Recently I was doing research into
the nature of the image of God in man and, as so often happens when I'm
in the midst of a study, my attention was diverted to a another subject.
I was reading what one particular commentator had to say about 1 Corinthians
11.7, where Paul talks about man's physical body reflecting "the image
and glory of God." My interest was piqued, however, by something I read
in the commentator's introduction to this chapter of Scripture which, among
other things, deals with Paul's instruction that women should cover their
heads during public worship. The introduction reads in part:
[Paul] had evidently heard that some 'emancipated' Corinthian
women had dispensed with the veil in public worship, and he argues that
women should be veiled. For a woman to appear in public bareheaded was
to act in what we would call a 'bare-faced' manner. It was the mark of
a woman of loose morals. It outraged the proprieties. Paul accordingly
rejects it with decision. It is no part of the life of the Christian needlessly
to flout the conventions (The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians:
An Introduction and Commentary by Leon Morris).
The last line of this paragraph is what attracted my attention. Conventions
are the customs of the people, the ways of the culture. Paul was apparently
unwilling to break with many of the customs of his day, so as not to cause
trouble for the Church. This idea is further reinforced by what he wrote
just a few verses earlier in 1 Corinthians 10.32. Everyday customs are
constantly changing with the passage of time, of course, and I began to
think about today's "conventions" as they applied to human nakedness.
Nudity is now found just about everywhere in our culture, due chiefly,
I believe, to the powerful and pervasive influence of Madison Avenue and
Hollywood. They have made nudity an integral part of much of what they
produce for viewing by society at large. Partial nudity (usually very provocative)
is often present in advertising. Complete nudity is no longer a surprise
at the movie theater. The nudity of soft- and hard-core pornography is
finding more and more public acceptance. Nudity is even becoming a part
of highly rated television dramas. Whether it's welcomed or not, nudity
has become a fast-growing component of our culture. It's becoming so commonplace
that I think it can now rightly be called a "convention" of our society.
But what kind of social convention is nudity turning out to be? A good
one or a bad one? Many religious and community leaders as well as some
lawmakers clearly view it as bad. If they've based their decision solely
upon the media's portrayal of nudity (which is quite likely), perhaps it's
not surprising that they feel as they do.
As most of you know by now, I take a higher view of human nakedness.
I find ample evidence in the Bible that the naked human body was and is
created in the image of God, and as such is deserving of dignity and honor.
"Man is the apex of the creative works of God. As male and female, man
was made in majesty to reflect the glory of God on earth. Man is the bearer
of the very image of God; this is his differentia — that which marks him
out from all other created things," writes Ronald B. Allen in The Majesty
of Man: The Dignity of Being Human. The image of God in man is multidimensional,
to be sure, and is much more than just physical. Nevertheless, the physical
aspect is important and needs to be reckoned with. I find it unthinkable
that "image-bearers" of God should find themselves so ashamed of human
nakedness that they would insist that it should always be covered.
Believing this as I do, you can imagine how I reacted to a quote attributed
to a radio evangelist that appeared on the front page of the AANR Bulletin
a couple of issues ago. He (if I may assume that this person is male) is
reported as saying, "Nudists are nothing but walking pornography." How
dare he, I thought to myself. How dare he!
Upon reflection, I suppose it shouldn't be surprising that this evangelist
believes what he does. By lumping nudism together with pornography he betrays
his ignorance of the profound differences between the two. He probably
possesses very little knowledge of what nudism is really all about. The
motivation for such harsh criticism may result from fear that long-standing
"religious" traditions are being threatened. Perhaps public condemnations
of this sort are found to be useful in furthering political agendas. Maybe
they result from overexposure to the Madison Avenue and Hollywood style
of nudity, thereby inflaming him to the point of rebelling against all
nakedness everywhere. Whatever the reason, I find myself wondering if people
like that understand the old expression about throwing the baby out with
the bath water.
As I said, the commercialization of nudity is causing it to become a
social convention right before our very eyes. I doubt that all of the "demands
for action" that can possibly be mustered by radio evangelists or anyone
else (well intentioned or not) are going to change that fact in any significant
way. I believe such people would do well to recognize the changing times
and concentrate on redeeming nakedness from the distorted and unworthy
image that has been conferred upon it. Hollywood and Madison Avenue are
not the only influences contributing to what I view as the desecration
of the image of God as it is reflected in human nakedness.
Nakedness has always been a part of human life to some degree, all the
way from Adam and Eve to the present. The kind of nudity being commercialized
by advertisers and 'entertainment' producers is of a different type altogether,
however. It ranges from seductive images brimming with suggestive innuendo
to images that are starkly sexual. Sex sells! Sex influences! And these
people know it.
Furthermore, the nudity (partial or otherwise) that we see in film and
advertising these days seems always to be the nudity of perfectly proportioned
young men and women, thereby setting an almost impossible example for impressionable
viewers and consumers to attain. Everything from general unhappiness over
body-image to outright dysfunctions like bulimia and anorexia nervosa are
widespread and increasing. How should we react to the type of nudity that
has become "conventional" in our society?
Ridding ourselves of all nakedness to dispense with the bad is certainly
not the answer. Presenting a healthy alternative view of nakedness such
as that belonging to nudism might be. I believe Christian nudists can play
a worthwhile role in this effort. We can present a higher view of the human
body and nakedness, one marked by dignity and sacredness. We can educate
others by explaining how the image of God is reflected in our nakedness.
We can also help bring about a return to a realistic view of the body,
fully recognizing both the hand of God in our creation and the effect that
sin has had on our lives.
In
One of a Kind: A Biblical View of Self-Acceptance, author
M. Blaine Smith writes insightfully about how the Fall has affected our
bodies:
"Wonderful are thy works!
Thou knowest me right well;
my frame was not hidden from thee,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately wrought in the depths of the earth.
Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance."
(Psalm 139.14-16)
The Psalm says quite specifically that God has given each of us our
unique physical constitution for a very good purpose. He has taken special
care in forming our bodies, in giving us our distinctive physical features.
One of the basic affirmations of faith, then, is that God knew what
he was doing when he put me together physically. He has given me endowments
which are noteworthy, designer-fashioned, worthy of great appreciation.
To be sure, our bodies suffer the effects of a fallen world. Through
the direct result of our own sin and neglect, the sins of others, and the
more intangible consequences of sin in the world, we suffer pain and deformity
which mar God's gift of physical life. I do not mean to minimize the problems
here, and in some cases the problems can be severe.... Even for those of
us who are not afflicted with extreme physical problems, there are still
the continual nickel-and-dime factors that affect our appearance: how well
we have slept, our diet, stress level, complexion problems, dandruff, hair
loss, weight problems and so forth. Continually we face the challenge of
maintaining health, cleanliness and grooming, and I doubt that any of us
ever perfectly reflect God's ideal intent for our physical appearance.
Yet I am still convinced that Psalm 139 has a message of hope for each
of us, regardless of the physical problems we might experience.... Surely
the message is that there is a basic physical appearance God has given
each of us which shines through all the imperfections brought on by life
in a fallen world. It ought to be esteemed regardless of how it has been
battered by the realities of life. We are too quick, I believe, to conclude
that physical problems have marred our appearance to the point that it
should no longer be viewed positively.
In
The Majesty of Man, Ronald Allen puts the Fall of mankind in
perspective: "It scarcely seems possible for the results of the Fall to
be fully realized by us, much less to be overstated. But we are in danger
of overstating the results of the Fall if we judge that man after the Fall
is no longer a creature of dignity bearing the image of God."
Christian nudists should probably welcome the growing openness in our
society to the sight of the human body, though "a creature of dignity bearing
the image of God" is seldom what one sees in the nudity that is becoming
more and more customary and "conventional." Obviously, trying to overcome
the stereotypes that nakedness has been laden with in recent years is no
simple or easy undertaking. It is, however, a noble undertaking.
Nakedness is being seen by most people as synonymous with an impossibly
perfect body-image or with highly-charged sexuality. We need to work toward
redeeming it from such ready associations. Some might say that it's unrealistic
to think that nudists or anyone else could ever hope to overcome such pervasive
stereotypes. I really don't know about that. I do know that such an opinion
isn't going to stop me from trying.
Ephesians 2.10 says, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (NIV).
God's workmanship indeed — the very image of God. What an awesome privilege
it is to be His image-bearers. As social conventions pertaining to nakedness
continue to change, may we as Christian nudists always be found bearing
the image of God as reflected in our nakedness with dignity and honor.
May we always bring glory to God with moral conduct befitting Christ's
redeemed. And as always, may each of us take to heart 1 Peter 3.15-16,
which says: "Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord and if anybody
asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle
and respectful way. Do what is right; then if men speak against you, calling
you evil names, they will become ashamed of themselves for falsely accusing
you when you have only done what is good" (The Living Bible). Image-bearing
with dignity; glorifying God through high moral conduct; sharing the Gospel
of Christ and the good news about Christian nudism — these are,
one and all, truly "good works...for us to do."
This article is from Issue 8 of Fig Leaf Forum and was written by
the editor. |
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