AI on Naturism

We certainly live in interesting times. AI technology is getting smarter and smarter. These advancements are cause for some genuine concern. Photographers and designers alike are campaigning against AI generated images. Programs like chatGPT are writing copy for different people or brands, or even probably doing homework for some students. I have not messed around yet with any of this software, but had seen some friends and influencers ask questions about naturism that were pretty interesting.

I’ll start with my son. He gave his AI a personality who answers all questions based solely on what is regarded as biblically sound theology without regard to being hip or relevant to the times. It was programed to not know about any of church history from the Roman Catholic era and on. Based on this programming, it said:

“I apologize, but as an AI language model, I do not have beliefs or perspective on religious matters, nor do I have a personality. I can only provide information based on the data I was trained on. However, I can tell you that the Bible is a significant source of information for Christians and provides a basis for their beliefs and practices. Being a ‘personality’ that bases its responses on biblically sound theology, would likely prioritize following the teachings of the Bible above other considerations, regardless of whether they are ‘hip’ or ‘relevant to the times.’”

I’d say we’re off to a good start! He then asked the program, “What are your thoughts on naturism?” It said:

“According to biblical teachings, nakedness is typically associated with shame, which resulted from Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Therefore, nakedness should be avoided and modesty should be upheld. While there are some instances in which nudity is acceptable, such as in medical situations or during bathing, deliberately choosing to be nude or promoting naturism would not align with biblical teachings on modesty.”

Oh no! AI, you searched and found the same old knee-jerk reactions we always hear. Calling simple nakedness a shame and opting for modesty (which does nothing to curb lustful thinking if one is set on thinking in that manner). I had high hopes for you to answer biblically, but you went with the cultural opinion instead!

My son pressed in and challenged that kind of reasoning and asked, “Was nakedness before the fall of Adam and Eve something to be ashamed of?” It said:

“In the biblical account, Adam and Eve were naked in the Garden of Eden before they sinned and they were not ashamed. It was only after they disobeyed God and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that they became aware of their nakedness and feel shame. Therefore, from a biblical perspective, nudity in itself is not inherently sinful or shameful, but it is the context and motivations behind it that matter.”

Thank you! This is what we’re saying too. Much better this time over your first answer. My son continued his intelligent query asking, “So with that context, is the idea of Christian Naturism bad?” (He knows the answer, but just wanted to see what chatGPT would say to this.) It said:

“Based solely on biblically sound theology, nudity before the fall was not considered shameful or sinful. However, after the fall, sin entered the world and brought shame and awareness of nakedness. the Bible teaches that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and that we should present them in a way that honors God.

Whether Christian Naturism is bad or not is a matter of personal opinion and interpretation. Some may argue that it is not appropriate to be naked in public or that it may cause others to stumble, while others may argue that it is a way to appreciate God’s creation and embrace the freedom and purity of the pre-fallen state. Ultimately, Christians should prayerfully consider their actions and the impact they have on others, as well as whether it aligns with Biblical principles.”

That’s a bit of a mixed bag, but mostly good. Yes, let’s not let the fallenness of this post-fall state discourage us from doing all we can to restore the innocence of the pre-fall state in all areas. Maybe it should read this post we wrote about Immanentizing the Eschaton! All in all, not a bad job summarizing what the internet has to say on the subject.

Another friend got this result:

“Christian Naturists argue that since we are in God’s image, there is nothing inherently sinful or shameful about the human body in its natural state. 

Another argument is based on the concept of innocence. In the Garden of Eden, before Adam and Eve sinned, they were described as being naked and unashamed (Genesis 2:25). Some naturists argue that this state of innocence is something to be celebrated and recaptured through the practice of naturism. 

There are also some passages in the Bible that speak about the body being a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Some naturists argue that by embracing and caring for our bodies through naturism, we are honoring this principle and treating our bodies with the respect they deserve.”

It’s like it read my mind! But it’s not just Christian Naturism. Naturism in general is easier for AI to defend.

Another friend said ChatGPT is an impressive tool, especially that the developers went out of their way to make it unbiased (just spit out information it has access to). He asked it to outline the benefits of naturism and then outline supporting studies that prove it. Impressive? See what you think:

<quote>

The benefits of naturism, or social nudity, can include:

Increased body positivity and self-esteem: By being in a clothing-optional environment, naturists feel comfortable and confident in their own skin, leading to higher levels of body positivity and self-esteem.

Improved mental health: The freedom from clothing and the relaxation of being in a natural environment can have a positive impact on mental health and stress levels.

Better physical health: Naturists believe that exposure to sunlight and fresh air can improve overall physical health.

Increased sense of community: Naturism can foster a strong sense of community and social connection, as people from all walks of life come together and bond over a common interest.

Reduced environmental impact: By not wearing clothes, naturists reduce their environmental impact and promote a more sustainable lifestyle.

In addition to the benefits above, naturism can also offer:

Increased self-awareness: Being in a clothing-optional environment can help individuals become more self-aware and in tune with their bodies.

Improved relationships: Naturism can help individuals form deeper connections with others, as well as improve communication and intimacy in relationships.

Freedom from societal norms: Naturism allows individuals to break free from societal norms and expectations, which can lead to a greater sense of personal freedom and liberation.

Enhanced sense of spirituality: For some, being in a natural environment without clothing can enhance a sense of spirituality and connection to nature.

Increased levels of physical activity: Naturist activities, such as hiking, swimming, and playing sports, can encourage physical activity and lead to improved health.

Note: Naturism is a personal choice and should always be practiced in a safe, consensual, and respectful manner.

There have been several studies that have explored the potential benefits of naturism. Some relevant research includes:

Body image and self-esteem: A study published in the Journal of Social Psychology found that naturists had higher levels of body satisfaction and self-esteem compared to non-naturists (Perry & Schleifer, 2003).

Mental health: A review of the literature on the effects of nudity and physical exposure to nature on mental health found that social nudity can have a positive impact on reducing stress and improving mood (Gören, 2013).

Physical health: A study conducted by the International Naturist Federation found that sun exposure and being in nature had a positive impact on physical health, including improved immune function and vitamin D levels (INF, 2014).

Community: Research conducted by the American Association for Nude Recreation found that naturist communities have a strong sense of social connection and community, with people from all walks of life coming together to form tight-knit communities (AANR, 2015).

It’s important to note that these studies are limited and more research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits of naturism.

<end quote>

Paraphrasing Tool – QuillBot AI is another service which returned the following:

<quote>

The following are some advantages of naturism or social nudity:

Increased body positivity and self-esteem: Being in an atmosphere where clothes is not required makes naturists feel at ease and confident in their own skin, which raises their levels of both of these traits.

Better mental health: Being unclothed and unwinding in a natural setting can both be beneficial for mental health and stress reduction.

Healthier body: According to naturists, exposure to sunlight and clean air can lead to a healthier body in general.

Increased feeling of community: As people from various walks of life come together and bond over a shared interest, naturism can generate a strong sense of community and social connection.

Reduced environmental impact: By being naked, naturists lessen their impact on the environment and encourage a more sustainable way of life.

In addition to the advantages mentioned above, naturism can provide:

Increased self-awareness: Participating in clothing-optional activities can make people more conscious of their bodies and more in tune with themselves.

Naturism can help people develop closer ties with others and can enhance communication and intimacy in relationships.

Breaking free from cultural expectations and conventions is possible through naturism, which can result in a stronger sense of freedom and emancipation for the individual.

Increased spirituality: For some people, being in a natural setting without any clothing can increase their sense of spirituality and connection to nature.

Enhanced levels of physical activity: Outdoor pursuits like swimming, hiking, and sports can promote physical activity and improve health.

Note: Naturism is a personal decision and should always be carried out in a responsible, courteous, and consensual way.

In a study that appeared in the Journal of Social Psychology, it was discovered that naturists had better levels of body satisfaction and self-esteem than non-naturists did (Perry & Schleifer, 2003).

Mental health: According to a review of the literature on the benefits of social nudity and physical contact with nature for mental health, these activities can help with stress relief and mood enhancement (Gören, 2013).

Physical well-being: According to a study by the International Naturist Federation, spending time outside and in the sun are good for one’s physical well-being, including vitamin D and immune system function (INF, 2014).

Nudist communities have a strong sense of social connection and community, with people from all walks of life joining together to establish close-knit communities, according to research by the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR, 2015).

It’s critical to remember that these studies have limitations, and further analysis is required to completely comprehend any potential advantages of naturism.

<end quote>

One naturist influencer known as Naked Wanderings asked, “What can be done to make societies more relaxed about nudity?” It said:

<quote>

Making societies more relaxed about nudity would involve a shift in cultural attitudes toward the human body, which is a complex and multifaceted process. Here are come potential ways to promote greater acceptance of nudity:

1. Education: Providing education about the human body and its natural functions could help dispel myths and misconceptions about nudity. This could be done in schools or through public awareness campaigns.
2. Expose people to nudity in non-sexual context: Seeing nudity in a non-sexual context, such as in art or in communal bathing settings, can help people become more comfortable with the human body.
3. Encourage more open discussions about nudity: Talking openly about nudity can help reduce the stigma surrounding it and promote greater acceptance.
4. Challenge social norms and conventions: Questioning why certain parts of the body are considered taboo or indecent can help shift cultural attitudes towards nudity.
5. Encourage legal reforms: In some cases, legal reforms may be necessary to protect the rights of individuals who choose to be nude in public settings.

It’s important to note that promoting greater acceptance of nudity is not about forcing people to be comfortable with something that makes them uncomfortable. Rather, it’s about creating a more inclusive and accepting society where people can choose to express themselves and their bodies in ways that feel authentic and natural to them.

<end quote>

Finally, one naturist influence named Hector Martinez asked, “How will AI change naturism?” Interesting question. It said: 

“It’s challenging to predict with certainty how artificial intelligence (AI) will impact naturism, as it’s a social and cultural phenomenon that is not directly related to AI. However, AI could potentially be used to enhance the naturist experience in various ways, such as by providing more immersive virtual reality experiences or by creating more realistic digital avatars for people who wish to engage in social nudity in virtual environments.

Additionally, AI-powered image recognition technologies could be used to help ensure that non-consensual nudity is not depicted or shared online, which could potentially make naturists feel more safe and comfortable sharing their images and experiences. However, AI could also potentially be used to invade people’s privacy and violate their consent, which could harm the naturist community. Ultimately, the impact of AI on naturism will depend on how it is developed and implemented in the future, as well as the norms and values of the naturist community itself.”

Hmm, I don’t what to think about some of that. It will be interesting to see how and where these advancements go. 

Have you played around with any AI asking questions about naturism? If so, share what you found in the comments!

What did you like or not like about what you read here? Comment away.

“Imagers” by G S Royal

I was at the grocery store and saw a new item I was considering purchasing.  Upon checking the Nutrition label, I discovered it had far more carbs per serving than I expected.  I thought, I’m glad I read the label; labels are good to have!  Well, sometimes yes, sometimes no.In this case it gave me some factual data on which to make a decision.  At other times, a label can be quite misleading. This becomes troublesome when the label is used to define and categorize people. We’ve ‘labeled’ people based upon politics, ‘labeled’ people based upon gender, and ‘labeled’ people based upon skin color while knowing almost nothing about the individuals themselves. We then are prone to making knee-jerk reactions based upon tradition, cultural conditioning, and even religion without giving a second thought to the possibility that we may be wrong.  Proverbs 18:13 (KJV) has something to say about that: 

“He that answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame unto him.” (emphasis mine)

In one modern translation, it says:

“Listen before you answer. If you don’t, you are being stupid and insulting (GNT).”

So when someone says, “All fish are bad,” you might want to question that label.  I know a person who condemns any food that is ‘white and creamy,’ with mayonnaise being at the top of his list.  I’m glad I didn’t take his labeling at face value. Look at all I’d be missing!

Let’s consider another label we might be misinterpreting: Nudist (or naturist). Was your reaction to that word negative or positive?  And what was it based upon?  (Are you finding yourself described by Proverbs 18:13, as I once was?) 

I have friends who refer to themselves as Christian nudists—as do thousands of others. I thought I knew what that meant and questioned how can that be? How can they reconcile their nudism with their faith in Christ?  Wanting to know, I began to do some research. I’ve read books and blogs, talked with them, searched the Bible, read the writings of others who have sought the same answers.  This led me to pastor David L. Hatton, an ordained Wesleyan minister with 25 years of experience as a Labor & Delivery nurse.  For years he wondered why working daily with nude women during the birthing process didn’t cause him to lust.  He’d been taught growing up that it was inevitable, that men’s brains are wired that way.  He knew it wasn’t a sexual orientation issue; he was happily married and had fathered 12 children!  He began to question what he had been taught then launched into the Scriptures and early church history to find answers.  He shared the results in his first book, Meeting at the River, and followed that with a series of short essays in his book entitled, Who Said You Were Naked?Hisresearch produced a paradigm shift in his regard for the naked human form, causing him to reevaluate what he had been taught earlier. It has for me as well. 

I have learned what Christian naturism is, and what it isn’t.  It isn’t a bunch of perverted souls gathering together using the name of Christ to justify their nefarious activities.  It isn’t sexual or exhibitionist, nor does it have anything to do with nature worship, or the veneration of natural phenomenon—for example, celestial objects such as the sun and moon and terrestrial objects such as water and fire.  Naturism actually began out of an effort to protect the body from the ravages of pollution in Germany when the industrial age got into full swing.  A movement began to take shape proclaiming what the people needed were more of the natural healing elements of fresh air, sunlight and water.  Maximum exposure to those elements was aided by the removal of clothing.   They also included several things we find supported in many churches today: vegetarianism, abstinence from alcohol and tobacco, and disciplined exercise.

Currently, the International Naturist Federation defines naturism as:

the practice of communal nudity making the maximum use of the natural agents of sun, air and water. It restores one’s physical and mental balance through being able to relax in natural surroundings, by exercise and respect for the basic principles of hygiene and diet. It encourages many activities that develop one’s creativity. Complete nudity is the most suitable clothing for getting back to nature, and is certainly the most visible aspect of naturism, even if it is not the only one. It exerts a steadying and balancing influence on human beings, freeing them from the stresses caused by the taboos and provocations of today’s society and shows the way to a more simple, healthy and human way of life.

Christian naturists want us to be more perceptive of the actual truth. They want the world to see the human body for what it really is: God’s finest creation, not something lewd, immoral or shameful. They insist that the nude human body should never be sexualized or associated with pornography. Yet, without these strong convictions, some believers have abandoned respect for our God-created nude form, resulting in God’s imaging handiwork being dragged through a cultural sewer of filth overflowing from the sex-focused obsession with nudity that characterizes so many secular and religious minds.

None of us wants to be told how to live, so why do we think we have a right to tell others how to.  Actually, I think our penchant for pointing out—without one dab of grace—everything we think is sin, has caused the church to be avoided by so many.  Perhaps we should stick to sharing the good news of the Gospel and leave the work of conviction up to God.  While we are faithfully handing out our condemnations, let’s consider Romans 5:8, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (ESV).” And aren’t we quick to affirm our need to be more Christ-like? 

Listen to James 3:8-10 (RSV): 

⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so.” (emphasis mine)

The late English pastor and theologian, John R W Stott, once wrote:

The hallmark of authentic evangelicalism is not that we maintain the traditions of the evangelical elders. It is rather that we are prepared to reexamine even the most long-standing evangelical traditions in the light of Scripture, in order to allow Scripture, if necessary, to judge and reform our traditions. Evangelical traditions are not infallible; they need to be reexamined. They need to be judged. They need to be reformed.

Why shouldn’t we be ready to accept what the Bible has to say on a controversial subject, instead of hanging on to mere tradition and blindly accepting the opinions of others (including mine).

Regarding Naturism, most detractors are good church-going people who think they are honoring God by condemning those who live as naturists. In some ways, prudery has been elevated to the value of Scripture. That’s a slap in the face of the very Creator whom we try to serve!  

I find this quote of Liz Egger to be quite compelling: 

As a naturist myself I find it astonishing that a religion can worship a particular deity yet regard its most miraculous creation—the human body—as obscene and wicked and so shameful it should be hidden from view.

Why is this so important for the church to see?  We have rightfully fought the influence of pornography within our culture. What we need to see is that our prudish view of naked humanity is itself, a pornographic one that fuels the very fire we’ve been trying to extinguish. As one Christian naturist put it:

If we take an honest look at the world, we can’t help but see that our culture of body shame, and hiding the human body, does nothing to stop breeding sexual perverts and predators.  This very culture only contributes to that which we claim to be fighting against.  We must see that it’s time to try something else. 

Perhaps naturists are living out a level of respect for our bodies that we’ve never had or shown. While naturists have been waging a war against the pornographic view of the body, we’ve fought hard to solidify it even more firmly in everyone’s mind.  It’s a shame all the clothes we wear to hide the image of God cannot hide our ignorance as well—except from ourselves. 

But are our physical bodies actually an image of God? Genesis 1:26 is the deciding factor for establishing that the human form embodies the image of God:

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…(NIV).

And in the very next verse we read the first reference to physical gender:

²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.  

Then four verses later:

³¹ God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

And did that image become a shameful thing with original sin?  Did God suddenly agree with Satan’s opinion?  Really?  Many of us are ignorant of God’s purpose for creating humanity.  When He said, “Let us make mankind in our image,” we are what He came up with!  And He pronounced us “very good.”  We’re also ignorant of why Satan hates the sacred image we embody.  Satan doesn’t want us to bear God’s image; he wants us to bear his!

The late Pope John Paul II, in his landmark Theology of the Body, helps us understand: 

The body, in fact, and only the body, is capable of making visible what is invisible: the spiritual and the divine.  It has been created to transfer into the visible reality of the world the mystery hidden from eternity in God, and thus to be a sign of it.

My friend, Evan, has noted, “Since the day of the first sin in the garden, Satan has been about destroying the image of God seen in the human body.”

To quote Pope John Paul II again, in his 1981 book, Love and Responsibility, He writes, “Nakedness itself is not immodest.” He goes on to explain that immodesty presents itself only when nakedness serves to sexually arouse.  Yet, Western culture has so sexualized the body that we’ve come to equate any nudity with a sexual event or situation.  It isn’t the nude body that’s indecent; it’s the thoughts we’ve been conditioned to think when we see it.

I think we have been unfair to our Christian naturist friends.  Since labeling seems to be an ingrained necessity, what if instead of labeling them nudists or naturists, we call them IMAGERS.   Imagers are people who recognize that we are made in the image of God and see others that way with respect and honor.  With renewed minds (Romans 12:2), they have come to see our nude bodies as God sees them: beautiful creations that merit respect, not derision, deserving to be held in honor, not contempt—the very image of God, not an avenue of temptation or the inevitable object of lust. Imagers see the whole person, refusing to separate the body from the soul that owns it for the purpose of objectifying certain body parts. Imagers reject the cultural conditioning that tells us our bodies are ugly, shameful, and obscene, that they should never be seen by anyone.  Simply say, “They are imagers,” or, “I’m an imager.” Questions can then be answered without having to deal with preconceived notions that immediately arise with the other labels.  Some imagers will tell you how this new way of seeing people has freed them from porn addiction. Others will tell you how their renewed minds have freed them from body shame and self-loathing. Others will attest that the prudish view of the body taught by well-meaning parents—and the church—was what kept them in bondage. 

A renewed mind that sees others the way God does?  That can only be a good thing.  In that sense, perhaps we should all become imagers! 

G S Royal ©2023

Who Hates Nudity… God or Satan?

This is a repost from our good friend, Matthew Neal at The Biblical Naturist blog. Used with permission.

Who hates nudity… God or Satan?

I’ll wager very few people have ever asked that question.

Is the answer obvious? I don’t think so.

The way things are in our culture today, you might quickly conclude that God hates nudity because it’s so closely associated with perversion and sexual sin.

On the other hand, you might assume that because it is such a powerful tool for sexual temptation, Satan simply loves nudity! “The best tool in my toolbox!” you can almost hear him brag.

Stop and Think About It…

Perhaps the answer isn’t that simple. And certainly the Bible would have something to say about it, right? Well, I believe there’s plenty of evidence in the Bible to tell us who hates nudity, and who doesn’t.

Let me start with God and give the biblical facts, then I’ll give the facts as they relate to Satan. A simple examination of all the facts should lead us to the right answer.

God’s View of Nudity

• God Created mankind in His own image (Genesis 1:26-27).
  • God made us to look like Him; human beings are a divine “self-portrait.” (articles: 1 2 3)
  • Our image-bearing is utterly and completely unrelated to clothing. In other words, we are “in God’s Image” without clothes. Clothing contributes nothing to that fact.
  • God forbade murder for the very fact that our bodies are made in His image. Murder is the only destruction of the body (the soul and spirit are not destroyed) (Genesis 9:5).
• God’s original design for human society was complete nudity (Genesis 2:25).
  • The creation, as God pronounced it (with the first couple completely nude) was “very good!” (Genesis 1:31)
  • Because God cannot change (Psalm 55:19), we must conclude that He considers the naked human body just as “good” now as He did before the fall. Man’s view of nudity certainly changed with the fall, but God’s view cannot and did not change.
• The first overt evidence of sin in Adam’s life was the fact that he no longer accepted his own nudity as good and right (Genesis 3:6-7).
  • God’s question to Adam, “Who told you that you were naked?” was not an affirmation, it was a rebuke (Genesis 3:11).
  • God’s next question—delivered without waiting for an answer to the first—was, “Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” Adam’s rejection of his own nudity signified a rejection of God’s place of authority in his life.
• God blessed the physical union of Adam and Eve, describing it as becoming “one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24) Through this union, He expected them to obey His command to “be fruitful and multiply.” (Genesis 1:28, Genesis 9:1)
  • This plurality-expressed-as–a-unity (which may mirror the unity-in-plurality of the triune Godhead – Genesis 1:26 Genesis 2:24) literally requires the nudity of the man and the woman. God approves of and blesses the union (Proverbs 5:18); he must also approve of and bless the naked state through which it is experienced (Hebrews 13:4).
  • The fruit of the womb are a blessing from the Lord (Psalm 127:3). Every baby ever delivered has been born with the mother’s naked body exposed. Every baby ever born has been born completely naked. This blessed and joyful nakedness is by the hand of God.
• In all of God’s Old Testament laws and in all of the New Testament instructions, never once has God declared animosity towards simple nudity.
  • All bathing and the elimination of body waste of necessity had to outdoors when the Law was given, yet God never told them to avoid the exposure of their bodies to others (All He told them was to make sure they buried their feces! – Deuteronomy 23:13).
  • God actually commanded one of His prophets to prophecy nude for three years (Isaiah 20:2-3). God could and would never lead a prophet to actually do something which He hated.
  • Jesus Himself—Who never sinned—was nude on multiple occasions in His life on earth (birth, circumcision, baptism, foot-washing- John 13:3-4, crucifixion- John 19:23-24, and resurrection- John 20:6-7).

Satan’s View of Nudity

• Satan is opposed to God. That which God loves and blesses, Satan hates and distorts (Matthew 16:23).
• Satan was not made in God’s image… only mankind was (Genesis 1:26-27).
  • Satan sinned because he wanted to be “like God” but could not (Isaiah 14:13-15). When God made mankind in His image, it gave man a likeness to God that Satan himself would never possess.
  • Satan is a murderer (John 8:44). Murder is the destruction of the human body (Matthew 10:28), which bears God’s image (Genesis 9:5).
• The very first thing that Satan influenced Adam and Eve to do after they submitted to his will was to cover their naked bodies (Genesis 3:6-7).
  • Satan was the “who” of “Who told you [Adam] that you were naked?” (Genesis 3:11). While we are not told in the text that this is true, Satan is the only player in the entire story (God, Satan, Adam, or Eve) who had the knowledge and motivation to tell Adam that he was naked.
  • While Satan’s specific words to Adam and Eve after the fall are not recorded, we can be certain that he did not (and has not) from that moment forward been silent.
  • Jesus called Satan “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31). He has exerted influence of deception on the thoughts and actions of all mankind ever since the fall (John 8:44).
• Satan hates marriage and the beauty of marital sexual union.
  • Satan has sought to dismiss, dishonor, or destroy marriage since the beginning (as contrasted to God’s will stated in Hebrews 13:4).
  • Satan desires to distort and defile sexual union since the beginning (Genesis 6:1-5).
• Satan has been fully and completely defeated by a naked Savior (John 16:11)!
  • Although Satan battered the naked body of our Lord almost beyond recognition (Isaiah 53:2-3), yet Jesus died without any sin of His own so that He could take all the sin of the world in His body on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 John 2:2, 1 Peter 2:24).
  • Although Jesus lay clothed in the tomb for three days, He left every stitch of that clothing behind when He came out of the grave (John 20:6-7), bodily risen from the dead! This, indeed, was the final and fatal blow to Satan’s head (Genesis 3:15)!

So what’s the conclusion?

When you look at the biblical data above, it’s pretty clear that the one who hates the unclothed human form is not God, but Satan!

How Satan Treats Nudity

How does that biblical conclusion square with what we see in our world today? It appears that the only place you find nudity exposed today is within the domain of Satan’s work! Pornography, sexual immorality, sexual perversion, even Satanism and witchcraft all use nudity.

But think about it… that which someone loves, they protect, preserve, and honor. That which they hate, they abuse, destroy, and dishonor.This is true for no one more than it is for Satan.

Tell me… does pornography and sexual immorality protect the nude human body? Does perversion preserve the human body? Do occultic activities honor the unclothed human body? No, no, and no.

Satan exposes nudity within pornography to dishonor the body. He uses it to distort sexuality… to bring destruction to the body. He uses it to deceive us into rejecting the sight of God’s image as found in the unadorned human form. We—the church—have God’s Word… we should know better!

The World Bought it All

Satan’s efforts have been very successful.

• He has caused almost all of society to spurn the public exposure of the naked human body.
• He has so distorted our understanding of its exposure that we only see sexuality there, ignoring or completely denying the image of God.
• He has so deftly crafted an impossible standard of “beauty” that young women learn almost universally to hate the look of their own bodies, considering them “ugly.”
• He has managed to get us to believe that seeing the sags and wrinkles of aging human bodies is somehow “disgusting” and repulsive… something you don’t want to see in others, and which you don’t want seen in yourself.

This is the world’s view of the naked human body. And this is Satan’s work.

Satan hates the naked human body. And for millennia, we have followed in Adam’s footsteps, listening to Satan’s voice urging us to participate in his insult of the Creator. Even the Church has been duped into promoting this offense against God… treating it instead as if it were a sign of holiness.

Testimony of a Hostile Witness

Satan’s abuse of nudity is compelling evidence that he hates it. And (if the scriptures provided above weren’t enough), it is also compelling evidence that the nude human form is actually dear to the heart of God.

If Satan hates that which God loves, shouldn’t we love that which Satan hates?

But What About the Animal Skins?

I can’t finish this article without saying something about the skins God provided to Adam and Eve for clothing after the fall. Almost all non-naturist Christians point to that passage and use it to claim that “God really doesn’t want us to be naked now after all!”

Is that what the Bible says? Allow me to quote the account in its entirety:

“The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)

What do we learn from that brief account? Very little, actually. There is no command. There is no reason given. There is no proclamation of a shift in the divine perspective on the nature of nudity… although many people quote the verse as if there were.

Any and every understanding of why God gave them clothes must be “read into” the text, because the explanation of God’s purpose simply is not there! Quite frankly, alternative understandings actually fit the context better, but they too must be “read into” the account.

The only thing we can conclude for sure is that God does not object to clothing. But we would be in error if we allowed assumptions about God’s (unexplained!) action to overrule God’s clearly stated proclamation in reference to the Creation and its naked inhabitants before the fall. God never called the clothes, “very good.” Only nudity was ever described that way (Genesis 1:26-27,31, Genesis 2:25).

I See a Problem…

So… God looked at nudity and said “Very Good!”

Satan looked at nudity and said, “Very Bad!”

The Church today looks at nudity and says, “Very Bad!”

Do you see a problem here?

Matthew Neal

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Read the original post and more great content at The Biblical Naturist blog.

Myths of the Naked Body

The following is a repost from a friend named Randy. Used with permission.

In the West, particularly in the United States, society has been convinced over time to accept several myths about naked bodies as truths. The acceptance of these myths as truth has lead to a myriad of issues, but those issues are another discussion. Most of these myths are derived from well meaning members of the Christian church over the last couple of centuries. Like the well meaning Pharisees of Jesus’ time who used man made rules to try to keep from breaking the commandments, many Christian use these myths the same way — as truths to try to keep themselves and others from sinning. Some of these myths are loosely based on scripture others are just based on speculation.

Myth One

Naked Bodies are Not Natural. This one is largely based on tradition. They reason and argue that clothing and covering the body is the way it has always been. Many go so far as to believe that clothing is what separates us from the animals and is the beginning of a “civilized” society. After all, you never hear of anyone in “civilized” society growing up naked. It only happens with “those savages,” “those naked savages.” Yet, after man was created, naked by the way, “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31 NAS95). “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25 NAS95). God never changed his mind.

“If people were meant to be nude, they would have been born this way.” — Oscar Wilde

But that has not stopped the Church from pushing the second myth.

Myth Two

Naked Bodies were/are Commanded to be Hidden by God. Many people look at the passage in Genesis where God provides skins to Adam and Eve as proof that God wants clothed humans. In reality, Adam and Eve started it, not God. They are the ones who created clothing for themselves. They are the ones who invented clothing. “They sewed fig leaves together and they made themselves loin coverings”(Genesis 3:7 NAS95).

They sewed leaves together, who does that? In our current age hunters and snipers come to mind first. Why did they cover themselves? Were they hiding from other people? Who, since only they existed? From each other? From the animals? Maybe from the serpent? Or from God? Up until this point they had walked naked with God in the Garden. Now, Adam and Eve have made camouflage and are actively hiding from God. But, why? Why did they decide that they needed to hide from God? Again, these questions need more exploration, but now is not the time.

As the story progresses God asks the question, “Who told you that you were naked?” Reading between the lines we can expand the question, “Naked? I never said anything about you being naked. Who told you that you were naked?” In the book Uncovering the Image, Bob Horrocks points out that this question God did not, even as Adam and Eve had covered themselves, see their nakedness as a problem.

Yet, God does provide our first parents with skins of animals, surely that means we are to cover ourselves at all times. Paul Bowman postulates:

“It is reasonable to believe that if God had actually condemned nakedness he would have told Adam that, because he had sinned, he was no longer free to be naked and unashamed of his body, After all, God did decree several consequences of the sin they committed.” (Nakedness and the Bible)

Bowman goes on to point out that immediately following God giving them skins, he banishes them from Eden, and sets a guard so they cannot return. Why garments of animals skins outside the garden? We must look at one of the consequences of their sin:

“cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”” (Genesis 3:17–19 ESV)

It appears to me that this wasn’t and act to cover their sinful flesh but another of God’s acts of love toward his beloved creation, partial protection from the environment that was cursed because of them. There is also the belief in many circles that the animal skins were a foreshadowing of the shedding of Christs blood for our sins. Bowman also rightfully points out, If God had given Adam and Eve clothes intended to conceal their bodies — new and improved clothes at that — it would have been a ratification of their efforts to conceal their sin! It is unthinkable that God would ever reward sin, or even reward any efforts made to conceal the results of sinful behavior.”

Myth Three

Naked Bodies are Aways Sexual. Really? We are born naked, not sexual and Job says we return naked, not sexual. Bathing is typically done naked and is normally not sexual. Physical exams and surgery are at least partially if not totally naked, and definitely not sexual. Additionally, throughout the history of the world there have been many naked societies. If naked bodies were always sexual those societies would not have been able to exist because of twenty-four-hour-a-day sexual activities. Our western culture has driven and continues to drive the sexualization of the naked body. “Actually, the loin cloth on an otherwise naked body does call direct attention to the covered area, and it would therefore very likely create titillation by its removal in a sexual situation. On the other hand, observations of daily Life among naked tribes indicate the sight of genitalia in Nude society is not in itself erotic”, Aileen Goodson. “Complete nudity in itself is not erotic. It becomes so only when preceded by or contrasted to a state of dress. In this limited context then, all clothes become somewhat immoral, if we define immorality as inciting sexual interest. Habitual nakedness may indeed be capable of elevating man to a higher mental plane…” Dr. Marylnn J. Horn, “The Second Skin: An Interdisciplinary Study of Clothing”. Dr. Horn goes on to say, “It is the undressing, not the being nude, that is sexually arousing, because it leads the viewer to the association of a sexually intimate experience.”

Myth Four

Naked Bodies are Obscene or “Gross I don’t want to see that.” If humans are created in the image of God then this statement are a spit in the face of our creator. “How is it possible for the human body, which was created in the image of God, to be offensive to anybody? Satan would love to see God’s greatest creation be considered offensive”, (unfortunately, I have misplaced the reference for this quote). Our society is currently in a body image crisis. We see it in the way we treat our bodies from eating disorders to body modifications. Liz Egger laments, “As a naturist myself I find it astonishing that a religion can worship a particular deity yet regard its most miraculous creation – the human body – as obscene and wicked and so shameful that it should be hidden from view.” David Hatton rightly opines, “When people teach that the human body is dirty or obscene, it creates fertile ground for pornography. This is why porn addiction is so strong in our society, even among Christians. Our culture is inundated with a sexualized view of the body. I’m sorry to say that the church has been a key player in spreading that idea.” We need throw off the obscene view of our naked bodies and return to a healthy view of the naked human our form. We were created in the image of God, with penises, scrotums and a broader shoulders or with vulvas, vaginas wider hips and larger breasts. Beautifully made in our differences and similarities.

Myth Five

Naked Bodies Harm Children. Let’s be clear upfront. We are discussing NONSEXUAL nakedness. We have already pointed out that not all Nakedness is sexual.

There are not enough studies on the effects of exposing children to nonsexual nudity. Most of the child development experts, e.g. Dr. Spock, Dr. Brothers, and Dr. Dodson to name a few, have laid out the arguments against exposure to nakedness without any studies to back them up let alone justify their conjecture and opinions. Dennis C. Craig and Dr. William Sparks engaged in a five year study to explore how exposure to nudity affects children. Here are their own conclusions:

“The experts seem to agree that a child should not be overstimulated sexually. Since we consider that wise, we raise a few questions: Is it more detrimental to emotional growth to spend “all ones waking hours” attempting to see the hidden bodies of others than to be raised in a physically open family situation where nudity is taken for granted? Is it not possible that the child who casually learns about other people’s bodies has more time to spend on studies and other pursuits?”

“The experts warn about the terrible guilts and frustrations which will develop in a child exposed to nudity… We found normal childhood problems of adjustment, but we also found a group of adults seemingly satisfied with themselves, and very willing to raise their children as they were raised, with nakedness as part of their every day lives.”

“We were told that when children saw their parents nude , they would be overstimulated… But when we spoke to the adults who grew up in a nudist environment, we were told that it was more stimulating for them to goto a regular beach, where everyone wore suits, however small, than to play volleyball or sun at a nudist park where everyone wore nothing…”

“Without previous studies on which to base their conclusions, the experts told us that children, especially during the years from nine to thirteen, should not be allowed to see their parents nude because it would be harmful to them. It seems clear to us, now, after five years of study that this unfounded bias and conjecture has been very misleading. But, more than that, it has caused real harm to more than one generation of American children.”

“We live in a time when the human anatomy is examined, extolled, studied, and lectured about, and at the very same moment is also exploited, ridiculed, and excluded from social acceptance. We insult ourselves by calling our bodies obscene, pornographic, lewd, base, dirty, immoral, or evil, and in so doing deny the basic truth of our own existence. Our anatomy is us— and it is none of those terrible things.”

“There are some families who have learned what Margaret Mead and others were trying to tell us about the need for understanding our natures and not hating our physiology. These singular adults have created in their children individuals more resistant to the negativism of our modern society. They seem at ease with the rigors of living together in a society dependent, sours is, on our ability to relate to one another with love and understanding.”

“What we learned was that the viewing of the unclothed human body , far from being destructive to the psyche, seems to be either benign and totally harmless or to actually provide positive benefits to the individual involved.”

—Dennis Craig Smith and Dr. William Sparks, Growing Up Without Shame.

There are a few, very few, other studies out there that have taken on this issue and similarly concluded that nakedness harming children is in fact a myth and that exposure to real human bodies in a nonsexual setting can potentially be beneficial.

“The existence in so many places of the tendency toward nudity is not a testimony to the fallenness of man. It is rather a testimony of the original condition of man … The inner desire to be naked and unashamed is a longing to get back to our original perfection.” — Philo Thelos

Who Knew?

Some online naturist friends from Twitter have been featured by various news outlets recently for wanting to spend Christmas nude. I made the mistake of reading several of the comments under some of their stories. In a way, I’m glad I did, however. I knew a negative bias exists against naturists, since I once held those very antagonistic beliefs. But after years of being more open minded and free in my views, I needed a reminder of the pervasive ignorance that is out there, and these comments emphasized this point and then some. This is another reason Aching for Eden exists and why I have enjoyed reading from the relatively small niche of naturist fiction books. They are doing what they can to offer a level-headed and accurate portrayal of what naturism actually is. It is not at all what the general public thinks or imagines it might be. Naturist fiction is a great way to normalize naturism against the tide of popular opinion.

We’ve reviewed a few different books and authors on this blog (here, here, and here). Over the holidays, I got to read another book that I had preordered on kindle and just came out. That is the subject of this quick review.

“Who Knew?” by Rowland Jr. was a pleasant Christmas treat. According to the about the author page, “Rowland Jr was a former University Professor, who in early life lived and worked in numerous locations around the world. Still working into his late seventies right up until his death in March of 2021, even attending conferences worldwide when his expertise and knowledge were required, he wrote profusely on many subjects, both fiction and non-fiction and on many fora. He was a published author, and a devoted and blissfully happy husband and proud father with an unshakable faith. He loved books and buying books, was a cheese connoisseur with a fascination for ravens and a love of naturism.” This story was first published in 2016 on naturist-Christians, but in this form this year. I did not know Rowland Jr. while he was alive, but I very much appreciate his offering into this much needed space of both information and inspiration.

Going back to the intro of this post, the stories and situations in this book, though fictional, could come from real life. As a naturist, I can relate and envision how these scenarios in the book could play out in my own relationships or acquaintances. There are accurate portrayals of the knee jerk reactions of people who are outside of the know when they hear about naturism for the first time. This is a lot like the ignorant comments I mentioned before on Twitter. What I love about naturist fiction is the affirmation of my own beliefs manifested in other characters and their interactions with others. It gives me a good sense of relief in knowing, “I’m not crazy!” Left to the crowd-sourced opinions of most everybody, you’d be left to assume that we are all crazy. However, when you really study what naturism actually is, those opinions are shown to be the actual crazy positions. In naturist fiction like “Who Knew?” and others, young people who are from naturist families prove to be more well adjusted in life over their non-naturist counterparts. The craziness of naturism becomes the better philosophy over the common alternative of body shame and squeamishness. 

“Who Knew?” is a nice story with several interesting characters and plot points. As a naturist, it’s a delight to read. What’s more? As a Christian naturist, the scenes depicting Christians who are also naturists are entirely relatable. What seems so outlandish to so many becomes humorous to those in the know. In “Who Knew?” there are pastors and deacons and church leaders who happen to enjoy the freedom of clothes free living from time to time. In real life, the same is true. Who knew?

There are also those whose practice of religion forbids them from ever entertaining the idea, let alone studying to see how it reconciles with God’s original intent in scripture. In “Who Knew?” and in real life, it’s their loss.

One more pleasant surprise in this Kindle volume, is the original artwork done by Ben Nijssen throughout the book. Get your own copy today.

Click the image to see on Amazon.

You may also read about other fiction featured on this blog:

Chain Breakers by R. B. Mears

Muse by David L. Hatton

Novels by D. H. Jonathan

More Straight Talk from Mike and Linda

Warning: Video contains nudity. We’re saddened that this needs to be a warning. It’d be great if simple and chaste nudity was no big deal in today’s society.

You may have met Mike and Linda in this blog post. If not, check it out as it is part 1 of this interview. Then either watch this video (preferred) or read the transcript below!

Mike: What is it like to wear clothes?

Linda: There’s someone I know that doesn’t like it at all!

Mike: We live 365 naked. I mean, we’re able to be nude pretty much all the time at home. We have enough property to do that. But if I got to go to Wal-Mart, I need to go get some groceries periodically or I want to do certain things that require clothing. We either need to get those clothes on and go do our thing because you automatically get hot.

The Lord’s made you to enjoy the breeze. To enjoy this, you start putting clothes on and restrict all that. I find myself getting hot immediately, so I either need to get on the motorcycle and start riding or get in the car or go someplace and enjoy it. But a lot of restraints, you know, I mean, the seatbelt starts pulling on your shirt. You know, shorts don’t feel so good, you know, and sometimes so I mean, it’s just not good. God got it right!

God got it right!

Mike: My goodness gracious, man. Some of the actresses and actors need to put some groceries on
because they are anorexic. So the body image thing was huge. I mean, it’s just ridiculous.

Linda: But once you get that, once you experience that, then that changes, that changes everything.

Mike: So anybody watching this that’s had cosmetic surgery of some sort– because the world has provoked you to do that, which is fine. Don’t feel that that is not okay in a naturism realm. What I’m trying to get at is when you’re in a naturism venue or with others or with others, or even on the cruise ship. That is, so many people don’t have augmentations or those type of things because they’ve learned to accept their body as Christ made them. If somebody has had a cosmetic surgery of some sort, that’s no big deal because there’s lots of it.

But what I’m trying to get at is it’s like if you’re going to Wal-Mart, as I say, this weekend. Everybody you see at Wal-Mart, if they were all naked, that’s what naturism is about. It doesn’t matter. Does not matter.

Linda: An you’re not looked at for that reason, too, you know, in society you would be. With clothing on that. you’d be like, “Okay. Okay.” But here, nobody… It doesn’t matter, you know?

When is it ok?

When is nudity ok?

Is it ok to be nude when you are married in front of your own spouse? Yes? I agree. Should there be any shame there? No? Agreed again. That’s why I think Adam and Eve (a married couple) should not have felt ashamed of their bodies to cover themselves with fig leaves. It was not God’s idea. The text says they were afraid, not ashamed (Genesis 3:10). We project our own shame onto them. The text does say that the pre fall state was that they were naked and unashamed (Genesis 2:25). All of a sudden it’s shameful for a married couple to see themselves? Might they have been listening to the serpent who hates God’s image (Genesis 3:11)? Could he be the “who” of “who said you were naked?“ God was never ashamed of their nakedness. He seemed more upset that they covered themselves with fig leaves. Jesus would later curse the fig tree (Matthew 21; Mark 11). A coincidence? Maybe so. Maybe not.

When is nudity ok? 

At the doctor’s office? I agree. You reason that they can maintain a professional and respectful demeanor when viewing your nakedness while checking on your health and wellness. Then I would simply ask why we can’t all hold that same respect toward another person? Do we need training and credentials to be respectful? A piece of paper makes a difference? Or do we simply need to unlearn some social conditioning?

When is nudity ok?

In the changing room at a gym? Well, sure. Most changing rooms in the United States, at least, are not co-ed. Even then, many are too ashamed of their bodies to be uncovered in front of those of their own gender. Gang showers are practically a thing of the past and privacy is the new normal. For more on this point, read, “Way too much privacy!” on this blog.

When is nudity ok?

Maybe it’s good to ask what nudity was ok? This piece from The Biblical Naturist answers that question and links to several other sites such as this one to back up its claims. The main point is that in Greek and Roman times (when the New Testament was written), while clothing was normal, so was nudity in certain places like the river, or the bath houses, or the gymnasium. In fact, the word gym comes from the Greek word for nude. There were religious prude types back then too, but culturally in Jesus’ day, even in Jerusalem, non-sexual nudity in mixed company was not a big deal, like it is today.

When is nudity ok?

Let’s continue asking when it was ok. In Bible times, work was often done in the naked state, which makes sense if clothing (before the industrial clothing industry) was extremely expensive. Why mess up your only garment (in many cases) while working? In Scripture, we see this mostly in the case of Peter fishing (John 21:7) and Jesus post-resurrection, being mistaken for a naked gardener.

XIR130941 The Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite, detail of cupids fishing (mosaic) by Roman, (3rd century AD); Louvre, Paris, France; out of copyright.

ANC351864 Fishermen in a boat, 2nd-4th century (mosaic) by Roman; Musee Archeologique, Sousse, Tunisia; Ancient Art and Architecture Collection Ltd.; out of copyright.

When is nudity ok?

Let’s come back to today’s times. How about on TV and entertainment? Is that ok? You may say no, and yet you may still indulge. You rationalize that it’s how culture is today, and you can’t escape it. Then you may feel guilty about it. For me, since I was pretty sheltered, any glimpses of flesh on movies and such was a thrill and a temptation. Since I equated nudity with sex, I’d have an immediate sense of arousal and could not just view it in a natural way. It was like I was doing something wrong something bad and needed to repent. There is a lot of legalism around what a Christian should or should not watch. It does come down to one’s own conviction and freedom or lack thereof. How you view the body is key. Is it a dirty and obscene source of temptation and forbidden fruit? Or is it the image of God and the crowning glory of his creation? To see it as such changes everything. The prudish view degrades the individual and calls bad or evil what God created as “very good” (Genesis 1:31). This body bad/ spirit good talk sounds like gnostic heresy to me!

When is nudity ok?

What about museums and art? What about sculptures? I recall a fountain outside of a Cheesecake Factory restaurant. My mom had us take a family photo in front of it. There were nude figures all over the fountain. This was before I had told her we were naturists. My wife and I looked at each other, both sensing the irony of the situation. My mom was oblivious.

A friend wrote this on social media the other day: “This statue is on a street in Las Vegas, and you can see families passing it all day. No one cares. No one is offended. No one is upset that women and children can see it. Yet if it were revealed that it is a live person doing a “human statue” all of a sudden it would be obscene and vulgar. It’s almost as if people tacitly say that the human body is not obscene, just actual humans.” A real double-standard!

Michelangelo’s ceiling of the Sistine chapel is worth studying. It’s a brilliant piece that then was censored and restored as nudity was banned and then reinstated. He is quoted as saying, “What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is more noble than the shoe, and skin more beautiful than the garment with which it is clothed?”

When is nudity ok?

For Skinny dipping? Absolutely! Most people have had a skinny dipping experience. Whether they thought they were rebelling at the time or were fine with it. That amazing feeling you had, you can have all the time by embracing the way we were made and the way we will go from this life (Job 1:21)! Given enough privacy, most owners of hot tubs have probably soaked in the nude. This is my theory anyway. When my non-naturist friends talk about their pools with privacy, they say things like “You’re welcome anytime, but you may want to call ahead before you come.” The idea of skinny dipping is fairly normal. It’s the mixed company that presents a problem for the same people who like it otherwise. I say we just shed our hang ups about clothing and our insecurities as well as our soggy bathing suits.

When is nudity ok?

Bathing and showering? Yep. Sadly, these are some of the only moments people are ever nude. This and during sexual relations, which is why nudity is so sexualized. This is part of the problem today with clothing compulsion.

When is nudity ok?

Sleeping naked? Some might agree or disagree or wish they could agree. Sleeping naked is great and has certain health benefits. The pajama manufactures will never tell you this, but I wouldn’t expect them to. When asked to write some advice to newlyweds, we just say “Sleep naked.” A pastor friend heard us say that, and wished he could, except what about the children coming in? They’d see us naked! We shrugged and instantly were saddened by how dreadfully scared everyone is by the prospect of being seen in such a vulnerable state.

When is nudity ok?

Is it ok for the naked cultures that have been or those still in existence today? Well it certainly is for them! That is, until we come and clothe them. In the Bible clothing the naked is more about helping the poor than it is covering nakedness. Whether we like it or not, it’s been documented many times over, that when clothing was introduced to naked cultures (oftentimes by well-intentioned missionaries) the problems with pornography and sexual temptation were introduced right along with the clothes. We unwittingly imported a body taboo and accompanying shame which brought about devastating consequences. This angered us so much when we read about it and reflected on the “Who said you were naked?” question in Genesis 3. Read more about this in this book.

When is nudity ok?

You say it may be ok in some of these cases. You might concede a few of these but still maintain that it’s wrong in a social nude setting. You are free to believe that, but we’ll have to agree to disagree. We explore the insanity of making exceptions to rules in “It should be that easy!” on this blog. I say it’s ok any time provided that it’s not violating any laws and it’s done with those of a like mind. Perhaps the issue isn’t really the nudity, but rather our mindset toward it.

From Pastor to Nudist (Part 1)

Continuing the series of new videos from Aching for Eden Productions, here’s part 1 of an amazing true story.

WARNING: This post contains nudity. If this offends you, skip the video and just read the transcript. Hopefully if you are on this site, the sight of simply nudity is ok, or you’re reconditioning your mind to see the innocence in it.

And here’s the transcript:

We were at a business meeting in a friend of ours’ home, and after the meeting was over we were sitting around just drinking coffee and visiting and having a great time. And the lady of the house, she kind of like embarrassed looking and hesitant. And she says, “I need to ask you for a favor.” And she says, “You’re a pastor, right?” “Well, yeah, of course, yes.” She says, “I really need you to help me. My sister and her husband and their family are nudists.” And she kind of she kind of whispered it like like it was a bad word, you know, nudists. “And I need you to help me talk them out of it.” And we kind of looked at each other like it was kind of funny, you know?

But I said, “Oh, absolutely, I’m in, but give me a week so I can get some ammo. We need to do a Bible study, find out what the Bible says so that we have some ammo for them.” I said, “I don’t want to just wing it.” “We’ll straighten them up!” And so we drove home that night.

We kind of joked about it on the way home, you know, because we had about an hour and a half drive home. And it was just it was one of those odd things.

We started looking up every verse on naked or nude or anything to do with that subject. We already knew ahead of time we could not use anything with Adam and Eve, so we kind of just glossed over that right away. But suddenly, everywhere we looked was positive.

You know, we’ve got King Saul was naked with the prophets, which meant that when they assumed he was a prophet because he was naked, well, then the prophets had to have been naked. So that that didn’t fit the narrative. So we kind of threw that aside.

And then it was, you know, King David and Isaiah under the command of the Lord for three years naked. And just in case you were wondering how naked, naked and barefoot!

And then there was, I mean, just over and over again throughout the Old Testament. So we were like, okay, well, that’s because that was Old Testament. So let’s look at the New Testament. And then you find, you know, Peter naked while fishing. And rather than being reprimanded by Christ or straightened up, it just mentioned it like it was just in passing.

And then we find out that Jesus, you know, it says that he took off his robe to wash the apostles’ feet at the Last Supper. And I’m thinking, “Hmm, that not doesn’t fit.” Peter doesn’t fit in.

And then you find that the Bible tells us that at the triumphal entry that they took their clothes off and laid them in the way for Jesus to ride the donkey. Everywhere, Old Testament, New Testament,
nothing fit. We couldn’t find any.

If you would pull Leviticus 18 out of context, well then you could use it. But we make a habit of not doing that. We look at the Bible from a legitimate standpoint, not make it say what we want it to.

So everything we found didn’t fit the agenda, which really threw me for a loop as a pastor, frankly, because we’d been taught our whole entire educational system as a pastor and the church growing up naked, equal sex and naked equals bad, right? Well, that’s not what the Bible said. Not at all.

So we go back. You can tell she’s wanting to bring the subject up. Right? So I said to her, I said, “You’re going to want to sit down. Because what we found was not what we expected.” And they both were like, “Really?” Boom, sit down. We’re at the kitchen table. And I had, I brought a printout of all the verses with me. So I kind of slid the printout over and I said, this is all of the verses in the Bible that specifically referred to just simple nonsexual nudity.

And she’s like, “Wow, that’s a lot of verses.” I said, “Yeah, and they’re all pro non-sexual nudity. This is not good news for you. This is bad news for you. These are all verses that are pro body acceptance.”

God made us in his image, not ashamed and called it very good. And so we went through each verse at a time and answered all the questions. And she says at the end, she says, “Well, what do we do about this?” Which was, it’s a really good question.

And Kim says, you wanna tell him what you said? In our house, we believe if God says it. No. If God is for it, we’re for it. And if God is against it, we’re against it.

And so my mouth fell open because I hadn’t, I actually hadn’t asked the question, what do we do about it? Right? I just studied it. Couldn’t help them any. And she’s like, “Well, if God is for it, we’re for it.” And I went. [speechless] Because what do you do with that? Right?

And so a couple of weeks later… (I didn’t say it wouldn’t be hard.) [laughing] But if God is for it, we believe the Bible. Right. That’s the bottom line, isn’t it? Is we believe the Bible is the word of God. And if God is for it, we’re for it.

So we’re Jim and Kim and been naturists for 20 plus years.

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Go to part 2.

Check out www.nakedandunashamed.org while you’re at it.

A Conversation with Mike and Linda

This is the first of a series of short videos from Aching for Eden Productions.

WARNING: This video contains nudity. If that offends you, please go to another part of the blog and read article after article until hopefully nudity (the Image of God and crown of creation) offends you no more. If you’re just not there yet, that’s ok, we get it. We were once there too. If so, you can skip the video, and just read the transcript.

Mike: I would walk around periodically on the property naked and I would ask the Lord, “Why does the wind and why does the sunshine feel so good?”

I started Googling naturism. And the world has a lot of bad areas that they claim as naturism,
which was nothing biblical. So I took a complete biblical view of it. So whatever I felt, I needed
to seek the Lord if it was true or not. Is it in His word? Is it somewhere where I can accept it being godly?

And then I stumbled across www.nakedandunashamed.org. That put things in context. But even though I saw it on his page, I still tested it with the word.

Linda: Right. Oh, it took me some more time, you know, obviously the body image thing
and all of those things. But, you know, with Mike’s help and teachings that… you know, helped
me to realize that I am beautiful. You know, we’re all created in His image and just accepting that, learning that it’s okay. I mean, so much more acceptance in this atmosphere than in the world’s atmosphere. There’s so much judgment out there. And there’s just no judgment in this lifestyle, this, you know, living as God intended.

Mike: Total non judgment, no body image issues. You would think that growing up in textile world, Hollywood’s got it right. You’ve got to have this particular figure. You got to have, you know, a guy’s got to have a six pack. I mean, perfect body image. That’s what they portray.

Covering up God’s creation and what he truly designed for us from the beginning, that’s Satan’s lies. It is just everything that God created good, Satan tries to reverse it. So once you start looking at the world
and what they say is good and you actually get up enough courage…

Whoever sees this give naturism 15, 20 minutes at a naturist venue and all of that garbage will be gone. This is what God intended, as far as I’m concerned. It gives you true freedom. All the worldly garbage is gone. You have to just throw the world behind you.

And every time Satan or anybody makes you think of, “Oh, this isn’t right or that isn’t right.” who’s telling you that? Christ or Satan? True freedom in naturism is putting Satan Step on him!

One of the first biggest things we did was, and it’s huge, going on in a bare necessities cruise.

2500 naked people all… nobody cared. But the reason why I brought that up is body image. A woman has had mastectomy. She’s got scars all across her breasts. She’s the happiest one on the beach because God has given her the peace, that she’s still beautiful.

Linda: And the acceptance from the people.

Mike: That was… people that have amputees, missing limbs. You know, the world says you need to put a fake prosthetic on so you can, you know, look like us. You know, they need them for walking too. Okay, don’t get me wrong, but the world has said so many of these things. You go to a naturist venue, it doesn’t even get noticed. You are what God’s made you. You know, whether you’re born with a situation or something happened in life. It’s just a blessing.

Linda: You know, it still takes a little while for you to get through that, because you can’t really believe
that people aren’t judging you for your imperfections and all the things that you feel are imperfect. Although God does not see it that way because He made me perfect. But here, nobody… It doesn’t matter, you know? No, it doesn’t matter.

Mike: Hollywood says you have to look like A-B-C, and naturism is delete A-B-C and what God’s given
you is a blessing. Yeah.

Linda: Unless you experience it for yourself, you’re never going to understand. And if you just give yourself that opportunity to just not worry about what anybody else has to say, because that’s your first thing, what are people going to say? How are they going to look at me? Am I going to look too heavy, too
thin too this, too that? If you just give yourself the opportunity to experience it, then you’ll understand why God created us this way.

Mike: 15 minutes. That’s what I say. 15 minutes. If you allow yourself to come to the naturist venue in 15 minutes, if you have clothes on, you’re going to feel like the oddball. You’ll want to take them off. And not one person is going to notice that you’re naked. You’re the only one that’s going to notice you’re naked. And then in another few minutes, you’re like going to go, “Why did I wait so long? Why did I wait so long?”

The Freedom of Naturism

These are my highlights and thoughts on excerpts from this book on Kindle: “The Freedom of Naturism: A Guide for the How and Why of Adopting a Naturist Lifestyle” by Augustine Rae

(My own thoughts will be in italics.)

Location 31

Another word for “naturism” is “nudism,” which should be rather self-explanatory. Due to Judeo-Christian-Islamic influence, however, there are a lot of negative connotations associated with it. Despite the separation of church and state (at least in the West), religious sensibilities still play a very powerful influence over civil law, which is why you can be arrested for being naked in public. Even the irreligious, as well as those of an atheistic bent, have been conditioned to think of nudity as being something wrong. It is associated with vulnerability and shame at best, or with sexuality and arousal at worst.

This is what makes this innocent and even healing activity seem nefarious to so many. It is unfortunate that a state of mind (that comes from a state of undress) which has so many benefits is disregarded almost wholesale without a second thought. Those who are courageous enough to investigate the naked truth for themselves will likely reap the rewards their open minds have allowed them to see. Even those who ascribe to the Christian faith can not only reconcile the practice to their faith, but find it enhancing their relationship with their Creator God.

Location 39

Adam and Eve ate of the apple of knowledge in disobedience of god’s law. And what did they learn? The first thing they learned was the difference between good and evil. The second thing they learned was that they were naked. And thus was born the fashion industry.

While this book is not a Christian or theological book, I like that line that “thus was born the fashion industry.” That could seem like an over-simplistic and not the point of the passage sort of treatment of the text, but it’s not far from the truth. Clothes really were man’s idea (or the serpent’s influence), not God’s. See Genesis 3:11 and God’s “Who told you…” question.

Location 52

Naturism is antithetical to all of these [standards of dress]. It does not seek to conform to any societal definitions of modesty—quite the opposite, in fact. It believes that going about naked (sans penis gourds, sarongs, and waist strings) whenever possible, is the ideal condition because it’s natural, hence its name. It also feels incredibly good!

Modesty is a much bigger issue than what is worn by a person. Search this blog for the keyword “modesty” and discover what real modesty is. And yes, modest nudity does feel incredibly good!

Location 125

Think about it. Clothes define people’s religious, cultural, and ethnic identities. Examples of this include the headscarves worn by some Muslim women, the turbans worn by Sikh men, or the Stetson hats worn by some in the American south. Clothes also reflect socio-economic status, separating the haves from the have-nots; think of Giorgio Armani versus cheap Chinese fake knock-offs. In the work force, they are sometimes used to denote hierarchy—especially the differences between blue collar and white collar workers, or between supervisors and underlings.

All this make me wonder— Jesus cursed the fig tree. The fig tree! We’ve been trying to use fig leaves since the beginning for problems that they cannot ever resolve. Why was it a fig tree that he cursed? Hmm…

Location 132

Naturists also believe that nudity is the default human condition. They argue that clothes are a manmade invention and that our ancestors managed without them long before the discovery of fur, leather, and fabric. They also cite the health benefits of the sun (in moderation and with protective creams) and of exposure to the elements.

I suffer from some undiagnosed skin sensitivity conditions that dissipate when I’m fully nude for extended periods of time. I have linked these closely to my having to wear clothes and the sun focusing on exposed areas like my face when all else is covered. I’ve also noticed that I can be fully nude on a sunny cold day (46 degrees the first day we visited a naturist park), and we were fine, as the body acclimated and the sun could hit us all over. We would’ve been cold with clothes on, but were just fine without them. This is to say nothing of the therapeutic and psychological benefits of naturism as a natural antidepressant and stress reliever.

Location 135

From an ecological perspective, clothes generate an industry of waste. What’s hip today won’t be so tomorrow, forcing people to buy new fashions in order to remain proper and up-to-date. One must also consider the expense involved in cleaning, as well as the amount of chemicals and water used.

Going by what is deemed popular at any given time is not usually the smartest approach to anything. It’s taken me some time (and age) to come to this realization!

Common Misconceptions about Naturism:

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1) Nudist and naturist venues are places where people have sex

Most such places have strict policies in place which put a ban on public sex, photography, and outright exhibitionism—especially since many are open to families complete with grandparents and children. Outright voyeurism is therefore prohibited in many places, such as the banning of cameras. Violators are often expelled, blacklisted, and prosecuted.

Friends and family who we’ve told about us often wonder how such a practice could be family-friendly. Well, it is. You have to see it to believe it. And the judgments we often have are in our own minds and not based in reality. You have to have the right frame of mind, and unlink nudity to sex in your thinking.

Location 235

2) Nudist and naturist venues are sexually stimulating places

Virtually everyone who’s gone to such a venue finds the truth to be disappointingly otherwise. When everyone around you: men, women, children, the young and the old, are naked, sex is often the last thing to come to mind. Within a day or two, most forget that they and everyone else around them are nude. It’s called conditioning, as well as social acclimatization. Wearing a Frankenstein outfit may make you stand out at any other time of the year, but when Halloween comes around, chances are that you’ll blend right in with everyone else. In a strictly nudist setting, it’s the clothed person who stands out and gets stared at.

I’ve heard Stephane Deschenes say something to the effect of “Many come in for the wrong reasons, but they stay for the right ones.” That was certainly the case for me!

Location 244

Sexual arousal as a result of visual cues is a cultural construct, the product of social conditioning.

Wow! So true. It’s every guy’s reservation about even the thought of being around so many naked people, but it’s not an issue. Since embracing naturism and the truth of arousal being relational and not visual (as even the most popular Christian books promote this lie), I’ve easily ensured that only my wife is capable of making me aroused sexually. Naturism hasn’t negatively affected our love life in any way. Quite the opposite is true. Now we are drawn only to each other in sexual ways. Temptation for anyone else is gone. We base our love not on the exterior, but on our relationship (see www.mychainsaregone.org). I can’t claim this for every naturist, but Christian naturists see this dynamic very clearly.

 Location 251

Many find that it’s clothing that’s sexually stimulating, or at least, various states of undress. When nothing is left to the imagination, however, the fire surprisingly tends to die out.

There is clearly a disconnect in thinking that if certain body parts are covered, then it’s less “sexy” than if all was exposed. This comes from a pornographic mind and what’s needed is a renewed mind. Clothing and attitudes entice. A modest nude does not.

Location 260

Naturist venues are open to everyone: men and women, young and old, the beautiful and the otherwise. Even those who want to go to these places often stay away because they feel insecure about their bodies. These insecurities are exactly what naturism seeks to address, among others. It teaches that textilists are inherently judgmental and shallow because of clothing. Clothing is an artificial construct, subject to fashion, culture, religion, and even politics. As such, people are taught to judge others by how they look and by how well they try to fit in or not.

One of the many things I love about ethical naturism and core beliefs behind it.

Location 286

Since a number of these venues are family-oriented, many believe that children become sexualized at a young age. Registered nudist and naturist venues for families have strict rules that only allow children in if they are accompanied by their families.

It’s a misconception to say naturists are immoral people. They can be. So can non-naturists. The other common argument is against pedophilia. Naturists would agree pedophilia is terrible! That’s why background checks are done and everyone is protective of the little ones. Remember, a pedophile is often hiding and not out in the open exposing themselves. Clothing hasn’t stopped immoral people from their crimes in the outside world. The sad truth is that in many ways, kids are safer in family-friendly naturist venues than they are outside of them.

Location 291

Children and Nudity This is perhaps the biggest problem textilists have with naturists. With all the pedophilic scandals out there, many believe that children who grow up in naturist communities or with naturist parents become sexualized at a young age. Some have even argued that children who grow up in such a setting are victims and that their parents’ rights over them should therefore be terminated. Such accusations have prompted official studies into the matter, both here in America, as well as in Europe. There are a number of these studies available, so feel free to look them up on your own. The studies found that there is no correlation between pedophilia and nudity in the home. In fact, the sexualization of children is higher in more conservative, textilist families than in nudist or naturist ones.

Location 302

Studies of cultures where social nudity is the norm, or where social nudity is considered acceptable in certain situations, reinforces such claims.

Location 314

it is not group nudity that causes pedophilia or the sexualization of minors. Most victims of sexual abuse grow up in textilist homes, after all.

Location 319

Textilists who accuse naturists of pedophilia are not only hypocrites, they also reveal their own insecurities and repressed fantasies.

Naturist Ideals

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1) Nudity is natural. Nudity is the default human condition. Being naked, especially when outside, allows people to develop a greater rapport with nature. It also reawakens the human body to sensations that have become dulled through years of being covered up, making people more in tune to their body’s wisdom.

I’d say there’s even a spiritual component to the spiritually minded. I don’t worship creation, but being as created in creation does connect me closer to my Creator. I can’t explain it, but it’s a powerful experience.

Location 332

2) Nudity is healthy. Many naturists claim that being naked, especially in nature, has healing benefits, and that it can strengthen the human body against disease.

Location 336

Increased exposure to sunlight (in moderation) also increases the intake of Vitamin D which combats osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer.

Location 343

…clothing provides fertile breeding grounds for fungi and bacteria, which can result in body odor, yeast infections, athlete’s foot, and even urinary tract infections.

I had a reaction under my arms recently from my shirts. I spent a week at a naturist park, and no issues at all. The day we left and I had to put clothes on again, I had discomfort in the same spot!

Location 347

Tight belts, ties, and girdles can impede breathing. For men, tight pants increase testicular temperature, which lowers sperm count and reduces fertility. Surely there’s no need to get into the problems caused by tight shoes and high heels? On the topic of footwear, have you visited a pediatrician, lately? They’re now recommending going barefoot. It’s been found that going barefoot stimulates your brain into growing extra neural connections, which can prevent Alzheimer’s, boost memory, and improve cognitive ability.

It’s no wonder the clothes tend to come off at the first opportunity after a long day!

Location 354

3) Nudity promotes sanity. Many social nudists claim that they have less hang ups about their bodies and are more accepting of their physical shortcomings. They also believe that their lifestyle encourages a sincere respect for the opposite gender, while others claim that it reduces porn addiction.

This is so true. In the case of porn and respect for others, the renewing of the mind through a robust understanding of Imago Dei (image of God) with naturism as a catalyst has not only reduced by porn temptation, it’s eradicated it completely. Nudity does also promote sanity. I tend to get stressed more if I have extended periods of time without being able to be naked in nature as God intended from the beginning.

Location 360

4) Nudity promotes equality. This was discussed earlier. Without clothes, people have little else by which to connote social and economic status. Also, it becomes harder to denote religious, cultural, and political affiliations. As to one’s racial background, naturists argue that skin color and body hair aside, people tend to be pretty similar from the neck down.

In a naturist setting, you remember people physically by their hats or sunglasses or tattoos. You also get to the know the real them, and that’s more memorable in the long run.

Location 366

5) Nudity encourages honesty. Naturists believe that clothing promotes dishonesty and encourages hypocrisy. They insist that one of the reasons people become superficial is because they can hide behind clothes which can be tailored to make them seem other than what they are.

That’s exactly what I was just thinking and saying. We should all just ditch the fig leaves and stop hiding!

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This book is an easy, short read, and a great guide to freedom through naturism. Purchase your own copy here.