"Some day people will grow up and realize that the only thing vile
about human bodies is the small minds some people have developed
within them."- Dick Hein
In the Long
View
For generations we have been seeking
to cover up the so- called primitive peoples of the world with our
Western styles of clothing, whether they were appropriate to the
climate and conditions of those peoples or not. Today, we have this
change in thinking on the part of some of us that perhaps those
"primitive peoples" were wiser than we.
Let's be honest. The "movement" of
nudism/Naturism involves a truly minuscule number of people in our
society (albeit a growing number, across virtually all segments of the
population). Worse, we are considered by some to be some sort of
"cult." But in this regard it is highly revealing in many meaning of
the term that whereas less than 30 years ago there were officially
25,000 nudists in the United States and 50,000 in Germany, the number
of the officially and unofficially involved today, if we include the
occasional skinny-dippers, runs well into the millions.
Mere nudity begins to cease to be
either a matter of exaggerated concern or abnormal interest to the
majority of the public. And while the number of "official" members of
organized nudist remains small, the effect has been like the leaven in
the loaf; for the workings are far greater and vastly more extensive
than the small numbers would warrant.
Small as our numbers may be in
relation to the entire population, each one of us has to reflect and
develop some clear ideas about what nudist and Naturism means in our
individual live and in our relationship with others. What are the
values available to me from being nude, naked, bare of all clothing in
the company of others of all ages and both sexes -- and what benefit
might derive from these practices? Are there negative aspects, too?
I read with interest the various
proposals for changing the name of the American Sunbathing Association
--doing away with "sunbathing" and stating the nudist purpose
directly. Sunbathing seems to me, as it clearly did to others, a bit
of a misnomer; yes, we enjoy the sun on our total bodies, we enjoy the
fluidity and motion of the human body in the light of the sun; yet we
know nudist and Naturism are more than that.
Let's look for a moment at
terminology. Naked, nude, nudist and Naturism. According to my
dictionary, naked and nude are largely interchangeable. On the other
hand, I believe a distinction can be made between the nudist -- one
who joins with others on occasion in mixed company in a state of
nakedness -- and the Naturist, who is seeking to live in a state of
nudity at all appropriate times and as much as possible in a close
relationship with the natural surroundings, alone or with others of
all ages and both sexes. These descriptions are certainly subject to
correction and revision.
It is Naturism that I seek to
practice in my own life. In neither description have I said anything
about "values", but I like to think that the Naturist is more
positive-value oriented, whereas among nudists there is considerably
greater latitude in the values tolerated. I shall use these terms
interchangeably, though with the above definitions understood.
In virtually all the literature, in
many of the letters one reads from new "converts" to nudist or from
those who have been active in the lifestyle for a long time, one often
finds the comment that practitioners enjoy being nude "because it
feels good." Quite aside from all the other physical and psychological
reactions, I suppose that this feeling of freedom from the confinement
of restrictive clothing is one of the first things many of us
experience.
At the same time, however, among the
beneficial and enjoyable effects or feeling of freedom is the ability
of our bodies to function as intended: These bodies can breathe,
adjust to variations in temperature, cleanse themselves through the
pores, lungs and the whole circulatory system.
One very negative commentator writes:
"The alleged improvement in health, physical or mental, is founded on
no evident fact but is simply a gratuitous supposition, or at most is
based on far fetched analogies with life among certain primitive
people." Fortunately there is ample evidence based not on suppositions
but on valid empirical studies confirming that under proper conditions
nudity is a desirable aid to good mental and physical health. In
contrast, here in the U.S., body picture confusion, sexual
overstimulation and commercialization of nudity has reached an
absolute height.
For years, the health insurance
organization of Sweden has sent patients to Dalmatia, prescribing nude
sunbathing and relaxation in the mild waters of the Adriatic for skin
and other illnesses. We are often aware of the effort of practicing
nudists to care for their bodily health. We know that we find every
possible body type and form and we are no longer under the dangerous
illusion that everyone can conform to the nude examples of 'Playboy'
and 'Playgirl'. Seeing the great variety of bodily characteristics, we
no longer worry so much about "positive" or "negative" attributes of
our bodies, and we learn to accept both our own picture and the images
others present. We see those with scars of injuries and surgeries and
other disabilities and "imperfections" who participate in nudist
activities without any self-consciousness.
I might also add here what I
profoundly believe to be one of the greatest benefits of Naturism: The
positive effect it has on the mental and physical health of our
children. For almost 20 years I took groups of children to a beautiful
nudist center in Istria, Croatia, on the Adriatic. These children,
even the so- called "difficult" ones, were a joy to be with. Despite
an occasional sunburn, the general health of these children and,
especially, their later attitudes toward the bodies of both men and
women were markedly improved. Today many go to the camp with their own
children.
Short Reading About Nudist Culture
Discovery
Basically, nudists consider nudity to be
normal, acceptable, and good, and believe it should not be equated with sex.
According to that thinking, I was basically a nudist, but at that particular
time, I was still unwilling to admit it.
Even though it brought me great encouragement
to know that there were others who believed as I did, even other Christians, I
was still not sure if it was pleasing to God or not. I was still asking, "Is it
really right or is it wrong?" "Is the Lord God pleased with such
activity?" I didn't know what I should believe, and on a few occasions had
prayed that God would reveal the truth.
I believe God answers prayer, and know that
God's Word provides answers, but ironically, I never did a study of nudity from
the Bible - mostly because I was afraid of what I would find. It wasn't until I
got hungry for God, wanting to subject every area of my life to His Word, that I
decided to do a serious Bible study on it. I thought for sure I'd find I was
wrong or maybe perverted, but I didn't care, my objective was to do what was
right.
Now I knew of no teachings on nudity (or
nudism) and did not feel comfortable discussing my experiences or beliefs on the
subject with anyone else, feeling they would not understand. So my study
involved lots of prayer, and reliance on God's Holy Spirit. "If anyone lacks
wisdom, he should ask God..." (James 1:5) and "...the Holy
Spirit... ...will teach you all things..." (John 14:26) See also 1
John 2:20, 27 and 5:20.
After a few months of study, and lots of
prayer, to my surprise, I began to discover that I was actually right, and that
it was "the world" that has perverted ideas about the nude human form - God's
"good" creation.
Deeper study
Though, by that time, most of the scriptures
made sense to me, there were still a few scriptures that troubled me. Since I
had also been reading a Prodigy BBS on naturism (nudism), I decided to post a
message there to Christian nudists, hoping they could help me with these verses.
There were many replies, and though one or two of them were people wanting help
themselves, all the rest were tremendously encouraging.
Though people who wear clothes have no special
name for themselves, and I am not fond of having to classify myself as a nudist,
the fact is, I have found it to be the closest thing to which I can relate my
beliefs, and convictions.
For me, I am happy being nude or clothed, and
after two years of prayer and study of God's Word, I have found nudism to be a
way to live out the reconciliation of my beliefs, and convictions about
chaste nudity with the truth in God's Word. In the process, I discovered that
"clothing optional" living is not about "getting naked," or even about sex, but
is about...
- ...living free from unnecessary body shame.
- ...living free from fear over undue
condemnation (because everyone else wants to condemn all forms of nudity).
- ...accepting yourself and others completely,
and unashamedly, based on internal character, and not outward appearance.
- ...being more open, honest and truthful,
recognizing that these things require true humility.
- ...recognizing that nudity and sex do not
have to be related; people are not "sex-object" and neither are their parts.
- ...recognizing that nudity does not have to
be shameful, and people do not have to be offended by it.
Furthermore, the "clothing optional" attitude
allows me to be more practical, comfortable, and healthy by allowing me to adapt
to each situation without worry or fear, and by allowing my body to function
more closely to the way it was designed to work. God designed the human form to
be nude, and through nudism, I have discovered that my whole being benefits the
most from being nude often.
Though most people do not have a correct view
of themselves and others, especially regarding nudity, the Bible makes it clear
that we are to "renew" our minds to be Christ-like in our attitude. The Bible
says that those who live for Him live like Him, for they "have the mind of
Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:16 So far as clothing goes, Christ Himself said, "Why
do you worry about clothes? Do not worship them, worship God!" Matthew 6:25,
Luke 12:22
"Do not let anyone take you captive through
hollow and deceptive philosophy, which DEPENDS ON HUMAN TRADITION AND THE BASIC
PRINCIPLES OF THIS WORLD rather than ON CHRIST. ...Such regulations indeed have
the appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility
and their harsh treatment of the body, but they LACK ANY VALUE in restraining
sensual indulgence." Colossians 2:8, 23
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