Who Told You That You Were Naked?

Dave Carlson and our friends at www.naturist-christians.org have put together a beautifully designed and helpful online booklet on the subject of Christian naturism. It’s concise and has many great pictures to support the excellent content.

You can and should read the whole thing for yourself, but here are some of my favorite parts and my reaction to them.

They start out with a very brief history of naturism to say what it is and what it isn’t. I like this line that says, “Most historical references to naturism point to its beginning in Germany during the 1930’s. We believe naturism is much, much older– as in since day six of creation. Humans were originally created to live naked and without shame.”

We like to call our state of undress as being “as created” or “as intended.” Mark Twain is quoted as saying, “If God had meant for us to be naked, we’d have been born that way.” Well he did. Job declared in chapter 1, verse 21, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return.” It’s God’s idea. He does not make mistakes. In fact, this booklet points out that, “The Trinity called this arrangement ‘very good.”

On what it is and isn’t, Dave points out that, “Naturism has a long history of being beneficial to physical, mental, and spiritual well being. It advocates for body positivity and the freedom to enjoy appropriate settings while naked. Naturism is NOT about exhibitionism, sexuality, swinging, swapping partners, pornography, pedophilia, or being sexually provocative.” Right out of the gate, these assertions are made boldly to counter the knee-jerk reactions that people can make when hearing about these ideas for the first time. Sure anything can be corrupted by those who don’t hold to the true convictions, but this truth has been proven millions of times over. This is a great quote: “Naturism is not magical. But over a century of experiences by millions of people supports the idea that simple, non-sexual nudity- both alone and in social settings- can do wonders for damaged psyches.” The booklet goes through these benefits in a systematic way.

Much later in the booklet, the admission is made that, “We understand your skepticism. Most of us doubted all this was possible until we experienced it for ourselves. For naturists, being is believing.” I love that. I have often said that, “Seeing is believing.” But I may have to change that now to, “Being is believing.” You can argue with ideas and Scriptural interpretations all day long. But it’s hard to argue with experience. And yet, it’s vital to understand something such as this. We’ve seen firsthand this claim to be the reality: “Until you’ve experienced it, it isn’t easy to image how freeing taking off your mask can be. People now see you as you really are. You see them as they are. Suddenly you realize how normal and alike you are to everyone else you are on equal footing with others. You instantly reconnect to your humanity, and it only takes a few minutes to understand it’s acceptable to be you, just like you are, in that very moment.” It truly is for everyone and everyone would be better for having fully understood these concepts through personal experience.

The subtitle of this work is “How Naturist Values are in Harmony with God’s Will for Christian Living.” So this reconciling of naturism with Christian faith is both introduced and explored. Entire books have been written on this. The booklet serves as a primer to whet one’s appetite for further exploration and dare I say experimentation. Helpful tips are suggested, such as starting doing regular things nude in your own home. We have certainly put these ideas to the test to see if they were God-honoring and an enhancement to our faith, which comes first, of course.

The case is made logically and, “The inescapable conclusion is, God is not offended or shocked by your bare body. If you are offended or alarmed by seeing a naked body (especially your own), perhaps examining exactly why you feel that way is in order. Adopting a healthier perspective about the human body will benefit you physically, mentally, and spiritually.” Naturists know how great this body freedom is. They’ve escaped the gnostic heresy that is still alive and well today. They love to include others in the same freedom they so much enjoy. So don’t take our word it, try it out for yourself and you be the judge!

“One of naturism’s greatest features is recognition of the dignity of the human body in and of itself. This applies to all bodies without regard to weight, surgical scars, the presence of visible medical devices, or impairment requiring wheelchairs or other mobility equipment.” This is one of the many things I love about naturism. The world desperately needs this perspective. It’s called “Imago Dei” (the image of God) and it is the way it’s always supposed to be.

Again, the booklet is a great resource and a quick read. I suggest you read it for yourself. Another great part of the piece is a couple of pages on more resources to explore for further study. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this blog, Aching for Eden, listed first in the websites section! Well, you’re already here. Check out some of the others now.