I guess I have become a mini-sensation about nudity from a theological point of view. I am not really a nudist or naturist but I have written pretty extensively on the subject. I originally got going on this whole thing when a friend asked me a practical ministry question about his college age daughter going on spring break to Jamaica where the plan was for her and her friends to go topless. My friend wanted to know what the Biblical argument was against this. That question has lead me down an interesting path. First, it lead me trying to define the issue in a series called Nudity, Modesty and Culture. After that, I decided to look at the issue more closely and actually go through the entire Bible to find everything that could be found on the subject and then draw some conclusions in a series called The Bible and Nakedness. More recently, I am currently engaged in a series called Naked Before God where I am dwelling on the idea of nudity as a spiritual discipline. The sub pages of this one all will lead you to every post in these three series.
All Things Rabyd
A blog dedicated to the thoughts, opinions, ideas and random madness of Edward W. Raby, Sr. – Pastor, Theologian, Philosopher, Writer, Bodybuilder and Football Fan. "Yes, the dog is foaming at the mouth. Don't worry, He just had pint of beer and is trying to scare you." This is a Theology Pub so drink your theology responsibly or have a designated driver to get you home as theology can be as intoxicating as alcohol.
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Thanks for your endeavor. One minor correction the term is naturist.
I think my spell check changed it and I didn’t notice. Thanks.
There is nothing wrong going topless on a beach or going to a clothing optional beach, from the stand point of what the Bible does say about nudity and the human body. Nudity is a gift from God.If everybody is nude an a beach, that is a leveling experience. For the first timer, it takes a few minutes of shock to get over it and then cross into the freedom of being naked in non-sexual ways with others. It has been 40 years since I have been to nude beach. It was a very liberating experience.
Thanks for the testimony. I have said a lot about this leveling out of people when everyone is naked before, but I imagine that it is quite true. You really can’t tell the difference from a king and beggar when they are both naked.
I went to the gym,and I can be naked there in the men’s locker room and men’s sauna. There were about a dozen guys today, and we just all got undressed and showered and then put on our suits and swam or went to the sauna. There was nothing shocking about any of this. I was in the sauna about 10 minutes, 2 different times. I just laid the towels on the wood and laid down and rested in the heat. No big deal. Now, in America, this would be a big deal, if the lockerooms and saunas were coed and clothing optional. Our culture is so sex obsessed that to see a person of the opposite gender means an invitation to sex, or at least lust. It should not be that way, but that is how it is,. In Europe , it is much different. Spas, gyms, saunas and hot tubs are often clothing optional . but in some cases nudity (coed) in mandatory in the the saunas. German spas are like this, as well as other European countries. There is a lot of nudity on the beaches, and it is no big deal there. Here , it is such a bog deal, that we have to have naturist clubs and beaches. In my 20’s I did go to Black’s Beach in California a few times. I thought it would be super sexy. The first 15 minutes, my heart was pounding and then I saw dozens of people sunbathing nude, swimming nude, or playing volley ball nude. I admit I got sexually aroused for about 15 minutes, but then it hit me, nudity is not about sex. Nudity also does not cause lust. It is what we bring with our cultural training to the situation. Then I was fine and just saw nudity as just something natural and neutral.
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An update:
My wife and I just got bac!k from Germany, While there, we stayed at a hotel in Hamburg, which had a spa with required nudity. My wife did not go, but said she did not mind if I did. I went to the spa 3 days in a row for the therapy pool and hot tub, as my hips and legs were very sore from driving, The first day there were not many people there, but there were a handful of naked people swimming, sunning, doing the sauna or the hot tub. It was all so natural and there was nothing sexy about it. I saw men and women and families of all shapes and sizes. One couple had a young boy, and they were all naked together. In America, that family would wind up in a court room
My last day, I went to the spa, and had time for a 30 minute massage for my severe sciatic pain. I met the therapist. She told me to get undressed and lay on the table. She did not leave the room. I got undressed and laid on the table. I was not covered with a sheet, as most massages in Germany are undraped. She was excellent and efficient. Then I had to turn on my back so she could massage the front of my legs. I did as I was told, and she worked on the front of my legs. This was a little unnerving, I must admit. She completed the massage and told me to get dressed. I did as she stayed in the room to complete the paperwork. I did feel better.
Four days later, we were in Aachen. I went to the world famous Carolus Thermen Spa. It was much the same. They had an outdoor pool, where all were naked. While there I say all shapes and body types. Again, I saw nothing sinful about any of this. They had outdoor showers where all rinsed off. The saunas were the same, full of people sitting on their towels.
Theologically, the body is neutral. Adam and Eve were naked and that was good. That goodness was never revoked by the Fall. The aprons they were given by God had something to do as a reminder of sacrifice, and for protection as well. Europe missed the Victorian and Puritan eras which got shipped to the US and its churches. Because of this, I believe the Germans, French and other Europeans have a healthier view about nudity as being a natural and sinless display of ordinary life.
Here is America, social nudity is restricted to some beaches and spas and resorts. Anyway, these are just my thoughts based on my recent experiences.