I think on-stage nudity is disgusting, shameful and damaging to all
things American. But if I were 22 with a great body, it would be
artistic, tasteful, patriotic and a progressive religious experience.
--Shelley Winters
Who starts a
naturist club?
While naturist clubs have sprung from
a wonderful variety of beginnings, and many have not survived, the
surest start is with a small and dedicated group. And this approach
holds true whether the club is to be a co-operative or an ownership
venture.
But then, who starts this group? That
is where you need a few dedicated naturists, ones who feel sure that ,
if there is ever to be a club in their locality, it is up to them to
get it started. These are the ones that are thoroughly convinced that
naturism is an important part of their lives – a lifestyle that is
well worth whatever sacrifice and effort is necessary to live it as
fully as possible. Others will then become interested when it becomes
apparent that something is really going to happen. A group of a dozen,
more or less, would be about the best number for a start. You will
certainly need ability to share and, as well, possess among you some
talents for organizing, writing, keeping records and, above all, a
good measure of common sense. You will also need to be able to accept
that, as your group develops, there will come others who will build on
your efforts and in time assume leadership roles.
Founding members will therefore need
some time together to get to know each other, to assess talents and
resources and to find out who are the leaders and who prefer to be
supporters. And just who will be your leaders? They will be the ones
who readily assume responsibility, who will find the needed
information and are prepared to act on it. They too will be the ones
who will draw others into discussions and activities, and as well make
sure that they also have their share of fellowship and fun.
But to avoid domination by a few
strong individuals through this process, your group should utilize a
"round table" discussion format at which each person is in an equal
position to comment on any topic. This is a very successful
arrangement for group participation, especially for integrating new or
not so outspoken members. And only when general consensus on any issue
is not apparent, should a vote be taken.
You will certainly need some persons
who are willing and feel quite comfortable to go fully public with
their support of
the naturist lifestyle. This may not
be possible for all members, even of a founding group – some are bound
to have certain limitations. Nor can there be any resentments within
the group over this matter. It's like working on a high building –
some enjoy the heights and its challenges, others do great work in
laying the foundations.
Very important too, for your naturist
group to prosper, there must be a prominent and integral proportion of
females, especially in leadership roles. Not only does an equal
balance of men and women present your most publicly acceptable
appearance, it offers by far the best prospects for good and balanced
judgements within your group. Equally important, especially for a
founding group, is real experience in social nudism. Preferably this
should be some time spent in naturist resorts, a vacation or two at
least. The more clubs, resorts and nude beaches you have visited, the
better you will be equipped to decide what will be the most suitable
prospect for your group and your locality.
Out of all this must come an
indication of what type and size of club should be your ultimate aim.
Certainly this training period in simple democracy is much needed
before engaging in the stress of making this choice and then going on
to the more demanding matters of developing and maintaining the club
operations in an orderly and financially competent manner.
The experience of the past decade has
shown that the most readily accomplished form of organization is a
travel club. This is also by far the simplest and least costly form
and requires no assets other than the group's personal talents.
Financial costs are usually limited to a petty cash fund to cover
costs of mailing and reservation charges for use of commercial
facilities. All other costs are covered by the membership on pay as
you go charges for each activity. Of the five latest groups to form in
Ontario, three have been travel clubs and, although a new phenomena to
this region, they have been instantly successful and are enjoying
rapid growth.
Then, as any travel club grows and
matures, it has established a solid membership base which is vital if
the ultimate wish is to find land and develop and maintain permanent
club facilities.
While operating a co-operative club
demands more personal and financial commitment from its membership,
there is no problem of owner succession or unwelcome changes in its
naturist concepts or business operations. And nothing more brings a
membership together in good fellowship than the necessary working and
sharing for the common good of the club.
For an ownership club, the time spent
as part of a group will be most useful to the prospective owner in
assessing the group's commitment to becoming a stable supporting
membership and its potential for future growth. It will be the owner's
most important market survey to evaluated whether all the necessary
investment and work will be worthwhile. And it will provide him/her
with valuable training cooperating with a group and understanding
their interests.
Even if the owner should consider
developing a club as something of personal activity/hobby of sorts, it
still must be financially stable. Continued financial losses will
surely lead to early discouragement for even the most dedicated and
enthusiastic naturist. Equally important, potential owners should
realize that operating a naturist park will never be a high profit
venture at the best of times. Their efforts should, of course, be
adequately rewarded, but the simplicity of naturist recreation leaves
little scope for high profits.
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
|
