Christian naturism
For example, authors such as Ilsley Boone, Henry S. Huntington and Elton Raymond Shaw were writers of books on naturism and on Christianity.
[9] The post-resurrection belief of the unclothed body being evil or sinful may originate in Platonic asceticism (founded largely on the works of ancient Greek philosopher Plato) which was adopted and passed down by "Christian" Platonists in early church history.
This occurred at nearly the same time as the start of the Great Depression, under the leadership of New Jersey Dutch Reformed minister Ilsley Boone.
[citation needed] In Rome, Pope Pius XI strongly condemned the naturism movement throughout the early 1930s, calling it "paganly immodest".
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.
[citation needed] Christian naturists maintain the fig leaves were worn in a futile attempt to hide what the couple had done from God—not each other, noting they were married, and equally guilty of the same original sin.
[citation needed] 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 appropriate marital sexual relations,[27] they conclude the couple would have seen each other naked subsequent to the fall of mankind.
Jesus answered, "When you disrobe without being ashamed and take up your garments and place them under your feet like little children and tread on them, then will you see the son of the Living One, and you will not be afraid.
[40] The Christian doctrine of incarnation holds that the second person of the Trinity "became flesh"[41] by being conceived in the womb of Mary, and came into the world naked[42] just like every other human being.
[47] In the Synoptic Gospels, the women who came to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body found only an angel[48] or a youth[49] or two men;[50] all were wearing white or dazzling garments.
[56] While not actually a position of the Religious Society of Friends (or Quakers), naturism was the accepted norm for a time in one of their camps for children and teens.
[citation needed] The founder of the Quaker camps (Farm and Wilderness Camps in Vermont) wrote in his book entitled As Sparks Fly Upward: A study of comparative cultures leads to the suspicion that it could be, that our culture is wrong in this regard; that the evil that has falsely imputed to nudism is in fact an evil in our own minds.
It has cut us off from a health-given, wholesome and joyous practice in which children thrive and adults may find an honesty and straight forwardness, and even a spiritual surety and strength that we grievously lack at present.
This "piece of work" that is man, how are we to become convinced of its wonder if by the fetish of hiding the body we deny and destroy some of the health and most of its godlike beauty?By far, the most frequent biblical argument against Christian naturism is that if God approved of people being nude, he would not have clothed Adam and Eve after they sinned, thus making it a reminder to man that we had, in fact, sinned.
The counter-argument is Adam and Eve had already clothed themselves upon sinning, and God merely replaced the fig leaves with animal skins in granting them free will.
[29] Due to cultural tendencies to equate nudity with sex, many Christian denominations and groups are not supportive of naturism and nudism.
[citation needed] In 1 Timothy 2:9, the author urged the women in the Christian church to dress modestly, with "decency and propriety".
[citation needed] Other criticism, while it may not oppose naturism per se, is concerned that it will hinder witnessing, divide spouses, promote secrecy to prevent embarrassment, excommunication, etc.
