we are christian men who honor Jesus thru our naked daily lifestyle of prayer and when possible penances in his suffering imitation within common sense. Sorry ladies this definitely is not for you.
Example; we sleep in the raw like JC's body in His tomb
we forego underwear if possible anywhere, anytime when needing to be clothed - bah -humbug - in imitation of his being stripped.
we are in the raw daily when indoors wearing a very brief loin bikini like wrap when we who live together have prayers- he always is seen with a wrap while on his cross for us. his is yet another way to honor Him and Sorrowful Mother
We also have a monthly POSTAL MAILED ONLY newsletter entitled Gladiator and those guys fought naked
More information on request. We've been around 20 years.
Bro. Papa, FOUNDER - LONG TIME NUDIST
ps we are known worldwide as the brotherhood of the passion of christ
Hope to hear from you guys.
Maybe it's just me, but something about what you said, or maybe just how you said it, the language, dosn't feel quite in line with what I believe as a Christian nudist. "JC" as a short for Jesus Christ and "in the raw" are neither one things that I have ever heard another Christian nudist say.
You make it sound as if you are doing something that you do not want to do, that is being naked, because you wish to share in the suffering that Christ went through when He was forced to be stripped and was beaten.
And why is this something that isn't for women? Is there something else?
Not trying to be judgemental... these are all just first impressions. Do you have a website or some other way to give me(not speaking for anybody else here) more information?
Oh, and just as a side point- Christ was crucified naked, and that simply isn't followed in art due to social conventions. If Christ were portrayed as he truely appeared on the cross- naked, beaten and bloody, nobody would enjoy the picture very much.
I never understood male-only monastic communities. It has no biblical counterpart. Women have been an integral part of every genuine Christian community that existed in Biblical times.
I reject the concept of self-punishment as a means of penance. "By HIS stripes we are healed" (not our own).
They publish "Gladiator" magazine? Fight naked? That doesn't sound like anything that glorifies Christ.
To be blunt, this post has homosexual overtones. This whole thing is either a joke in very poor taste, or worse, people are actually living in this very unbiblical way.
Being naked during prayers doesn't make one a Christian naturist. As others have suggested, being nude is not an act of penance for us, it is our priviledge to return to a state of nudity as God originally ordained, when weather and social conditions allow.
Yeah, I had the same thought about "Gladiator", and also thought the whole thing sounded a bit on the homosexual side, but didn't come out and say it. I feel better that you had the same feeling as I did. Gives me more confidence that my impressions were correct.
For some reason the only thing I can think of when somebody says the word "Gladiator" is the scene in the movie Airplane when the pilot asks the little boy (Jimmy?) if he liked movies about gladiators. That's not the reason I thought the post had homosexual overtones, though- that was something that I felt, although I couldn't give any definate reason why. The movie thing was just something funny that struck me.
I am still trying to feel it out a little, and hinting here and there. I am trying to gauge their feelings. They are kind of positive about it, but that's in light-hearted conversation. I am making progress in the right direction though.
This is a rather unusual post for this forum. Since this forum is for the discussion of naturism in Christianity, I will leave it for further discussion. however, I am not compelled to want to join you or ask anyother here to join you.
I too have questions, but Kevin seems to hit on them.
Women were not only an intergral part of Jesus' ministry, they were also the "pocketbook" or the financial support of his ministry. Judas was the bookkeeper, but it was the women who did most of the financial support.
As for "suffering" like Christ, I don't think you are truely suffering as he suffered. I don't find sleeping in the nude or skipping the use of underwear as sufferering! In fact, I suffer far less!
My "sufferering", if any, would be to go out of my way spiritually and physically to serve others and being willing to sacrifice my time, money, talents, etc. to bring others to Christ and serve them. That "suffering" may include having to wear clothing when I don't really want to.
Naturism is a way of life we chose to not only enjoy the physical beauty and lifestyle of an average naturist, but also to help us in our understanding of Gods' grace through Jesus Christ (not JC, which has been attributed to Jimmy Carter).
I hope nobody takes offense to the original post or the person who posted, but rather we need to learn from it and be stregnthed by the "iron sharpens iron" ideas.
Papa has in his yahoo profile BDSM as interest listed http://profiles.yahoo.com/naked72001
It for sure seems to be one of those weird groups running around with a self attached christian label.
Jack
