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The International Naturist Federation defines naturism as:
WHAT IS NATURISM?
"Naturism is a way of life in harmony with nature characterised by the practice of communal nudity with the intention of encouraging self-respect, respect for others and for the environment".
A common concern with religious people about naturism is how it appears to conflict with modesty. Recently, the New Era did an issue about the body, and in the article, Let’s Have a Modest Conversation, there was a great quote:
Modesty isn’t only about what you wear; it’s also about having an attitude of humility and dignity. It’s about respect: respect for ourselves, for others, and for God.
The Naturist Living Show has an episode about Ethical Naturism. He talks about naturism as A philosophy and practice with physical, psychological, environmental, social, and moral benefits. A creed as to how you will live your life, whether you are clothed or not. He also talks about how the nudity isn't the end goal, but a tool to achieve the end goal, that of increasing respect for self, others and the environment.
I think LDS people could add to that definition, increasing respect and connection with God.
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Raising righteous children in a world full of corruption and evil cannot be accomplished by locking them away in a high tower like Rapunzel.
One of the scariest propositions we have to face as parents is our children encountering pornography and becoming corrupted by it.
The quarantine approach to preparing children to face a world full of pornography is a misguided approach that will lead to tragedy. An example of how this approach is misguided can be illustrated by the Native Americans being decimated by the diseases brought by the Europeans. As many as 90 percent of the native peoples of America died of diseases such as smallpox, influenza, measles, and even chicken pox because, unlike the Europeans, the native peoples had no resistance to these diseases. American Indians at European Contact
As Christians, we're taught to be in the world but not of the world. Raising our children away in a locked tower is not raising them in the world. It does not prepare them to meet the challenges and temptations that they will face as they sojourn in the world.
Read more: Preparing your children for a world of ubiquitous pornography
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What is Truth…and what does it have to do with wholesome family and social nudity?
By Michael S. Ai, Southern California
In the beginning, God said: “Let there be light.”
What is light?
All throughout the scriptures, we’re taught about light. Through diligent study we learn that “light is life” and “darkness is death.”
In D&C 50:23, 24, we read:
“And that which doth not edify is not of God and is darkness. That which is of God is light; he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.”
In John 1:5-7, we read:
“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk-in darkness, we lie, and do not truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
So, again, what is light?
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What’s the Truth regarding Adam and Eve’s nakedness in the Garden of Eden?
By Michael S. Ai, Southern California
The story of Adam and Eve is one of the primary arguments used by the proponents of the “nudity is evil” concept. Since it’s one of the first stories in scripture, I’ll examine this argument first.
As with all scripture, we have two interpretive paradigms: (1) literal interpretation, in which the words of the scripture are taken at their literal meaning; and (2) symbolic interpretation, in which the symbols of the scripture are examined for their representative meaning.
The symbolic interpretation, by its very nature, produces many levels of meaning depending on the interpreter’s ability to understand and readiness to accept the deeper truths. The deeper we go with symbolic interpretation, the closer we get to understanding the mysteries of godliness, or in other words, the knowledge of God.
This knowledge of God, which is required for our becoming gods, is buried deep in symbolism so that only those who truly desire to possess it can access it.
This is why God and Christ—The Master Teacher—chose to use symbolic teaching: The most precious of all understanding is hidden away from those who either don’t desire it or who are unready to understand and receive it. Additionally, symbolic teaching allows God to lead the humble and willing deeper and deeper to the priceless knowledge of God, as He teaches them line-upon-line.
Accordingly, doctrine can be either static or dynamic depending on our interpretive paradigm. If we choose to take a literal interpretation, doctrine becomes static, as the meaning of words rarely changes.
On the other hand, if we choose to take a symbolic interpretation, doctrine becomes dynamic, constantly changing as our ability to understand and willingness to accept Truth increases. But that’s another discussion for another time.
As there are two possible interpretations to the Adam and Eve story, and since the vast majority of people—especially the proponents of the “nudity is evil” concept—take a literal interpretation to scripture, I’ll examine whether the literal interpretation meets the Standard of Truth.
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What’s the Truth about Garments and Nudity?
By Michael S. Ai, Southern California
According to the literal interpretation of the Adam & Eve story, after Adam & Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden for partaking of the forbidden fruit, God gave them coats of skin “to cover their nakedness.”
We’re instructed that these coats of skin represented the “garment of the holy priesthood.” Those to whom the garment is given are instructed to wear it night and day throughout their lives.
Using a literal interpretation to the above, the following conclusions have been drawn:
Because God gave Adam and Eve coats of skin to cover their nakedness, nudity is against God’s will, making it evil.
The garment is to be worn at all times.
Do these conclusions meet the Standard of Truth?
Now, let’s evaluate these conclusions to see if they meet the Standard of Truth.
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What’s the Truth about the Sacredness of the Body and Nudity?
By Michael S. Ai, Southern California
“The body is sacred; therefore, cover it.”
This is probably the most common argument used by the “nudity is evil” proponents. This belief provides the reasoning for the rest of their arguments.
From this perspective, God gave Adam & Eve the coats of skins to cover their nakedness “because their bodies are sacred and should be covered.” The coats of skins represent the garment of the Holy Priesthood and should be worn at all times “because the body is sacred and should be covered.”
Interestingly, the reason for the “coats of skin” was never given, other than to “cover their nakedness.” On the other hand, when we take symbolic interpretation, we find that the reason is clearly given, and it has nothing to do with physical clothing or the body itself.
Now, the fascinating thing about this “cover the body because it’s sacred” argument is that it’s the argument that’s riddled with the most glaring inconsistencies and contradictions.
Let’s take a closer look to see why this concept couldn’t possibly meet the Standard of Truth.
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What’s the Truth About Nudity and Sexual Body Parts?
By Michael S. Ai, Southern California
The belief that “nudity equals sex” is one of the most dominant and emotionally-charged beliefs in our U.S. society.
It seems to be intertwined into so many areas of our lives that I don’t think we can afford to ignore it and just accept it without analysis. This belief has existed for centuries, dating back to the dark ages. And in some ways, it continues to gain strength in our society today, not throughout the world, but primarily in the U.S.
The “nudity equals sex” belief focuses on the idea that some body parts are sexual and should, therefore, be covered up in order to prevent sexual thought, or lust, in one’s self and/or in others.
This idea of covering the body is extremely emotional and powerful. (I have some ideas as to why this is so, which I’ll share in a minute).
What I find extremely interesting—and quite disturbing—is that all throughout the media, particularly on network TV, cable TV, reality TV, and the movies, we can see people having sex (or acting like they’re having sex, as in the case of movies and TV shows), but we don’t see the “sexual body parts.”
It’s as if seeing the “sexual body parts” is worse than seeing the actual sex.
So, seeing people having sex is okay, but seeing “sexual body parts” is not.
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Building on Common Ground
There are many reasons why I feel being a naturist is healthy, but I'd like to focus on just one area: male development. Although admittedly I have no formal education in the matter and my observations are based on personal experience, I feel somewhat qualified to speak on the subject, being a male myself.
I'd like to start by building on some common ground with which I feel everyone might agree, naturist or not, and it all starts with something every male knows and understands: Hormones.
Every young teenage boy must decide how he will respond to and deal with the raging river of hormones that begin to develop about age twelve or thirteen and are in full force by the time he is fifteen or sixteen.
Mormon boys are no different. I surely wasn't. Gratefully, I managed to stay a virgin until the night of my honeymoon. When I was in high school, however, there were some close calls that drove me to the Bishop's office a short time later. If I could go back I would erase those close calls from my history. They left me feeling miserable and also robbed innocence from the young females with whom they were committed. I wish they'd never happened.
From everything I hear and read, teenagers are becoming more and more promiscuous as time progresses. It's a battle we are losing, and I fear for my own children. My son is still very young, but his own days of raging hot hormones will come. It's inevitable.
Read more: Why I think nudity is healthy by Bryans_Saturdays
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Modesty
—Monday, June 21st, 1999
“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”
1 Peter 3:3,4
WHAT IS MODESTY?
When discussing social nudity with others, one of the most frequently voiced concerns is the importance of maintaining proper modesty. Given the traditional association of modesty with clothing, it would seem to invalidate the possibility of nudity ever being modest. Once modesty is more fully understood, however, it becomes easier to see how nudity fits well within the true spirit of modesty.
The Traditional Definition of Modesty
(Modesty as A Covering)
The traditional perception of modesty – by LDS members and the “moral majority” – is that modesty is about clothing. There is a general assumption that modesty may be achieved by covering certain parts of the body. The more the body that is covered, the more modest the clothing. Standards may vary from place to place and person to person as to how much needs to be covered, but the most common perception in regard to modesty follows this pattern.
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This is part one of an essay I wrote while pondering how to overcome the tide of lies being thrown at our children today. I'll post the rest of it later. Enjoy!
The war in heaven rages on today. And Lucifer is playing dirty.
When Lucifer and his followers were cast out of heaven, they didn’t simply accept defeat and go their way – they plotted revenge on Father and His faithful children, us. At this point, Satan knew he was forever damned, and that he would never enjoy the gift of a physical body and the joys of parenthood. More than anything, he despised his siblings that would now be given these things. For thousands of years, he perfected his craft of deception, preparing for the dispensation of the fullness of times, hoping to not only lead Father’s children into diverse sins but to plant seeds of enmity in their hearts towards their most precious gift of a physical body.
Read more: The War in Heaven Continues (Part 1) by RufioSummerlight
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One of Satan’s most pernicious lies that he has worked hard to embed in our society is that when a human body is exposed, it is all about sex. It is important for us as children of God to see past this deception and realize that our bodies are a precious gift, made for much more than sex. In order to understand modesty, we need to stop thinking about it as the amount of clothes you wear, and the amount of skin you show; instead we need to understand modesty as a principle of humility and meekness.
Read more: The War in Heaven Continues (Part 2) by RufioSummerlight
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The topic of the "Official Position" of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on non-sexual nudity has been discussed and debated by many both for and against naturism. Some have tried to draw some kind of inferences from one statement or another. However, to date, there is actually no official statement or stance by any church leaders on the matter, either for or against Naturism/Non-sexual nudity. While I have heard of at least one instance where someone caught a General Authority and asked a quick question on it only to get a quick conservative response on the matter. Most telling though is the story done by Channel 2 News (Utah TV station) several years ago on the topic; the reporter approached the church offices and asked directly about the matter only to be told there was no official position.
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I'm Mormon, Is Naturism/nudism ok for me?
- by MormonDad
While many have discussed the pros and cons of nudity and many here advocate for a more open society where nudity is accepted or how they wished they could be nude more often. Many have reluctant spouses who they wish were more accepting. We have even had some who have explored and even ultimately for one reason or other backed off from naturism/nudism. In this discussion, I will make no attempt to convince or disprove anyone from endorsing, accepting, adopting or rejecting the concept or practice of naturism/nudism. I only wish to discuss the process of coming to one's own decision and course. I will use my own experience to illustrate this, not saying in any manner that I did it right or am an example to follow.
In my personal journey into the world of naturism, I come from a background completely at odds with the notion of being nude outside of one’s own bedroom, bathroom or locker room. Even the concept of skinny dipping single-gender had negative connotations. I came face to face with the concept of naturism when making some changes in my personal and family life, which I won't go into here. Suffice it to say I had to evaluate whether nudity was acceptable before God or not.
In the process, I read from various sources and websites. Whether I was guided to specific sites or otherwise I will leave to the reader's interpretation. I will say that many sites were easily found on web searches which in more recent searches have brought up primarily pornographic sites. I found several helpful sites and considering I hadn't even heard the term Naturist prior I never searched under that term. Most helpful was the now-defunct site, LDSSD Connections and the earlier version of this site.
With the information in hand, I was still perplexed with the idea of nudity in mixed-gender situations. It went totally against all that I had been taught growing up. I did search through scriptural references and prophetic and apostolic utterances for some kind of guidance, but only found silence on the matter. The only scriptural citations on nudity seemed to imply a neutral or tolerance of nudity. The only thing even close to denunciation was when talking of activities done when nude and in all honesty, only denounced the action and not the nudity.
Left with this, I decided to follow James’ admonition (James 1:5) to ask Heavenly Father. I did so and what came to me was this:
“Why are you asking me this, I don't care what you wear or don’t wear as long as your heart is right with me. If you want to be nude that is fine with me.”
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How I Woke Up by JohnW
Let's start with the ending and then trace how I got here. I have a wonderful wife and a young family. We are not social nudists. But we have felt the benefits of being an open household. I guess you might say that we are chaste nudists at home. We are almost always clothed, but when clothes would naturally come off we do not hide from each other. It is simply part of the natural flow of life - nobody thinks anything of it.
Closed door shame to Open Door acceptance
Now how I got here: I grew up in a very "private" family. I have never seen either of my parents naked and never even saw my sisters in their underwear past the age of eight or so.
From an early age, I remember being very curious about what women's bodies looked like ... and feeling dirty for it. It was made very clear to me that bodies were taboo.
When puberty came I was no less curious and now hormones intensified the curiosity and added the fire of sexuality to it. By my teenage years, bodies and sex were inseparable. And I felt dirtier than ever for caring so much about it.
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Before being married at the age of 25 and while attending BYU, I was a closet nudist who spent time hiking alone in the mountains just east of Provo. My favorite trip was to hike up to the Y and then take the trail that led past it up into the canyon (I think it's called Maple Flats?) I would then hike around the mountain just south of the Y and back down into town. When I got to the point where I figured the risk of meeting others was minimal, I would take off all my clothes and put them in my backpack.
From time to time I would cross paths with other hikers, mostly other guys but once a group of three giggly girls who walked past with mouths agape and eyes wide. Only once did I ever encounter another guy (about my age) who was also nude. It was always a refreshing, enlightening and wonderful experience.
Read more: My Wife: We'll need to start closing doors by Bryans_Saturdays
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Family Showers
by Bryans_Saturdays
A few days ago our family returned from a week-long vacation in Orlando.
My mother and father-in-law own a three-bedroom time-share condo and every year on week nine, we have a Disney Land family reunion. My wife is the oldest of eleven children, many of whom still live at home, and it will be interesting to see how this tradition evolves as more kids get married and the grandchild count continues to rise. But, this time around it was a fabulous trip all around, and we are already looking forward to next year.
On Sunday morning we held a short and touching sacrament service in the condo, and then we packed up a picnic and headed for the beach. When we returned late in the evening, we were all sticky with saltwater and covered with sand, and as we piled out of the rented mini-vans, my mother in law said: “Ok, group showers for everyone!”
I know her well enough to know that she was kidding, but I also decided to seize the moment.
“That’s what we do,” I said.
“But wait… you wear your swimming suits, right?” exclaimed my thirteen-year-old sister in law.
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I imagine that to a certain extent, Sunday mornings at most LDS families might be much like they are at ours. My wife and I know exactly what time we need to roll out of bed to get all four of us (daughter seven, son five) to church on time, and I don't think all the powers of heaven could get us to move any earlier. Once we're up, we wake up the kids, and then we all wolf down a breakfast of O.J. and cold cereal. At that point, it's pretty much a free-for-all of people running around looking for clothing, brushing hair, getting shoes on the right feet, locating scriptures and last-minute lesson materials, and then moving everyone out the door. Once we're in the car and driving, there is a collective sigh of relief. Another successful Sunday morning!
Sound familiar?
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At some point, I think I was about 13 or 14, I began to be quite curious and enthralled with the idea of being naked. Perhaps it was something as simple as, like any normal human, I was curious to know what all the fuss was about. I came from the traditional Mormon / Christian home where nudity, or anything like unto it, was simply not tolerated or discussed. Ever. Period.
Being naked was, apparently, something I wasn't supposed to do, but why? Let's get to the bottom of this! I think it's safe to say that my parents stern enforcement of no-nudity had the exact opposite effect they intended it to, and had our family adopted a "nude-is-okay" policy, then it might have been no big deal to me at all.
At first, I simply experiment in the privacy of my bedroom. I started out sleeping naked, advanced to reading books on top of my covers naked, and from there to being naked around the house when I was good and sure I was home alone and all of the curtains were closed.
Fast forward to sixteen. I never could afford a car as a teenager, but I did invest in a fairly trusty bicycle, and many summer afternoons found me out in search of a place to be naked outside. It was no easy task, but I was absolutely dying to know what it would be like to feel sunshine and wind on places of my body that had never been exposed to it. Ever. The trouble was, we lived in the heart of the Twin Cities suburbs and it took some work to find a suitable location, but I eventually found the perfect spot.
Sandwiched in-between a graveyard, an underground water treatment hill, and a sleepy upper-class neighborhood was a thick plot of woods that was owned by the city and was fenced off with "No Trespassing" signs all around. The fence was poorly maintained and foot trails crisscrossed the area. I often saw people walking their dogs or taking a jog, and a few times I even saw a city employee who smiled at me and waved. I figured it was safe to explore.
Read more: My naked adventures started about age 13 by Bryans_Saturdays
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The Naturist Living Show
A podcast about naturism for naturists (nudism and nudists to some people)
Since 2008, The Naturist Living Show has been presenting topics related to naturism and discussing issues of interest to naturists. (nudism/nudist in some countries) Naturism is more than just taking your clothes off. It is a life philosophy with physical, psychological, environmental, social and moral benefits. The podcast is produced by Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park in Ontario, Canada.