C-A-N-R = Christian Association For
Christian nudist/naturists who enjoy nude recreation, and who keep Jesus Christ first and foremost in their lives whether nude or clothed. As we know statistically more that 60 % of nudists claim to be Christian, actually here at TN the % rate shows higher.
- created by Former User
Dealing with Anti-Nudist Christians
Return to DiscussionsMy roommate takes the Bible very literally. About 10 years ago, I had been active in visiting a nudist resort. I told him about it. However, I had stopped being involved because I worked at a Christian University that would NOT have accepted it, and I didn't want to risk getting fired. Well, I no longer work there, so I have thought about going to the resort again. I made a very small comment to my roommate that I was thinking about visiting the resort again. Well, he called my best friend (a pastor in another state) to talk to him about a Matthew 18 situation. My friend actually supports my going, so he told him that this is not a confrontation issue--it is a conversation issue. So, my roommate told me that he had contacted him and that he is VERY concerned about my soul because this lifestyle falls under the category of sexual immorality that the Bible says can keep someone from entering the Kingdom of God. He said it is not as bad as pornography or fornication or adultery or any of those . . . but it is still over the line. He said he is open to reading any literature I want to give him, but he has done his own extensive study of nakedness in the Bible and concluded that it is always sin except for a married husband and wife. (He even thinks that a male doctor seeing a woman while she is giving birth may be sin). I told him that his preconceived perspective significantly affected how he interpreted scripture, but I don't know that it did any good. He says he is "totally open" to being convinced otherwise, but I am not at all sure that is true. He has spent years learning Greek and Hebrew and doing in-depth studies, so it would take a pretty hefty scholar to write something that could convince him; no simply description would do. I am just feeling a bit discouraged.
There is a big difference between nudity and sex.
Isaiah 20:2-3 even says good instructed someone to go naked. Its not sexual.
2 during that time the Lord had spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, Go, take off your sackcloth[a] and remove the sandals from your feet, and he did so, going naked and barefoot 3 the Lord said, As My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years
My roommate takes the Bible very literally.
It is amazing the number of fundamentalist, new age, pentecostal, Charismatic, evangelical and other Christian type religions all all profess to be the "True Christian faith". Few actually have and take Jesus's teaching and help the poor, sick and aged. Some even go so far as to be more interested in money, than have integrity or morals. The 'prosperity' religions are a gross insult to ALL of Christs teaching.
Few actually read the Bible. They pick and choose to meet their beliefs.
Yes, I know a few beautiful Christian people. I know a lot more beautiful non believers and sadly I know far too many hypocrites.
Everyone to their own. As a few other contributors have said, God through the Bible has never said that Nudism is a sin. In fact the Pope has said the same.
It is best to remove yourself from these negative cult type people.
Christiansfor the first five centuries, at least, baptised people naked ( who dresses to take a bath?). In fact, in the Church of Rome, cAD200, the liturgy required the priest to be likewise (Apostolic Canons of Hypolitus). Nudity, per se, was not considered wrong in the early church, generally. Still isnt by most norther European. Hristians cf sauna.
Not sure who said it first... "Arguing with a Christian is like playing chess with a pigeon. You could be the greatest player in the world, but the pigeon will still knock over all the pieces, shit on the board and strut around triumphantly."
Ranger ~ From what you say, your friend has concern for you in the spiritual realm but doesn't understand nudism. Maybe it is time to bring him to a nude resort -- though I doubt he will go, fearing his own loss of Heaven if he makes the trip. Have him walk a mile in your shoes - or in this instance out of your shoes - let him learn the freedom and beauty and wholesomeness of being better-connected to the Universe, and possibly he will see the truth, that God gives us clothes to stay warm when we need to, or out of the elements when it is too sunny or raining. There is no good reason for a person living in Christ's shadow to wear clothes and live in a clothed world unless they have no control over themselves. I think it is mostly due to temptation that clothes have taken over most of the world, that the animal in us takes over when we see someone who has a body we find desirable. Nudism brings us all closer to God, clothes push us away from the inherent beauty in all of God's creations.
One important word of caution ~ oh my goodness be careful what nudist resort you bring him to (yeah, I know he isn't going to go anyway - please bare with me :) ). If you want him to understand what drives you to go nude, stay far, far away from the resorts that cater to adults only, where he'll likely witness Sodom and Gomorrah gone wild. To deny that there is an undercurrent of sexuality in some nudist places is ridiculous. That kind of place is why so many in the clothed world see all nudism and nudists as immorality on display, happily following their genitals around like a tiger on a leash and the leash is fraying. Why can't we ever seem to stop our clothed friends from calling our resorts 'colonies'?? It's because of places like adult nude resorts where sex is the main reason for being there.
I don't think you're going to make much headway with him if you go the scholarly direction since it sounds as if his deep studies in language and biblical writings have ingrained him in the textile world too deeply. Trying to quote scripture to him that supports naturism (and it's in there) can always be countered by some other part of the Bible he'll quote back to you that may or may not pertain to what you're offering. I'm looking at my partner's Bible right now, sitting next to my bare ass on the couch (her Bible is here, not her sweet ass), and with almost nine hundred pages to read from, there's always more to quote. The Bible is a very big place and includes writings from who knows how many people interpreting their God's words, and as such is replete with contradictions. You could go around and around in there for hours with your friend about Noah's drunken nudity and John the Baptist's attire in the river Jordan. But that only plays into his thinking instead of opening his mind to other possibilities.
He is presumably hoping to drag you away from the 'precipice of debauchery' that is nudism because he cares about you, but he doesn't have a clue about what you've learned from being nude. If he wants to get out of his comfort zone (and I'll wager he won't go for it), he needs to leave behind the books and the cloth and experience the wonderful world his God made in all its glory, without hiding His most beautiful creation, the human body, behind textiles.
Those here who are suggesting you simply kick this guy to the curb aren't being helpful. Sure, the world has a billion people you can be friends with, so why bother trying to convince anyone so stuck in a biblical rut the benefits of being nude? It is easy to see that you care for this person and your own soul. You are asking us how to bring someone you love and who loves you the understanding of why God isn't against nudism.
I'm not really into Christianity. I'm what's called an evolutionist, though that might be hard to believe when you read what I'm writing. I go to one of only nine nudist churches in America and so far the lightning bolts haven't hit the steeple during a sermon I'm attending. Even without much religion in me, I almost always find something in the sermon to bring away that supports my spiritual growth. Our congregation is small but it is the backbone of our bare community, and I enjoy the fact that we support each other and many others around this area, even outside the gates of our buck naked resort. There is room in this splendid Universe for nude religion. I wish you the best of luck with your friend.