Truth to tell, we have some serious problems with most of the assertions you’ve made. Our objections to nudism are biblical and theological as well as practical. It’s easy to say that “nudism isn’t a sexual thing” and that “healthy” participation in nudist practices helps people break the association between nudity and sex. That doesn’t change the fact that, for most of us, that association is ingrained and natural. This is just one of several reasons we’d advise you to discontinue your association with the nudist group you mentioned. Proponents of the kind of nudism you’re describing – sponsors of nude beaches or nudist camps – like to talk as if it’s always surrounded by an aura of platonic non-sensuality. This doesn’t match up with what the Bible has to say. Scripture teaches that man and woman were created innocent as well as naked. Unfortunately, they lost their innocence when they fell into sin. This means that the motive behind nudism as you’ve represented it – that is, to get back to nature – is simply naïve. It’s a goal that cannot be attained as long as we live in these fallen bodies in this present fallen world. It’s also overly simplistic to say that “it wasn’t until Satan came along that man started wearing clothes.” There’s a sense in which this is absolutely true. But it’s crucial to remember that the clothes themselves were not devised by Satan but by God. They were designed to serve as an expression of His love and a sign of His protection and grace: “Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin and clothed them ” (Genesis 3:21). We find this image of clothing as a symbol of God’s mercy and redemption throughout the Old and New Testaments. See, for example, Psalm 45:13, 14 and Revelation 19:8. On the other hand, from Genesis 3 onward Scripture seems to make it clear that, except in the case of sexual activity, it’s a shameful thing to “uncover one’s nakedness” (Genesis 9:20-27; Leviticus 18:6-18). Indeed, the reasoning here seems to be that nakedness is inextricably connected with sexual activity. This is exactly how the Jewish people have viewed public nudity throughout their long history. If you’d like to discuss this subject at greater length, call us. Focus on the Family has a staff of pastoral counselors who would love to speak with you over the phone. Resources The Faith: What Christians Believe, Why They Believe It, and Why It Matters Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know Mere Christianity Basic Christianity What Every Christian Ought to Know Day by Day: Essential Truths for Growing Your Faith What the Bible Teaches: The Truths of the Bible Made Plain, Simple, and Understandable The Bible Answer Book Referrals Insight for Living LeeStrobel.com Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1. (n.) The condition of being naked. 2. (n.) The privy parts; the genitals. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia NAKED; NAKEDNESS na'-ked, na'-ked-nes: "Naked" in the Old Testament represents various derivatives of `ur and `arah chiefly, `arom (adj.) and `erwah (noun); in the New Testament the adjective is gumnos, the noun gumnotes, with verb gumneteuo, in 1 Corinthians 4:11. In Exodus 32:25 2 Chronicles 28:19, the King James Version adds para`, "break loose," "cast away restraint." Both the Greek and Hebrew forms mean "without clothing," but in both languages they, are used frequently in the sense of "lightly clad" or, simply, "without an outer garment." So, probably, is the meaning in John 21:7 -Peter was wearing only the chiton (see DRESS); and so perhaps in Mark 14:51, 52 and Micah 1:8. In Isaiah 20:2-4, however, the meaning is literally (for the "three years" of Isaiah 20:3 see the commentaries). So in Genesis 2:25; Genesis 3:7, where the act of sin is immediately followed by the sense of shame (see Delitzsch, Biblical Psychology, and Gunkel, at the place). A very common use of "naked" is also "without proper clothing" (Job 22:6 1 Corinthians 4:11, etc.), whence, of course, the expression "clothe naked." "Nakedness," in addition, is used as an euphemism in 1 Samuel 20:30. A slightly different euphemistic usage is that of Leviticus 18:19, which in Ezekiel 16:36, 37 is played off against the literal sense (compare Ezekiel 22:10; Ezekiel 23:18, 29). The point of Genesis 9:22, 23 is a little hard to grasp, but apparently there is here again an euphemism-this time for a particularly horrible act (see the commentaries and compare Habakkuk 2:15). Possibly some of these euphemisms are due to the Massoretes (see TEXT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT). The Jews objected vigorously to exposure of the body (even athletes insisting on a loin-cloth (compare 2 Maccabees 4:12, 13)), and compulsory nudity was the extreme of shame and humiliation (Isaiah 20:2-4 Lamentations 1:8 Hosea 2:3 Nahum 3:5, etc.). The relation of this attitude to Israel's high sexual morality needs no explanation. Buroton Scott Easton Greek 1132. gumnotes -- nakedness 808. aschemosune -- unseemliness Strong's Hebrew 4589. maor -- nakedness, pudendum 6172. ervah --
nakedness 5903. erom -- naked, nakedness 6181. eryah -- nakedness 4626. maar -- a bare or naked place 1320. basar -- flesh 2817. Chasupha
-- an Israelite 6188. aral -- to count as foreskin (as uncircumcised) 6173. arvah -- dishonor Library Of the Nakedness of Our First Parents, which they Saw after their ... The Shame of Nakedness. Of the Essential Meeting with God Without Means in the Nakedness ... The New-Birth What was Prophetically Prefigured in the Sons of Noah. Epistle Lxiv. To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli . How St. Augustine, Being Made a Bishop, Sent to Acquaint Pope ...
Letter xiv. Dress.
Chapter xlii Of the Manifold Abuse of Speech. Thesaurus Nakedness (50 Occurrences) Dishonor (47 Occurrences) Uncover (35 Occurrences) Son's (34 Occurrences) Dishonored (17 Occurrences) Relations (92
Occurrences) Daughter's (6 Occurrences) Relative (33 Occurrences) Marries (20 Occurrences) Shameful (27
Occurrences) Resources What does it mean to uncover nakedness in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Why did Noah curse Ham / Canaan? | GotQuestions.org Can a Christian be a nudist? What does the Bible say about nudity? | GotQuestions.org Nakedness: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Nakedness (50 Occurrences) Romans 8:35 1 Corinthians 4:11 2 Corinthians 11:27 Revelation 3:18 Genesis 9:22 Genesis 9:23 Genesis
42:9 Genesis 42:12 Exodus 20:26 Exodus 28:42 Leviticus 18:6 Leviticus 18:7 Leviticus 18:8 Leviticus
18:9 Leviticus 18:10 Leviticus 18:11 Leviticus 18:12 Leviticus 18:13 Leviticus 18:14 Leviticus 18:15 Leviticus 18:16 Leviticus 18:17 Leviticus 18:18 Leviticus 18:19 Leviticus 20:11 Leviticus 20:17 Leviticus 20:18 Leviticus 20:19 Leviticus 20:20 Leviticus 20:21 Deuteronomy 23:14 Deuteronomy 24:1 Deuteronomy 28:48 1 Samuel 20:30 Ezra 4:14 Isaiah
47:3 Isaiah 57:8 Lamentations 1:8 Ezekiel 16:8 Ezekiel 16:36 Ezekiel 16:37 Ezekiel 22:10 Ezekiel 23:10 Ezekiel 23:18 Ezekiel 23:29 Hosea 2:9 Micah 1:11 Nahum 3:5 Habakkuk 2:15 Habakkuk 2:16 Subtopics Nakedness Related Terms Dishonor (47 Occurrences) Uncover (35 Occurrences) Son's (34 Occurrences) Dishonored (17 Occurrences) Relations (92 Occurrences) Daughter's (6 Occurrences) Relative (33 Occurrences) Marries (20 Occurrences) Shameful (27 Occurrences) Sexual (59 Occurrences) Mother's (102 Occurrences) Exposed (39 Occurrences) Uncovered (78 Occurrences) Discovered (46 Occurrences) Sister (113 Occurrences) Naked (56 Occurrences) Sister's (7 Occurrences) Approach (56 Occurrences) Shem (17 Occurrences) Whoredoms (34 Occurrences) Impurity (42 Occurrences) Theirs (96 Occurrences) Responsible (242 Occurrences) Lieth (135 Occurrences) Prostitution (48 Occurrences) Backward (39 Occurrences) Relatives (132 Occurrences) Bears (62 Occurrences) Discover (28 Occurrences) Cover (254 Occurrences) Iniquity (299 Occurrences) Lovers (57 Occurrences) Either (152 Occurrences) Brother's (46 Occurrences) Lewdness (68 Occurrences) Lies (208 Occurrences) Beareth (108 Occurrences) Kin (18 Occurrences) Kinswomen (1 Occurrence) Kinswoman (4 Occurrences) Undefended (2 Occurrences) Upper (99 Occurrences) Loathed (13 Occurrences) Weakness (25 Occurrences) Wife's (21 Occurrences) Faces (158 Occurrences) Fornications (14 Occurrences) Expose (12 Occurrences) Daughter-in-law (16 Occurrences) Disclosed (18 Occurrences) Menstrual (9 Occurrences) Promiscuity (6 Occurrences) Backwards (3 Occurrences) Childless (25 Occurrences) Assembling (11 Occurrences) Aunt (3 Occurrences) Shoulders (38 Occurrences) Sleeps (20 Occurrences) Disgrace (73 Occurrences) Thirst (40 Occurrences) Father's (251 Occurrences) Impure (28 Occurrences) Japheth (12 Occurrences) Shoulder (72 Occurrences) Sees (135 Occurrences) Daughter (320 Occurrences) Walked (178 Occurrences) Strip (33 Occurrences) Covered (325 Occurrences) Draw (212 Occurrences) Garment (143 Occurrences) Wicked (476 Occurrences) Shame (412 Occurrences) Taketh (398 Occurrences) During (182 Occurrences) Across (172 Occurrences) Guilt (180 Occurrences) Bare (250 Occurrences) Wickedness (232 Occurrences) |