What if Jesus appeared out of nowhere, just walked through the wall, and you were naked, (aside from sudden shock from the appearance and knowledge that the person is Jesus) would you cover up? Would you hide in fear?
I had always wondered that. I instinctively prepare to step aside and hide out of view if someone I'm not sure about comes up while I'm nude. Should I? Is it a bad habit I have to overcome?
If Jesus (or any of his angels from heaven) showed up while I'm nude (and they don't need to knock on my door) how would I react? I have always had a desire (and ironicly afraid that it will happen) to see a vision or hear the voice (literally) of Jesus. I am trying to learn to listen to the quiet voice, would I recognize his voice? (His sheep knows his voice) Would I cover up? Hide? I know I would probably be shaking in my...skin..(I don't have boots).
When I act in what I believe is faith, am I acting foolishly in both mans and God's terms? I know I will act foolishly according to mans view of things, but God's?
I cannot afford to live a "What If" life. I will paralize myself. I am already a "wishy-washy" guy anyway, or was. I have to live a deliberate life. If I am to be nude, then I will be nude. If I am to be clothed, then I am clothed. I cannot appologize (in a sorry way) for my naturism. Either I am, or I am not.
To fear someone will find out, even the kids at our church, should not throw me off of my faith. Since God already knows, then I must reconsile with God, then I can live according to my faith.
Would you really be a stumbling block, or would you just offend them?
Yes, an immature Christian who looked into Naturism could fall into lust issues and other problems. They could try to follow our example, without having the same conviction that that action isn't sinful, which is where the problem actually arises from (Romans 14:23).
But, that isn't the problem most nudists find in their churches. We usually don't deal with immature Christians who want to mimic us, although it might happen. In that case we would be bound to teach them and council them to go no farther than their faith allows them to.
What we normally run across is folks who are offended by our lifestyle, and try to tell us in their righteousness how wrong we are. They will never try being a nudist, are convinced it is a sin, and therefor we could never be a stumbling block to them. And if they sin in their offense and anger at us, we are not held accountable for that.
My thoughts of drawing nudes and putting them up in my house has recently been renewed, and later I'll tell how that happened. Some of my family will no doubt have a problem with this artwork. The human body s a beautiful thing- God said so Himself. If I put up a picture of one in good faith and somebody else "uses" it improperly, who is to blame? Was Jesus doing wrong for making wine, and the good stuff at that, at the wedding? He knew people would probably get drunk, right? But He still gave them something good, and let them decide how to use it.
Many people in churches today are very legalistic, and most of them don't even know it. The Holy Spirit is my conscience (and I had to look up how to spell it), and He won't let me do what I'm not supposed to without telling me. He won't STOP me, but He'll let me know I shouldn't do it. I don't need outside, legalistic rules and regulations placed on me so I won't mess up. Jesus gave me two commandments, and if I follow those with my heart, let by Him, I won't have any problems.
That's how I feel, but before anybody gives me too much credit for what's written above, stop. Alot of what was said is my interpretation of items from an article in the latest Fig Leaf Forum. Everything the author, a fellow artist (who renewed my desire to be faithful as an artist), said just resonated in me as true, and he said it better than I ever could. It really opened up my eyes and my understanding of alot of things. It's the headliner of issue 99. Get it and read it if you can.
Tell them that if they don't like to see naked people, then, why? Tell them that you're offended and that you believe that it offends God to have people think that something he created can be indecent, obscene or unviewable. Tell them that we were all created naked and unashamed, like that little kid wandering around the house that everyone thought was so cute. When does "cute" turn to "indecent"? Where does it say that kids are not to look at naked adults? Where does it say that co-ed people aren't to look at each other naked? There's not a single scripture on these. Our society has invented its own Talmud, an addition to the Bible, that they are condemning naked people with.
I think it's in one of the minor prophets that the writer tells about seeing a young girl grow up, that she grows pubic hair, etc. Must have been viewable back then.
The female of the lover pair in Song of Solomon got her tan because her brothers forced her to work out in the vineyards. She mentions even her breasts getting tan. Bet she worked naked.
Non of the anti-nude people will believe any of these, of course.
Ralph
The naked gardener
God's original intent, Yeah!
