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.

The only way to completely disassociate modesty from clothing and nudity from sex is to provide a wholesome counterexample that dispels all of the other lies Lucifer keeps on telling us about our bodies. We need to change the foundational beliefs about ourselves and our bodies so those lies no longer have a place in us. We need to believe:

• I am a beloved son/daughter of God, with divine nature and destiny
• Gender is an essential characteristic of my premortal, mortal, and eternal destiny and purpose
• My body is not pornography
• My body is not evil or unclean
• My body is an eternal blessing, and I should be eternally grateful for it
• My body’s design is not a mistake; it is a divine blessing and a gift.
• I can control my body (thoughts, words, and deeds), and this prepares me for my resurrected, glorified body later on.

I’m going to propose a powerful way to reinforce these principles. While this is certainly not a mainstream or popular approach, and the natural reaction is to avoid it, I want you to know that I have spent a lot of time studying this and have felt confirmation that this is indeed a good and wholesome practice. I invite anyone who reads this to search, ponder, and pray for their own revelation; and most importantly, to take the step to experience it themselves. After all, as the Savior himself admonished, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:17).

The only way to completely separate nudity from sex is to experience non-sexual nudity. The only way to internalize the message that modesty isn’t about the clothes is to learn to be modest without clothing. Home is a good place to start experiencing these things, but in order to really cement these principles in your heart and mind, it will once again take some conscious effort and will require letting go of some lies you have been taught all of your life about your body.

Social nudity is the practice of being naked in social situations in a non-sexual way. All across the world, there are places that focus on providing a safe place where people can enjoy nude recreation without worrying about being looked at like a piece of meat. They even make it safe for children of all ages to play and experience the world without the constraints of clothing. I believe that while social nudity isn’t essential to salvation, it can be a powerful tool in combating the subliminal messages Satan is feeding us about our bodies.

Full disclosure: I have yet to participate in social nudity, but I am convinced that it can and will do good for me and each member of my family. I hope to someday soon be able to begin participating and see the following benefits realized for myself and my family.

How could social nudity benefit me?

My past with the world’s sex education has left me wounded. Often in my past, I have seen a little skin revealed on the web or other places and immediately been transported to my teenage years, fanatically searching for imagery to satiate my sexual appetite. This continues to hamper my progress in recovering from this addiction. Social nudity will allow my mind to reprogram itself – no longer will flashes of skin tempt me to act like Pavlov’s dog and lose control. The solution today still isn’t to shelter myself from the possibility of encountering pornography; rather to condition myself to stop thinking of bodies as pornography and a signal to be sexually excited. Also, social nudity replaces the one-sided experience that pornography has to offer. By interacting with other people in a natural and vulnerable state, it will help me to see people as people, not as objects. My perception of the normal human body will also change. Instead of seeing oversized sexual body parts, my mind can begin to accept that the human body comes in all shapes and sizes and reject the false imagery produced by Satan.

How could social nudity benefit my wife?

My dear wife, although never caught in the snare of pornography, has been carrying along some damaging beliefs about herself. Being more petite, she has expressed more than once (in not so many words) that she is somehow inadequate due to the way her body was built. After having children, she has often lamented about stretch marks, love handles, and other ‘imperfect’ body features. Social nudity can help her discover that she isn’t alone and that in order to feel good about herself physically, she doesn’t need to fit that impossible form that the world teaches bodies should fit in.

How could social nudity benefit my daughters?

My children are still young, but I have already started to see some of those sneaky lies start to be taught to them. I can’t keep them from being exposed to those lies, but I can help them experience healthy and wholesome counterexamples. I truly believe that children raised nudists aren’t as susceptible to many of the pitfalls considered ‘normal’ among American teens today. It is my hope that teaching them respect and love for their (and others’) bodies now will help make their path smoother later on when they begin to make important decisions on their own.

How could social nudity benefit my sons (if I should be blessed with any)?

If pornography is a disease, social nudity is quite possibly the vaccine. I can’t imagine how much my life would be different if I had been exposed to bodies in a positive way before I was exposed to pornography. I would want each of my sons to know that they are sons of God, and that respect for women isn’t just some old-fashioned idea.

In closing, I wish to reiterate the fact that this is the last days, and Satan wants to destroy your family. I personally won’t stand by and watch as he strives to do that, but instead, I am committed to breaking the mold and finding the path for my family that will help keep them closest to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Overcoming lies about our first and most precious gift in life, that of our physical bodies, will bring our lives back into perspective, and allow us to use our physical bodies for good, as they were intended. It is my hope and prayer that those considering making this change in their life will do so only after careful study and prayer. Make sure your intentions are pure. I know as you desire righteousness in your family life, Father in Heaven will not allow you to stray far from the path. I am grateful for the chance to share this my conviction with you.

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