Is Nudity Wrong?

[Taure]

This is mainly directed at the Christians, but all can answer.

Basically: is nudity wrong?

If no, then why are Christians so conservative when it comes to nudity? Why do you object to porn? To public displays of flesh? Etc.

And if yes, then why did God make us naked? Why did God deliberately make it so that Adam and Eve - who weren't married, so no escape there - were naked and stayed that way?

 

[tapero]

This is mainly directed at the Christians, but all can answer.

Basically: is nudity wrong?

If no, then why are Christians so conservative when it comes to nudity? Why do you object to porn? To public displays of flesh? Etc.

And if yes, then why did God make us naked? Why did God deliberately make it so that Adam and Eve - who weren't married, so no escape there - were naked and stayed that way?

Not sure why you directed this to Christians as to nudity..

But do you walk around naked in your town, at work, etc?

Adam and Eve were naked and not ashamed. Nothing wrong with it; till they sinned, then they were ashamed of their nakedness.

Probably need somebody can explain all that reasoning..but as none of us in general walk around naked, I guess I can understand.

As soon as Eve was created scripture says:

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

 

[Grega]

I've got no problem at all with female nudity

 

[Received]

Methinks porn is just a wee bit different than nudity.

Nudity is good or bad depending on context; nothing is really good or bad in itself. There are emotional maladjustments that make many people -- Christians too, perhaps primarily -- shy away from otherwise harmless instances of nudity. Child nudity -- good, but not before a clan of pedophiles. Spouse nudity -- good, but not if (s)he is terribly overweight. Teenager nudity -- usually bad, 'cept for the shower.

 

[Foolish_Fool]

The only problem I have with nudity is that there are alot of dirty people out there. I prefer as many layers of protection between us as possible. If everybody started going nude you'd see me walking around in a hazmat suit.

 

[WarEagle]

Basically: is nudity wrong?

Not in itself, no.

If no, then why are Christians so conservative when it comes to nudity?

Depends on the Christian.

Why do you object to porn?

Another topic for another thread. Pornography and nudity are two different things.

To public displays of flesh?

Depends on the situation.

Why did God deliberately make it so that Adam and Eve - who weren't married, so no escape there - were naked and stayed that way?

They didn't stay that way. Their nakedness represented their vulnerability and culpability for their sins before God. God made animal skin coverings to represent the covering that animal sacrifices and, later, Christ's sacrifice, would be for their sins.

Christians aren't against nudity. We just recognize that there are times when nudity is not appropriate.

 

[TheBear]

Not all people look great in the nude.

 

[Grega]

Methinks porn is just a wee bit different than nudity.

Nudity is good or bad depending on context; nothing is really good or bad in itself. There are emotional maladjustments that make many people -- Christians too, perhaps primarily -- shy away from otherwise harmless instances of nudity. Child nudity -- good, but not before a clan of pedophiles. Spouse nudity -- good, but not if (s)he is terribly overweight. Teenager nudity -- usually bad, 'cept for the shower.

Nudity is good or bad depending on context; nothing is really good or bad in itself. There are emotional maladjustments that make many people -- Christians too, perhaps primarily -- shy away from otherwise harmless instances of nudity. Child nudity -- good, but not before a clan of pedophiles. Spouse nudity -- good, but not if (s)he is terribly overweight. Teenager nudity -- usually bad, 'cept for the shower.
Good point, I change my position from female nudity to 21-40 (maybe 45 in exceptional circumstances) year old attractive, healthy female nudity.

 

[Received]

Aimee Mann is 47, and I'd totally play paganism with her.

 

[beamishboy]

Nudity is not wrong according to God's teachings. It's only convention that decides whether it's wrong or not. Among my classmates, it was less wrong a year or two ago when everyone was the same. Now, it's more wrong because some have reached puberty but some have not. In a few years' time, it'd be less wrong again because everyone will be the same again.

The "wrongness" has more to do with differences between people. That's why it's by convention more wrong if there are girls as well cos they'd be different.

 

[Lifesaver]

The problem with nudity is that human beings are easily led into temptation regarding lust.

One often hears how it is important to treat each other as persons, and not as objects. This is true. The often forgotten consequence of this, though, is that we ought to dress ourselves in ways which contribute to this end.

Being naked, or wearing provocative clothes, almost guarantess one will be seen, and treated, as an object, a means to someone else's pleasure. That's the way men are.

Adam and Eve weren't like that (they were married, by the way, but this is beside the point). They had no tendency to lust, to desire each other inordinately. That's why they weren't ashamed of their original nakedness.

 

[Lifesaver]

The standards of clothing may change. What is perfectly modest dressing at one time may not be at another, or at another culture. But in all of them, there is a valid distinction to be made between those kinds of dressing (or lack of dressing) which are particularly lust-enticing and those which are not.

Despite all the cultural differences in time and place, human nature remains the same.

 

[united4Peace]

Nudity is good or bad depending on context; nothing is really good or bad in itself. There are emotional maladjustments that make many people -- Christians too, perhaps primarily -- shy away from otherwise harmless instances of nudity. Child nudity -- good, but not before a clan of pedophiles. Spouse nudity -- good, but not if (s)he is terribly overweight. Teenager nudity -- usually bad, 'cept for the shower.
Good point, I change my position from female nudity to 21-40 (maybe 45 in exceptional circumstances) year old attractive, healthy female nudity.

really? DH says over 30 its all downhill...

 

[daniel777]

This is mainly directed at the Christians, but all can answer.

Basically: is nudity wrong?

If no, then why are Christians so conservative when it comes to nudity? Why do you object to porn? To public displays of flesh? Etc.

And if yes, then why did God make us naked? Why did God deliberately make it so that Adam and Eve - who weren't married, so no escape there - were naked and stayed that way?

there's a difference between art and porn. almost everything is good, it's how we misuse those things that's wrong.

 

[R3quiem]

there's a difference between art and porn. almost everything is good, it's how we misuse those things that's wrong.

True. An artistic representation of the naked human body to show an idea or to appreciate a person's physical form is much different than a video of people having sex. The purpose of one is to express creativity, the purpose of the other is to arouse people physically. Two entirely different things.

 

[SnapCount]

The OP's question is flawed. To put it nicely, it is generalizing.

Observe:

This is mainly directed at police officers, but all can answer.

Basically: is using physical force wrong?

If no, then why are police officers told to arrest those who assault others?

And if yes, then why are police officers trained to use it?

 

[vajradhara]

Namaste all,

interesting OP.

no, i don't think it's morally or ethically in question in the least. in fact the only real materialistic goal that i have is to be able to walk around my house nude in the winter without being cold!

metta,

~v

 

[HighwayMan]

Obviously not. But it (temptation) can be used for bad purposes, so you have to be careful.

 

[Taure]

I love how everyone focuses on the porn aspect but ignores the rest...

It's interesting to see the number of people who voted "no". I wonder, would all these people be willing to wander around naked in public?

Re: lust as a reason for nudity being wrong - many would say that lust is a perfectly natural human emotion (possibly the most natural human emotion) and that there's nothing wrong with it.

This is mainly directed at police officers, but all can answer.

Basically: is using physical force wrong?

If no, then why are police officers told to arrest those who assault others?

And if yes, then why are police officers trained to use it?

This seems to me to be a valid question. There are some who believe that violence is wrong no matter the circumstances, and some who say it depends on the circumstances, and then a very few again who enjoy it whatever the situation.

The analogy is not completely accurate, however. Christians claim to be a moral authority (or at least have access to a moral authority, whether that is God himself, the Bible, or the church) and so the rightness/wrongness of nudity is related to what Christians think of it.

Police people, however, are not a moral force (merely a lawful one), so whether physical force is right or wrong has no link to what the police do or don't do.

 

[Deadbolt]

It's interesting to see the number of people who voted "no". I wonder, would all these people be willing to wander around naked in public?

I would!...if only I'm not the first.