Christian naturists are Christians who practice naturism or nudism, and are a part of the clothes-free movement. They can be found in almost all branches and denominations of Christianity, and find no conflict between the teachings of the Bible and living their lives and worshiping God without any clothing. Rules of conduct are similar to those of family-oriented naturist resorts.
Most Christian naturists disagree with New Age and humanist philosophy which sometimes occur within other branches of naturism, and totally reject nature worship of any sort. Organized Christian naturism is known to exist in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and Brazil mainly as a parachurch.
Although there is some variation in their overall Christian beliefs and worship, a common theme is that much of Christianity has misinterpreted the events regarding the Garden of Eden (particularly, the aftermath of the fall of mankind). God could clearly see the sin that Adam and Eve had committed by eating the forbidden fruit. For this reason alone, the couple was ashamed, and tried to hide this sin by covering their bodies with fig leaves. Adam and Eve were not motivated to dress by being able to see one another nude. When God subsequently clothed them with animal skins, He made no mandate for humans to be dressed in public, but left a reminder of the severe nature of sin requiring a blood sacrifice.
Foundation
Summary of general beliefs
- Social nudity and Christianity have been practiced together by singles and families for as long as Christianity has been in existence. Being nude is a wholesome way of life, and acceptable state of dress which was never condemned by God in the Bible.
- Much of the origin of repressive attitudes toward nudity is traced to the political setting of the early church and church-state, and not the teachings of Christ Himself. Modern decency laws forbidding nudity are more relevant to the Victorian era than the Biblical era. Today, the world is far more clothed than at any time in human history. Virtually all peoples who lived nude a century ago, no longer do so, and most instances of being nude in public places (swimming, bathing, etc.) no longer exist.
- In previous centuries, racism and anti-nudity attitudes were often linked closely together, as many people of European descent wanted nothing to do with the "naked savages of the jungle." Those living nude with darker skin were thought to be a separate creation deemed unworthy of salvation. Clothing and skin color became all-important factors in judging a person's wealth and social status, often in a prideful manner. Though much has since changed (racial integration, multiculturalism, etc.), many Christians still refuse to accept any lifestyle involving nudity.
- Although "openness" and "loving people for who they are" are common concepts throughout Christianity, they are especially emphasized in Christian Naturism though "body acceptance." Having a perfect body as the world sees fit is totally unimportant for both males and females of all ages.
- Assuming no intrinsic need (climate, etc.), rather than preventing sin, clothing is worn due to one's own insecurity, pride, feelings of guilt, shame, lack of trust, worthlessness, need to hide, fear of rejection, and of others taking advantage. The amount of clothing that society dictates we should wear has changed substantially from one era to the next. Christians who cannot comprehend nudity without sexuality may have been deprived of any opportunity to do so in their upbringing.
- The human body was God's final and greatest earthly creation. Requiring the body to be covered rivals the legalism of the Pharisees. Many people have been deceived into thinking that their clothing keeps them from sin, when in fact, the opposite is true.
- Although the word "naturism" may in some contexts refer to nature worship, Christian naturists reject this as idolatry, which is forbidden per the Ten Commandments and elsewhere in the Bible. It is the creat or , not the creat ion , that should be worshiped. Also, it is too late to be concerned about the semantics of the word "naturism;" other Christian terms such as "Easter" have a non-Christian origin.
- Nudity and sexuality do not go hand-in-hand, and any inappropriate sexual conduct is against God's word. In the Bible, only those who committed lustful actions got themselves into trouble—never those who were merely nude. The belief that we must wear clothing in public to prevent others from lusting is not rooted in Christianity, but rather Islam.
- Sexual decadence such as pornography addiction and pedophilia (paedophilia) is the direct result of a lack of exposure to nudity in childhood (particularly of the same approximate age). This is most likely to occur when combined with other factors such as extreme parental attitudes (e.g. body shame) and social isolation. Christian naturists strongly encourage fellowship with other believers, and abhor body shame. Those who were raised their entire lives within Christian naturism should not have any temptation to engage in such behaviors.
- "Instead of allowing pornographers to define the body for us, and then create a virtue of modesty to fit that false definition, Christians should assert God's definition as found in Scripture and Church Tradition." While their response is the opposite, both the clothed Christian Church and pornographers have a similar, if not the same, definition of the human body.
- A child's innocence is lost when a non-naturist parent says to them, in effect, " You are too old to be seen nude in public. " This amounts to passing on to the next generation the same lie which the devil told Adam and Eve.
If parents forbid children to ever be seen nude outside of their own family, generally such a prohibition begins within the months or years leading up to the age of reason. The exact age and circumstances may vary by denomination and culture. Quite the opposite of what Christian naturists believe, non-naturists (whether Christian or not), may feel that if children were to see others nude and be seen nude themselves, that is precisely what would cost them their innocence. See also the article: Nudity and children.
The Garden of Eden
Christian naturists view the story of the Garden of Eden as a model for their beliefs. When Adam and Eve were created and placed in the garden as a couple by God, they were both naked and "felt no shame". (Genesis 2:25) They see Adam and Eve being in the blameless state that God had intended them to be. God knew that they were naked, as this was how He had created them.
Even before Eve's creation, God had warned Adam "...but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:17) Despite God's warning, first Eve, then Adam, eat the forbidden fruit after being persuaded by the devil in the form of a serpent. (Genesis 3:1-6) Upon doing so, they immediately realize that they are naked, and sew fig leaves together as coverings.
Shortly thereafter, Adam and Eve hear God walking in the garden, which results with them hiding among the trees. God queries Adam, " Where are you? " In spite of the fig leaves, Adam replies that he is afraid because of his nakedness. God further asks Adam, " Who told you that you were naked? " Only God, Adam, Eve, and the devil are a party to this matter, as there are no other humans on the planet at this time. Therefore, Christian naturists believe it was the devil who told Adam and Eve that they were naked. Their shame was not of God; nor would the fig leaves cover this shame, regardless of their genitals being covered. God was displeased not only by their disobedience of eating the forbidden fruit, but also with Adam and Eve's subsequent attempt to cover up their bodies. This question was given priority by God who asked it first, before any discussion regarding the fruit. At no time were Adam and Eve commended for their self-discovery of being able to hide their nude bodies with fig leaves.
Christian naturists maintain the fig leaves were worn in an attempt to hide what the couple had done from God - not each other, noting they were married. The devil had chosen the sexual organs as the area of shame because, unlike God, he has no ability to create life. As the next chapter begins with Adam and Eve engaging in sexual relations, they conclude they would have seen each other naked subsequent to the fall of mankind. Having thus sinned, and no longer living nude by their own accord, God expels them from the Garden of Eden. He also made garments from animal skins to replace the fig leaves.
Christian naturists note there is no command in the Adam and Eve story, or elsewhere in the Bible, to wear clothing. The making of garments by God was an act of love to protect them from the harsher elements outside of the garden, to which they are being banished. As Genesis 2:25 shows, there was no reason why Adam and Eve should be ashamed of their bodies; only of their sin. The use of animal skins implied that sin requires a blood sacrifice. As Jesus Christ is the blood sacrifice of Christians under the New Testament, there is no need to wear clothes to cover sin. Howev
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