Thankfully, he recognizes that the cultural regulations from the Old Testament do not follow into the New. He has an accurate grasp on the fact that Jesus never did away with any morality laws but only made them stricter (e.g., it was said to not commit adultery, but I tell you that to even look at a woman with lust is a sin . . . ). Trying to convince him that nudity laws are done away with like dietary laws and such would be a bad way to go because he knows that morality is not relative. In other words, he doesn't feel like every single thing that was ever written in the Old Testament is something we need to follow today . . . but he does realize that sexual immorality is still as wrong now as it was then. The issue is to show him that non-sexual nudity is not immoral, and the only way he will accept that is to show him that it was not even immoral back then.
He was thinking of the Matthew 18 premise of bringing someone along to talk to a brother who is in sin. It was actually pretty respectful of him to contact someone who was a pastor and friend. I had often mentioned him, and I even had given him his number a few months ago about a ministry issue--so it was not really as "behind my back" as it may have seemed. A better way to view it was that he was contacting a mediator I would trust.
Ask him to prove his case. Make it a "Change My Mind" type of thing.
Greg is absolutely right here. The rule is: The person making the claim has the burden of proof. You do not have to prove anything. The burden is on him. If he makes an unconvincing case, you just say, Sorry, thats just not at all convincing I too have investigated this, and am convinced that nudity iteself is no sin. But the burden never was on me to prove that to you.
just food for thought...
American Association for Nude Recreation, an organization with deep Christian roots. AANR, once named the American Sunbathing Association, and the American League for Physical Culture before that, was led by Ilsley Boone in the 1930s. Boone was a Dutch Reformed minister and a driving force behind popularizing Christian naturism in the U.S., where he preached a religiously enriching nudism.
A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still... Or so said one of my teachers at school many years ago now.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.
Maybe this is what you need:The Problem of Figleaves
It is very long, but that is because it is thorough and is quite the best argument I have ever seen for Christians not just tolerating simple, non-sexual nudism, but possibly even encouraging it. Do read it ALL, I have and it's well worth it.
Remember, when the Puritans sailed to America, they were not fleeing persecution - they were intending to persecute and Americans have been paying the price for that ever since.
Anyone who goes behind your back to discuss your beliefs and spiritual wellness is not to be trusted. Conversation with you and a respectful exchange of views is as far as things should go. No matter how advanced he is in theology studies, he overlooks some fundamental Christian tea chings: Adam and Eve were created naked in the garden and only clothed themselves out of shame. As well, Christ said, "Judge not lest ye be judged." Lastly, anyone who believes that an Obstetrician delivering a baby is potentially sinful is, in my view, a twisted, uninformed, and idiotic individual. Oh, lest I forget, toxic too.
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