The Wife’s Perspective

When Phil first told me he was a naturist I wasn’t really surprised. I knew about his inclination to be nude as a kid and teenager. I knew he liked being nude at home when the kids weren’t around. The fact that he preferred being nude wasn’t a shock. The shock came when he told me he was talking with other “strangers” that preferred to be nude too and that they were Christians as well. I would have laughed had I not been so angry! I was sure there was no such thing as a Christian naturist. They must be a bunch of perverts! My curiosity got the best of me though, or maybe it was the Spirit’s prodding. I wanted to research on my own and see what these people were really like. I was confused when they seemed fairly normal. There had to be something I was missing.

The Lord and I had lots of conversations over the next few days. The more I talked with Him and put my preconceived ideas down, the more I began to see clearly. Within 5 or 6 days I realized that what I was missing was the goodness of naturism and the friendships of those I once called perverts. I was all in! I’m aware that most wives don’t have the journey I did. Most take longer to join their husbands and some never do. I understand the hesitation. I truly do! It’s a huge step and one that can be very scary! However, if the Lord has drawn your husband to naturism, I would like to encourage you to study Scripture with your husband. Read books written about Christian naturism and talk to others who have this conviction before you write it off. This different way of thinking is genuinely a blessing to our men and to us. Most men in our culture are doing one of two things: constantly trying to avoid temptation or seeking it out, or a combination of the two. To have a husband who can see naked women but doesn’t lust after them is a gift! I know without a doubt that Phil is faithful to me, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. The difference in our relationship is astounding! Things weren’t bad before, but we didn’t love each other all that well. We have had so much fun together over the last 3 plus years. We love each other on a much deeper level than before. 

This new way of thinking has brought us the gift of the people we have met on this journey. They are some of the most genuine, sincere, Godly, kind, funny, generous, amazing people you will ever meet! They have blessed us in so many ways. We pray for each other, share our highs and lows, and we’ve traveled across the country to visit some of them. We’ve stayed in their homes and eaten dinner at their tables. We’ve met their children and gone to church with them. We’ve played games and laughed so much! We’ve mourned with each other during loss and celebrated when new life enters the world. We’ve had some of the most amazing Spiritual conversations. They are the first we want to share news with. They are not only friends, they have become family and I wouldn’t trade them for anything! 

For me, it’s a gift that I can go to the local public pool and never once judge others or myself for the way we look. The weight that is lifted by not caring how others perceive me is so freeing. I know who I am, and I love who I am because I am so much more than my weight or my curves, and so are you! You are a beautiful daughter of the Most High King. You are dearly loved by Him. You are treasured and adored. You are sacred and made for a purpose. You are precious and very good You are an image of God! 

I didn’t know it then, but allowing the Lord to reveal to me the truth about my body was the catalyst for many other truths the Lord wanted to show me about who He is and what He wants for my life and for His people. It has literally changed everything for me. Satan didn’t want me to be free in my thinking about my body. I don’t believe he is all knowing, but I do think he has enough experience to know that this was just the tip of the iceberg for me. Satan wants us to stay in bondage to anything that keeps us from knowing and experiencing the fullness of the Father’s love for us. For so many women, being in bondage to our own bodies is one of the easiest ways to keep us in chains. 

It wasn’t just for me that those bonds were broken though. With the help of the Lord we are changing the way our family thinks today and hopefully for generations to come. We need to start showing our children that they have been created in the image and likeness of the Most High God. That word means a picture—a physical and spiritual image of the Lord. No matter what we look like, our bodies are a gift from God and the pinnacle of His creation. If we can begin to put that into the minds and hearts of our children, I believe that we can begin to change the current course the world and the church is on. The current methods aren’t working! We give the boys a pass with phrases like, “boys will be boys” and “every man’s battle.” We put blame and guilt on girls because their skirts are too short and their shirts are too low cut. It’s wrong, and it’s not fair to either group.

I will not lie down and surrender to the notion that my boys are sentenced to a lifetime of bouncing their eyes or installing barriers on their computers in order not to lust. That is bondage! We need renewed minds and hearts.

I refuse to lie down and surrender to the notion that my daughter will forever feel inferior and ugly because she’s comparing her body to the ones she sees in the magazines or on TV. That is bondage! We need renewed minds and hearts.

Change starts with us, and we will do what we can as the Lord guides us to help bring freedom to those who don’t even know they are in bondage, and to help guide those who are already seeking.

Isaiah 61:1: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound…”

Galatians 5:1: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” 

I was in bondage to shameful and hateful thinking towards myself and toward others. Your bondage may be different, but the desire of the Father is that we all be set free from the things that hinder us from fully worshiping and bringing Him glory. If it holds you back, it’s bondage, and you need to be set free.

Once you’ve been set free, don’t look back like Lot’s wife. Run full steam ahead into the new life that the Lord wants to bless you with. Don’t allow Satan to trick you into falling back into stinkin’ thinkin’.

Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

The Father has helped me renew my mind and my heart. What was initially for me an oxymoron, Christian naturist, has become a reality in my life, and one for which I am forever grateful!

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This was a sneak peak from Mrs. Phil’s chapter in “Surprised Into Freedom”.

Learn more about our upcoming book here. You can submit an email to be among the first to know about the release date.

The Road Less Traveled

A Case for Social Nudity — By John Figleaf

“The Road Less Traveled” has been used as titles for both songs and books. The meaning behind it is rather obvious—going places most people don’t go.  

There can be a lot of valid reasons a “road” is less traveled. I believe one of the major reasons is a certain amount of fear. In your mind’s eye think of a road trip across the border into Mexico and driving through areas controlled by the drug cartel while on your way to a resort vacation. No thanks! Or how about driving on one of those very high narrow cliff roads without guardrails and thousand foot drop offs? I’ll definitely leave that as a road to be less traveled by me!

However, many of the “roads” in life we decide not to travel on are really far less dangerous than we imagine. One of those is the road that leads to a family oriented naturist resort. For many, the journey on that road can seem as terrifying as the high cliff road and will surely end in disaster. But now imagine that dangerous narrow high cliff road was suddenly widened to four lanes and had steel and cement guardrails. Not so bad anymore ya think? And that road just might lead to some beautiful life experiences.

Now I’d like to explain why that road to the naturist resort is not dangerous at all. It simply comes down to one thing. Everyone enjoying social nudity at a naturist resort  from management to employees, residents, and guests all know and understand The Rules of the Road.

Any road can become fatally dangerous when fellow travelers do not follow the Rules. Even your local neighborhood road can become fatal when someone disregards something as basic as a stop sign. Then there is the appropriate use of turn signals, brakes, and where to look with our mirrors when our eyes are not focused straight ahead on the road. The Rules of Road is what makes driving safe so we can get to our intended destination.

Just as a person needs to pass a test to obtain a valid driver’s license, so must a person pass a background check to enter a naturist resort. Problematic individuals just are not allowed in.

Then, the rules are further explained and reviewed with every initial visit. Some forbid cameras and phones entirely or in certain areas. And those that do allow them often require colored stickers to be placed over the camera to insure the privacy of guests.

Concerned about gawkers? If anyone is overtly staring in an inappropriate manner just report it to management and they will be quickly dealt with and removed from the park if necessary. And don’t even think of unwarranted touching by strangers. Guests and management would be on them like a chicken on June bug! They would get the boot for breaking the Rules of the Road. There’s definitely a lot of “Highway Patrol Troopers” at a naturist resort making sure your journey is safe. 

Just as we drive around our local towns in our own vehicles, we quickly notice a wide variety of vehicles. Some are new, some are old, some are falling apart in various ways. Not much different in a naturist resort. The “vehicles” we live in as our bodies come in various models, some old and some newer. Some have obviously  been to the repair shop, and others are in need of repair. Nobody cares what “vehicle” you live in! They are just happy you are there. And actually (to carry the vehicle analogy a bit further) a visit to the naturist resort is like taking your vehicle to the repair shop and getting it fixed, tuned up, detailed, washed, cleaned, and waxed and looking as if you’re brand new. You’ll feel like it too!

There’s no “road rage” at a naturist resort. People are naturally friendly because they know everyone understands the rules. This allows people to be open and accepting. No one is “honking” at you, or shaking their fist at you. No one is in a hurry, and most people enjoy “pulling over” for a chat.

In conclusion, I’d highly recommend you try traveling this road at least one time. I guarantee you’ll find plenty of guardrails along the way to keep you safe and enjoying your journey. You just might find you have discovered a road that you’d love to travel much more often.

Avocado Theology

What would happen if a small animal (say a rabbit) convinced Eve to eat an avocado instead of an apple (assuming the forbidden fruit was an apple)? That’s the question the makers of a commercial for Super Bowl 2023 decided to take on for their brand, Avocados From Mexico.

If you didn’t see the ad, you can watch it below. It’s an interesting concept. As a naturist, it’s fun to see this type of playful and for the most part non-sexual nudity in the mainstream on TV. I had seen it before the Big Game, so I was looking forward to it coming on as I watched with my Christian small group. Unfortunately, most of them missed it when it came on and no one said anything about it. But I have some thoughts about it, and this is the place to chat about it. So I’ll briefly share a few thoughts here, and you can sound off in the comments section. Let’s dialogue!

It starts with darkness overtaking paradise and Eve with a mouth full saying, “I might’ve taken a small bite.” and Adam realizing he was naked and freaking out. Then to save the day a rabbit (not the serpent) offers Eve an avocado (from Mexico) saying, “They make everything better!” As she breaks it in half, it glows and she looks on in wonder and anticipation. The scene transitions to an alternate reality of present day in the “Big Avocado” (New York) where everyone is naked and going about their jolly day. Everyone is all smiles and traffic is smooth as always. Even the taxi drivers are paying each other compliments saying, “Yo, I love you!” and “No, I love YOU!” And in fashion news, naked continues to be all the rage. There’s an avocado-like phone being launched from a company similar to Apple. And the you can tell Lady Liberty is naked and Eve says, “Now that’s a tourist attraction.”

It’s a very funny and creative ad. Naturists might not like that all the body parts get covered up creatively. We have to remember, this isn’t nudist or naturist programming. It’s mainstream, and for normalizing nudity, I think it’s a win. Prudish Christian attitudes probably thought, “At least they covered up their body parts!” The irony is the half time show (as it usually is) was much more sexually charged and suggestive than this ad about a naked utopia. The bit I didn’t care for was them looking up at the Statue of Liberty and objectifying her a little. The rest is very non-sexual.

I love that the fashion show is all nude, because I’m not a fan of fashion. I get that even naturists like to dress up every now and then, but I’m very utilitarian about my clothing. It needs to be comfortable, and I don’t care much about the brands or the latest trends. True fashion shows and expensive clothing are laughable for me—pointless and silly.

The writers of this brilliant piece must be nudist or at least nudist friendly—similar to the new movie starring Allison Brie, “Somebody I Used to Know.” What’s surprising to me is the theology that goes into this ad. It’s ridiculous to think that another fruit could offset the impact of the forbidden fruit, but they were going for a crazy scenario anyway. But what they paint a picture of is modern day living if no one had ever sinned. We’d still all be naked! We’d be a lot happier! As the sign in the commercial says, “The end is NOT near!”

Detractors from Christian Naturism have claimed that you can’t have an after the end times experience this side of the fall. To do so would be immanentizing the eschaton. We wrote a post about that. This ad creatively supposes the fall never happened, or the rabbit and avocados saved and redeemed humanity. We know Jesus does that and can even restore innocence with faith like a child (Matthew 18:1-3). 

Many people have never even considered what this scenario would be like or what the future (Eden restored) will truly be like. Most are too freaked out over their own nakedness like Adam at the beginning to consider such a life. But naturists love and enjoy this reality as much as they can, when they can. It’s unthinkable to the common person. The ad seems outlandish, but it’s really not too far off from a naturist existence. It’s not a perfect world, but for brief moments it pretty much can be.

What are your thoughts about the ad? What did they get right or wrong? How did others react to it at your Super Bowl party?

Surprised Into Freedom (Teaser #1)

I’ve been ramping up my efforts lately to focus lots of my free time on writing this book. It’s been in the works for a while and I’m happy to say it’s finally nearing completion. I didn’t know if I’d ever write a book, but after getting this one ready to go, I may need to write a second one some day with a slightly different focus and approach. But I’m happy that it’s coming together and I hope to release it this summer! It’s going to take a lot of work, still to accomplish this.

For the blog, that means that it’s very possible we won’t be putting out a new post every week. We’ve somehow managed to do this since we started, now a couple of years ago. However, if I can focus less on the blog and more on the book, that will be helpful. Perhaps some more guest posts could suffice in the meantime. If you have something that you feel is worth sharing, we’d love to take a look at it. Send us an email in from the contact page and we’ll be in touch.

We are excited about this book! So as a first teaser for you, our dear readers, the synopsis and the table of content (subject to change) will be included below, as well as a cover art mockup. We’ve also include a simple form with one question: “Would you like to receive emails about the book’s release?” We won’t be spamming your inbox, but letting you know first when pre-ordering is available and other tidbits. You can opt into that select group by clicking here and submitting your best email address.

Without anything further, here’s teaser #1 for Surprised Into Freedom: The Effortless Obliteration of Lust and Body Shame:

“Surprised Into Freedom” is the story of a man and his wife being liberated from the captivity that plagued them for most of their lives. He knew he was enslaved by his lustful passions. She was unaware of the extent her own body shame affected all areas of her everyday life. From the unlikeliest of places came a catalyst that would spark the almost effortless and miraculous eradication of both from their bondage. They now both enjoy the blessings of freedom and life as God intended it to be from the very beginning. 

Table of Contents:

PART 1 – The Bondage that Must be Broken

Introduction

Ch. 1 – Beginnings

Ch. 2 – The Guilt and Shame Cycle

Ch. 3 – Law-full and Still Lawless

Ch. 4 – Onions are Terrible

Ch. 5 – Woefully Inadequate

Ch. 6 – Is She in Bondage Too?

PART 2 – The Catalyst for Transformation

Ch. 7 – Go Directly to Jail

Ch. 8 – Bait and Switch

Ch. 9 – Seeing as God Sees

Ch. 10 – The Real Enemy

Ch. 11 – The Way Out is In

Ch. 12 – Normal vs. Natural

Ch. 13 – Theology of the What?

Ch. 14 – This is Heresy!

Ch. 15 – Objection

PART 3 – The Blessing of Freedom

Ch. 16 – Christian Liberty

Ch. 17 – My Wife’s Perspective

Ch. 18 – Unapologetic

Appendix A-G

Definitions of Christian Naturism

Words have meaning. With language, it quickly becomes important to define your terms. It’s likely we used the same words, but have completely differing takes on what those identical words mean. Then we land into some trouble.

But which definitions are correct? What about when definitions differ? I suggest you look for the commonalities in the multiple submissions. No definition is perfect, but they help us with understanding.

All of that said, I’d like to attempt to define Christian Naturism today. It’s not naturalism, and it’s not bird watching. It’s naturism and from the perspective of a Christian living a vibrant faith in action. I should say first of all, that for me, Christian comes first, and naturist second. I’m a Christian who happens to be a naturist.

Someone asked on social media what people’s definition of Christian Naturism was. I didn’t have anything tucked away. I haven’t really read any authoritative dictionary entry type of definition for this growing group of the population. But I thought about it and quickly penned something and hit submit. That’s what I will submit to you today, along with those submissions of some of my online friends.

I said:

To me, Christian Naturism is the viable notion that one can restore the innocence of Eden as best as is possible in this fallen world until all things are made new. This is true especially in regard to our bodies, created “very good” (not dirty or obscene in and of them selves, even in a “naked and unashamed” state. People’s inherent value is much more than skin deep, so naturism paves a way for seeing yourself and others as God sees, and elevates the concept of Imago Dei (the image of God) to new and greater heights. Often the past experiences of judging others or viewing them as a source of temptation vanish under the newly held convictions. The freedom afforded is worth celebrating and holding onto with passion and grace.

A friend who has the gift of brevity said:

We would say we are simply Christians without the human additives…these being clothes 😜

Another said:

God has created us and called it “good.” Sin has marred our view of that creation He called “good” and felt the need to hide from Him. If we accept that we are redeemed through Christ and His sacrifice, we no longer need to hide. If we keep our focus on Him and not the view of the world that sees nakedness only in the context of sexual sin, we recognize that we can enjoy the freedom that He originally called “good.”

This friend had another interesting perspective:

God made us with the plan based on the garden. Man had all he needed provided by God. It was a simple life with everything supplied by Him. No need for selfishness, greed or having to compete with each other. Just to take care of all things in the garden. In other words love God, walk with Him, and love His creation. Just as Jesus said when asked which was the greatest commandment!

Along those lines, this friend said:

To me, nudity is a tool. Jesus said the greatest commandment was love God with all our heart, and the second was to love our neighbor as ourself. I think nudity is a tool to actively put those two commandments into action. The state of nakedness increases and demonstrates humility and increases our openness towards our fellow man.

I also think it is a tool that helps us examine the traditions of our fathers and opens us to question if those traditions come from God and lead us towards God, or not.

The friend that originally asked the question said this:

We were created in the image of God and any shamefullness associated to our naked bodies is a result of flawed cultural learnings, misinterpreted Bible verses, and misdefined terms like modesty.

Another friend added this element:

Christian naturists have allowed the blood of Christ to circumcise our hearts. Putting to the death the sinful nature, we step out in faith and transform ourselves into little children in terms of how we see the body, just as Christ himself orders us to do in Matthew 18.

This friend had more to say:

Y’all are a lot more concise than I will probably be, as this is a question that deserves some concentrated thought… I may not have time to respond again in a timely manner so you’ll get the disorganized version: Christian Naturism is the recognition that God’s pronouncement on His naked creation as “very good,” was not based upon his creation’s perception, but on truth (as it is impossible for Him to lie or be in error). It was His intent that the Imago Dei (the image of God) should be revealed, and that in so doing we would know Him. He has revealed Himself through what has been made but reveals the very image of Himself through our bodies, both male and female. Satan, who hates God and His image, inspired Adam and Eve to cover that image, and specifically those parts through which we have the power to recreate that image. Those parts are the most potent symbol of His relationship to His bride. In our rejection of God, inspired by Satan, we fell under a curse: however God’s son Jesus Christ has redeemed us from that curse so that we no longer follow the flesh (our sinful nature, which we received when we chose to live by our own knowledge of good and evil) but the Spirit of God which He causes to dwell within us. He has transformed us, by the renewing of our minds. To the pure, all things are pure. In Naturism we as Christians are able to appear before him naked, humble, honest, and pure.

And this friend added this:

I’m am nude in imitation of Christ, who died on the cross naked in complete innocence. By dying the death promised Adam, he has opened the gates of Eden and access to the Tree of Life to all who receive him. I seek the communion with God, my spouse, my body, and with nature which Adam and Eve had before the fall.

“Nude to follow the naked Christ.” -Saint Jerome and Saint Francis

There could be much more that could be said. This is just a very small cross-section. It’s a fairly short post, but let’s all add to it. Put your definition in the comments and we’ll all learn from each other!

Black’s Beach Hang Glider

How I went from a circumspect life to running around in my backyard in the nude.

This is a guest post, and a wonderful story from a new online friend, Chuck Douglas.

I believe our cultural and/or religious inculcation to avoid nudity or being seen nude, or seeing others nude, runs very deep for most people. Overcoming that, assuming one wishes to, isn’t quick or easy and even if we wish to, still isn’t easy. Most people are raised to believe that being nude is only about sex or bathing or maybe at the doctor’s office so social nudity runs against a lifetime of training for most of us. My parents were Mennonites-turned-Baptists and I was raised accordingly. Sex or nudity was a nearly forbidden topic and surely those people who were nudists could only be perverts. Because I was raised so strictly — movie theaters were places of sin and I never entered one until I was about age 17 — that I should develop a predilection for naturism seemed unlikely.

My interest in naturism did happen to begin in a rather unlikely way. Growing up under my parent’s strict rules I happily left home at 19 to embrace fun in whatever form would give me a rush. I had no taste for drugs and not much for booze, adrenaline was much better and legal.  About a month after leaving home I bought a motorcycle and went motocross racing and later became deeply involved in the new sport of hang gliding.  When I was young I’d give most things a go, dangerous or not.

Long about 1974 or ’75 I was at Torrey Pines State Park in San Diego to fly my hang glider. I was an early adopter of the sport of hang gliding and Torrey with its 400ft cliffs facing into the ocean breeze was a great place to fly. Below the cliffs was the well-known Black’s Beach, then an unofficial nude beach. I’d known since high school that there was a nude beach way down there below us but I had little thought to explore the possibilities.

A bit after taking flight from the top of Torrey Pines, the wind slacked, and my hang glider lost enough altitude that I couldn’t land back on top of the cliff. Black’s Beach here I come! Now, I still hadn’t really thought about the reality of landing on a nude beach, just the details of landing on a crowded beach.  As I cruised in for a landing a number of people moved aside for me.  I landed, put down my hang glider, and some guy stark naked walked up to me and said “Those things are far out! How much do they cost?!” I replied, “Doesn’t look like you can even afford a bathing suit let alone a hang glider!” He laughed and asked more questions. Then a very attractive young woman, totally nude >gulp<, walked over smiling and started asking questions about hang gliding.  Hang gliding was new back then so it always attracted some attention when you flew and the location of a nude beach was no exception. More naked people gathered around the glider talking and asking questions as I set about folding up my glider.  To say I was distracted by all the naked women around me would be an understatement. Up to that moment at age 23, I’d never seen another naked woman in person apart from my wife.  I was enough of a gentleman to try not to stare but it was tough not to grab more glances than I should.  But people were so polite, so friendly and a few suggested I shuck off my clothes and join their beach party. Perfect strangers invited me to their beach party! I grew up in California and no beach I’d ever been to was as friendly as that one. I noticed after a bit, too, that there was no “rocket in my pocket” as I might have expected. How can you be around so many naked people of the opposite sex and not be aroused? Had I been overwhelmed and struck impotent by a nude beach? It was puzzlement and my first inkling that nudism isn’t about sex.

Normally, packing up a hang glider back then was a 5-minute job but I took about 45 minutes that day do to the many distractions. The cliff path is a bit of a challenge anyway and I wasn’t anxious to start that trek. Carrying an 18ft long, 35lb hang glider doubled the effort.  Someone kindly offered me a cold soda.  More conversations and more trying not to stare.

I came away feeling that the nude beach scene was something special, something I’d like to try again.  I was a risk taker so to me it was one more risk, less dangerous than flying from a 400ft cliff. A couple of days later I went back to Black’s Beach sans hang glider and hiked the long, sketchy path down the cliff to the beach.  I found a reasonable spot on the sand not too close to anyone else and threw down a beach towel, took a gulp of air, and took off all my clothes. Suddenly everyone on the beach stopped what they were doing and looked at me laughing and pointing! Okay, no, no they didn’t. No one noticed one more naked person on the beach. Turns out there was nothing more amazing about my body than anyone else’s body, nor anything uglier or weirder. I was and am pleasantly average.

I knew, lacking sunscreen or shade, I couldn’t stay long on the beach. I hadn’t planned well.  I lay out there for about 40 minutes, going in the ocean once, fully afraid that I’d be grabbed by a shark or an orca and the news would be screaming “Conservative Christian Man Killed By Orca At NUDE Beach!” Everyone I knew, my wife, parents, friends, and pastors, would KNOW what I’d done! I’d been nude in public. I’d watched naked coeds from the university nearby play volleyball. Worse, total strangers had seen my willy! Horrors! No sharks or orcas grabbed me, though, so once I relaxed a bit more it felt wonderful to be in the water. Out of the water, I got dressed for the rather arduous trek back up the cliffs. I had much to think about the rest of the day and indeed, over the next 35 years or so.

I really wanted to get involved in visiting a nude beach again but the woman I was married to back then absolutely refused to consider it. Subject not open for discussion. I pushed naturism out of my mind for the next three decades or so aside from an occasional nighttime skinny dip in my own swimming pool. When I found myself single again in 2000 and living in Arizona, I decided to at least work on getting some tan on my white body, and shape up a bit to be presentable as a single person. I worked outdoors a lot so I had a nice “farmer suntan” with a brown face and arms and a pasty white body. I begin laying nude in the walled backyard of my new home getting a bit of an all-over tan.  I connected with a local naturist group but that never really went anywhere.Time moves on and recently the bug to be nude again struck me, in part because I’m now married to a lovely woman who is at least willing to be naked on our patio and in our backyard. We are talking about visiting a nude beach or resort on vacation next year and I’m very hopeful about that. I’ve been mostly nude around the house during the late summer and in the backyard, too. Our backyard is semi-private and on the days our next-door neighbors work, I’m more or less free to lay out nude or water plants around the yard. I may even mow the yard naked one of these days. It’s a long way, 47 years, since my unexpected airborne arrival at Black’s Beach and yet I feel like the fun part of the journey is just beginning and this time with my lovely wife’s support.

A Word About the Author

This short post is to explain a bit about how we arrived at the names we use on this site and online. I’m working on a book which will most likely be released under the name Phillip Oak. Here is a short piece that may become Appendix I in the book.

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Phillip Oak is a pseudonym as the ideas in this book can be so easily misconstrued. The author longs for the day, if it ever comes, when attitudes toward the body change in a more wholesome way. Repentance and renewal is needed for this to happen, as it has in his own life and that of his wife.

As they branched out together into new territory, the tragic need for a moniker came up right away. He chose a random name, not his own, Phil. A location to meet up with others, and hence share his real name was provided in Oklahoma, so his online handle became Phil Okie along with the email ok_phil80@mail.com (which you are free to write). When moving to a social network that was more friendly toward these ideas, he changed his profile name to Phil Okay. Someone quickly pointed out that he liked the play on words in that name, as if you “feel ok” especially in your own skin. A happy accident, but true nonetheless.

When the blog Aching For Eden was started, the names selected were simply Phil O. and Mrs. Phil. For the book, however, a stronger and more full name felt needed, one with deeper meaning.

Philip the evangelist is a New Testament character to both admire and emulate. He was one of the first seven deacons, chosen to serve because they were “full of faith and the Holy Spirit“ (Acts 6:5). His dependence on the Spirit led to a fruitful ministry in Samaria (Acts 8:5-8). His most notable encounter was with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40. He explained the Scriptures in a clearer way in the light of Christ, which resulted in an immediate baptism with this prominent official from a far away land. Like that Philip, this Phillip also wants to depend on the Spirit and help to open up eyes toward the end of a clearer understanding of Scripture in the light of Christ’s finished work on the cross. It is in his power that we should desire to operate and like Philip in Acts, later be carried to our next assignment.

Oak, as a surname, carries a strong symbolism as well. Isaiah 61 is a powerful chapter that Jesus reads in the hometown synagogue in Nazareth in Luke 4:16-30. He starts his ministry by laying out his mission, which includes proclaiming liberty to the captives. As the bondages of lust and body shame have once tormented the author of this book and his wife, through Jesus, their broken hearts have been healed and they’ve  both been surprised into freedom. This is very much good news! Now they want to continue Christ’s ministry on earth, opening the eyes of those blinded in the same ways. 

Later, Isaiah promises beauty for ashes, oil of gladness instead of mourning, a garment of praise instead of a faint spirit. These are pleasant realities after overcoming such captivity and choosing liberty instead. Then verse 3 continues saying, “…that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. (Isaiah 61:3 ESV) It’s this Christian couple’s great desire to glorify the Lord as an oak of righteousness and to see a forest of the same emerge. 

The oak tree also happens to have some of the deepest roots. When other trees bend and break during storms the mighty oak often remains standing tall, for it is deeply rooted. It’s in this rootedness of what the Bible actually says, not what our culture has taken it to mean, that they aim to withstand the storms of the negative bias of cultural religious taboos. Their own thinking had to change, and grow deep roots in the truth of the word of God alone, not the tradition of men.

Something else, something absolutely beautiful also comes to mind when thinking about this passage. The oaks of righteousness stand in stark contrast to the Asherah poles and other markers erected to false gods. What used to be meant as instruments of wickedness, are now used for righteousness (see Romans 6). Once slaves to sin, we can now be servants of righteousness. Unwanted sexual lust and poor body image are two deadly forms of idolatry, that at their very core end up worshipping created things instead of the creator (Romans 1:25). It is to exchange the truth of God for a lie. For Phillip Oak and Mrs. Phil, this will not be so. Not ever again! And for you, dear reader, may you have the same life changing experience. May the words of John 8:32 be true for you, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32 KJV) 

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(AS A BONUS, HERE’S A SNEAK PEAK OF A POSSIBLE BOOK COVER.)

Are They Compatible?

The following is a review of the booklet “Naturism and Christianity: Are They Compatible?” by Karen Gorham and Dave Leal. The authors start with a great question which is simply, “Can Christians be naturists?” I’m glad they asked this question and had the courage to do so, especially since they are biblical scholars. I have not seen many touch the topic even with the proverbial ten foot pole. Gorham and Leal approach the topic from a scholarly point of view, lending, I suppose, an extra dose of credence to their findings. 

I like the second question even better when they ask, “Might it even be the case that Christians ought to be naturists?” They go on to say, “Our primary purpose in writing this booklet has been to investigate the extent to which naturism is consistent with Christian faith. However, in the course of the investigation we will see reasons why Christians might be more than just tolerant of naturism, but might actually see something of positive value in it.” I would unapologetically place myself within the confines of that claim. I don’t need to read the rest of the booklet to investigate it any further, but most of Christendom should. The claim would sound insane to many friends of mine within the faith.

The second section is a brief history of naturism because, as stated, it’s largely unknown in Christian circles. While not exhaustive, it’s a welcome addition to this “investigation.” It then goes into a brief but fair treatment of the meaning of “nakedness” in Scripture and in Christian tradition. There are several great nuggets in these sections, such as these: 

“Christian historian Roy Bowen Ward notes that ‘Christian morality did not originally preclude nudity… There is a tendency to read history backward and assume that early Christians thought the same way mainstream Christians do today. We attribute the present to the past.’” (page 11)

“For the first several centuries of Christianity, it was the custom to baptize men, women and children together nude… the accounts are numerous and detailed.” (page 11)

“The negative attitude to physical nakedness grew out of a mixture of Christinity and a legalistic tendency within traditional Judaism.” (page 11)

“In 4th century Antioch, as in many late classical cities, nudity had remained a fact of life.” (page 12)

“The new sensibility to the body and to nudity demonstrates a change in the collective imagination of the ancient world. Late Roman codes of upper-class dress made the social status of their wearers more blatant than ever before. In doing so, they carefully sheathed the body itself. Emperors no longer showed their power by posing in the nude… high born or low, emperor or beggar, all were formed from the self-same stuff.” (pages 12-13)

We see how things were, and how they slowly began to change.

“Nudity was fairly common in medieval and renaissance society, especially in the public baths and within the family setting. Lawrence Wright observes that ‘The communal tub had…one good reason; the good reason was the physical difficulty of providing hot water. The whole family and their guests would bathe together while the water was hot…Ideas of property were different from ours, the whole household and the guests shared the one and only sleeping apartment and wore no night clothes until the sixteenth century. It was not necessarily rude to be nude.’” (page 14)

A myriad of sources are quoted as careful research paints a picture of the realities of history. Then the booklet transitions into an examination of Naturism. It espouses that, “It is a way of life in which shame and fear of nakedness have no part, but also one in which clothing has a clear function (for protecting against cold, to give just one obvious example).” (page 15)

“The non-naturist sees nudity as almost pornographic, where the naturist sees it as an integrated element of a natural lifestyle.” (page 15)

“…the connection of nakedness and sex, though it may seem inescapable, need not necessarily be so.” (page 17)

“Naturism is clearly very different from the nudity portrayed in magazines, newspapers, video and television. It is not for titillation. Mass nudity is far from erotic. Uncovered genitalia do not lead to an inability to control sexual urges. Nor does clothing prevent rape or assault, or hinder amorous advances. As a naturist once described, ‘There are no orgies, men have no trouble keeping their penises under control, women don’t have to fight off hoards of assailants… Boring isn’t it? But what you find is a greater sense of freedom, more willingness to converse, more willingness to help those in trouble and a greater sense of fun.’” (pages 18-19)

I really identified with certain parts of this section.

“…many naturists have no problem being open about their Christianity with other naturists. However, they cannot be as open about their naturism with other Christians without experiencing or fearing hostility and ostracism.” (page 19)

“Naturists present a kind of acceptance of their bodies not much in evidence in today’s society, but something which is compatible with the Christian faith. A Christian naturist writes, ‘God certainly asks us to accept ourselves and our bodies as he made them. He must wonder at the sense of guilt in his creation turning good into bad, a source of joy into a source of misery.’ Another remarks: ‘It certainly isn’t naturism that I find incompatible with Chrstianity, but shame about our bodies to me sits uneasy with knowing the God whose creation is good beyond measure. God gave us our bodies to live in and to enjoy. He gave us our sexuality too to take delight in. He gave us our intelligence so that we might know how to enjoy and not to abuse both.’” (page 19)

Some other issues like the acceptability of these ideals and body taboo inconsistencies, standards of beauty and others are discussed in the final pages. The mental health benefits are weighed against the neurotic behavior that we call normal today. To that end, I love this quote from Dr G B Barker, consultant psychiatrist at a large London hospital, “I would state dogmatically that if nudity was accepted completely from the earliest age, there would be far less neurotic unhappiness, and less need for vicarious enjoyments of alternatives to sexuality (such as pornography). It is likely also that there would be less promiscuity, because promiscuity is based upon the neurotic inability to find or to form an adult relationship.” (pages 21-22)

In conclusion the authors state that, “There appears, firstly, to be no biblical grounds either for a promotion of social nudity or for placing a complete ban on it. Clearly, though, there is an important distinction to be drawn between physical nakedness and sexual impurity.” (page 23)

“Some naturists say that it is more fitting for a Christian than a non-Christian to be a naturist, given that Christians are new creations living before God, who need not know that shame which gives nakedness such symbolic potency.” (page 24)

“We conclude from this review of the different aspects of nakedness that there is no essential conflict between Christianity and naturism, that there is nothing inherently sinful about the naked body, and that the realization of this is part of what it means to be at ease with oneself, to be healed, to be made whole.” (page 24)

To that I say a big, amen!

About the authors:

Revd Karen Gorham is Priest-in-Charge of St. Paul’s Maidston, having trained at Trinity College, Bristol. Although not herself a naturist, Karen knows and supports many involved in naturism.

Dr Dave Leal is lecturer in Philosophy and Moral Theology at Regent’s Park College, Oxford, and writes on aspects of sexual ethics and Christianity.

Click on the image to find a copy for yourself.

D.H. Jonathan’s Books

This is a review of the naturist fiction novels of D.H. Jonathan. If you read this blog often, you may have already heard of D.H. Jonathan, even if you don’t know it. It’s the pen name of our friend Dan Hawkins, who we have featured a couple of times already. Here’s a video of Dan explaining his books, and then I will share my thoughts. The transcript is included at the bottom, if you don’t want to watch the video which features nudity.

As Dan stated in the video, these aren’t Christian books. However, they have some Christian themes coming through them. They are meant for a wider audience, not just the very small niche that is Christian naturism. I appreciate this approach, to introduce some Christian ideas and concepts in a non-threatening and tactful way. For this reason, there are also some elements in the stories that might make some Christian uncomfortable. Some language. Some eroticism. However, his characters are portrayed as real, and that these things are to be expected. He will be the first to admit that the characters have some wrong ideas about nudity and grow through them as the stories develop. I can commend Dan on this authentic progression.

I’ve read all three novels. I think my favorite is his newest, “The Girl Who Stopped Wearing Clothes.” Here is one section that resonated with me quite a bit:

“Tell me,” Don said, “have you ever heard of Imago Dei?” Adam wasn’t sure he heard him correctly, so he just shook his head no. “It’s Latin for ‘Image of God’. Genesis says that we, human beings, were created in that image of God. When God was almost finished with creation, he called it ‘good’. Then he made us human beings. And he called that ‘very good’. We were made in the image of God, and it was that image that upgraded creation from good to very good. So when we humans call the nude body obscene, call ourselves obscene in fact, we are also calling that image of God obscene. I cannot abide that, especially in this day and age when the Internet has given us an epidemic of pornography.” “Pornography?” “Yes. A pandemic of it.” Adam scratched his head. “You know, a lot of people called Dani’s Stossel episode pornographic.” “And therein lies the problem. When people, and especially those within the church, take a pornographic or sexualized view of the body, they become unable to distinguish between what God has called very good and what Satan has used for lies.” “So you are anti-pornography?” “Oh yes. Absolutely. Pornography is one big lie. It’s addictive and destructive, both of those who make it and those who consume it.” “But you don’t think what I’m trying to do is pornography?” “What is it you’re trying to do?” That was a good question, Adam thought. (page 164)

And later this excerpt:

He took a long pause, looking out at everyone in the makeshift pews. “I’m going to be honest with you. We have a pornography epidemic. And I’m not talking about in the world; I’m talking about within the church. And not just within the church membership. Within the clergy.” He paused again, as if to let what he had just said sink in. “In one survey I’ve seen, 63 percent of pastors confirmed that they are struggling with secret sexual addiction or compulsion, including, but not limited to, the use of pornography. 63 percent. And what does it tell us that 63 percent of the people who are supposed to be guiding us have a problem with pornography? First, what is pornography? What is its essence? Pornography is a lie. A lie from Satan. It lies about how people look, how people act, how one can achieve pleasure with no responsibility, no consequences, no sacrifice, no patience, no kindness, no love. And how do you counter lies?” He paused, and Dani heard a few people mumble “Truth.” “Truth,” the pastor said, holding up a Bible. “Truth. Truth is not found in the rules of society, in legalism. Truth is found here, in the word of God. (page 206)

So you can see here that there are sections with the naked truth being revealed and propped up in stark contrast to the lies we have typically believed. This is done in a way that is both entertaining and inspirational. He pulls from his own experience, mostly in his “Life Models” book, but also asks himself what the characters in all his stories may be feeling. Those raw emotions come through the pages in very real ways that you as the reader can sympathize with and feel.

If you haven’t read anything from D.H. Jonathan, you may want to add him to your reading list!

Click on the book covers to view on Amazon:

For more on Dan, see “Meet Dan Hawkins” and “When Naturism Gets Misunderstood.”

Transcript of video:

I’m an author right under the pen name D. H. Jonathan, which is actually kind of a variation of my real name because I was blessed with two middle names Daniel Hoyt Jonathan Hawkins. So I’m up here names, dates, Jonathan, the first novel is called “The Volunteer.” It’s about a an experiment in public nudity. And it’s kind of an idea I had, you know, modeling for a class and having to get dressed to leave.

I thought, “Wouldn’t it be cool if we could just be naked all the time?” So I started turning that idea into a novel and then to draw up more conflict I thought, “Well, what if somebody had to be naked?” Well, that changed the whole the whole idea around. And then the second novel is called “Life Models.”

And I worked on that a lot longer than I worked on “The Volunteer.” It’s fiction. There are some things in it, some just episodes that actually happened. But the whole story is just fictional, made up, and it’s basically a love story between two people who model together for an art class, and that’s how they met. And actually, the genesis of that idea came from watching a movie called “When Harry Met Sally.” And when Harry met Sally there are these scenes that are intercut with the main part of the movie where couples or older couples are sitting on the couch talking about how they met. And I remember the first time I watched it, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be cool if this old couple came on and talked about how they were both naked when they first met?” So that was the genesis of what became “Life Models,” because I started thinking, well, how can I have two people first, me naked and just modeling for our class?

I just went with it. And of course, there’s a lot of of me in that book, a lot more so than “The Volunteer.” They both delve into the faith of the characters, Christianity, but they’re not really Christian novels. I wouldn’t call them faith based novels. I never really considered writing a faith-based novel because I always thought it was like preaching to the choir.

I want to reach a wider audience, and even if I just put a hint of faith or Christianity in it, maybe, maybe somebody will get an idea that, “Hey, you can be a nudist and a Christian at the same time.” Because most people, especially people I’ve gone to church with see them as incompatible, because that’s what we’re taught by society, that naturism and Christianity are two separate things.

Meet Mudwalker

Today we are interviewing our friend Chris, aka Mudwalker.

Question: Can you briefly tell us how you got into naturism?

Answer: Around 2010-2011, I got really serious about conventional modesty. As a teenager of 15-16 years old, I was struggling with the usual surges and urges that come with adolescence, and I felt like some of it was the fault of the young women in my youth group. They just weren’t covering up enough! So, in 2012, I decided to load up on biblical ammunition to lob at them to force them to cover up… but there wasn’t any. That drove me to look outside the Bible for the best way to live with clothes, and the evidence spoke for itself… so, I became a naturist!

Question: What does the name Mudwalker mean to you?

Answer: It means I walk where others daren’t tread… even though what I’m doing isn’t actually a big deal! It’s a symbol of my willingness to explore things that are taboo and assumed to be bad but actually turn out to be harmless or even healthy in the end. When I get interested in a subject, I study it as extensively as I know how and reach an informed conclusion. Then, if it seems fine, I start dabbling. That’s what happened with going barefoot in the woods and also with naturism.

It’s also a symbol of our natural place on the Earth, directly interfacing with the environment instead of divorcing ourselves from it.

Question: Have your beliefs created any problems for you? If so, how did you navigate them?

Answer: My acceptance of naturism definitely threw some sparks up with my parents. It almost ended my dating relationship with the woman who would become my wife. But we all worked through it together, and here we are. My relationships with my parents and my wife are all amazing now, and they all agree now that naturism is at least not harmful or immoral.

My family and I moved to a new church recently to get away from an aging, declining, toxic church environment, and I met with the new church’s staff to let them know that number one, I’m an outspoken naturist, number two, given time, I will bring this up to people in the church, and number three, this may spark some controversy. I told the pastors that I wanted them to make an informed decision on our membership, and they did. We are now members. I didn’t know how it would go, but in the end, they were very welcoming!

Question: What would you want non-naturists to know about this practice?

Answer: I’d say that it’s nothing like the mainstream secular or evangelical cultures think. Contrary to the conventional assumptions (and they are assumptions), humans of all ages (yes, even Americans) can tolerate social nudity without losing their minds or their sexual purity. The first time I went to a naturist resort, I saw a beautiful woman across the way, and her body was everything the conventional view of modesty had taught me to fear. But she was just a person to me in that moment, and I went back to reading my book. I was shocked how normal it all was, how easy it is to adjust to a nude environment, and how safe a resort visit is for women and children.

Question: What’s on your naturist bucket list?

Answer: I haven’t written it out before, so this probably isn’t a comprehensive list, but here are some of the big ones!

I want to visit Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park and Sunsport Gardens because I hear such wonderful things about their policies, cultures and facilities.

I want to hunt naked. I feel like making a clean kill naked would be a really spiritual experience.

I want to debate a prominent Christian in a public, moderated debate someday when I have the credentials to attract the big fish. Naturism doesn’t get the attention it deserves on the debate stage – I intend to change that.

I want to participate in (or start!) a World Naked Bike Ride in Baton Rouge.

I want to start putting on nude events in the Baton Rouge area for young people, featuring activities like Ultimate Frisbee, barbeque, swimming, volleyball, and party games. I love my local nudist campground, but I want games! I want to move. (And I also don’t want to drive 1.5 hours to get my kit off. Lol!)

I want to facilitate a naked cold plunge event.

I want to go on a naked camping jaunt into the wilderness with just a canoe and a backpack and no clothes.

Things I’ve crossed off my list: visiting Cypress Cove and participating in a World Naked Bike Ride.

Mudwalker’s Extra Bit!

If you’d like to connect with me on social media, I have two Facebook groups! One is “Young Naturists Baton Rouge.” Once we get enough local naturists connected, we can start doing fun in-person events. The other is “Mudwalkers,” which is focused on the rewilding aspect of Mudwalkers. The two groups are specialized: Young Naturists Baton Rouge” is naturist-focused, and Mudwalkers is focused on rewilding.

Bonus: Chris also has a youtube channel with great content. Check out Mudwalkers on youtube. Here’s one example: