I view it as art.

 

[SuperCloud]

A couple of years ago I came across a news story about a nude bike ride and found out it was an annual event in several cities around the globe. (to draw attention to laws that leave cyclists "naked" or unprotected on the roadways)

Last month was the ride and apparently there was someone in Seattle who was removed by police for walking around with an erection. (before the ride actually started)

I don't get how someone would NOT have an erection.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dayhiker]

Yeah, see, if nudity is almost always associated with shame in the Bible then why are you nudists so proud of your nudity?

Well, from my reading of the the places where shame and nudity are talked about in the same context, most are referring to the shame of not able able to defend and protect women and children from being captured, raped and sold into slavery. The 2nd use is being naked of righteousness because on ones sin.
The prophets were known to bring God's word when naked. God asked Isaiah to prophesy naked and he did so for 3 yrs.

I just spent the weekend at a nudist resort. Good time playing pickle ball, new game I'd never heard of or played before. Hanging out at the pool and talking with people.