A Letter To Mark Roberts
I recently read and enjoyed
the debate between yourself and John Kundert, as published in Fig Leaf
Forum. As someone who has personally grappled with the question of whether
social nudism is sinful, and reached a conclusion after a lot of prayer
and study, I appreciated both sides of the argument. Even though I enjoy
nudism, my commitment to God comes first. That means if I can be convinced
that my practice of nudism is a sin, and therefore a hindrance to my sharing
eternity with God, I will gladly walk away from it.
John quoted several examples
of nudity in the Bible, including God's command to Isaiah to publicly preach
nude. I was hoping you would use references showing where God condemned
nudity. Even allowing for my admitted bias, I would have to award the debate
to John for sticking to the topic.
Although the proposition
of debate was "Social nudity is condemned by the Bible as sinful," your
approach unfortunately focused on the easier "Lust is condemned by the
Bible as sinful." As you pointed out, John didn't respond in much detail
to your questions about lust. While he may have appeared evasive, I feel
he was devoting his attention instead to the agreed topic.
First of all, what is lust?
"A strong desire for sexual gratification" (Collins); "a strong sexual
desire" (Oxford). Lust is more than merely seeing an attractive woman.
We do that everyday. Lust is a thought process, a conscious decision that
directs sexual feelings and desires towards another. It is the mental planning
of adultery. As to your specific points:
1. Nudity leads to
lust. Superficially, yes. In our culture, nudity always seems to
be associated with sex, titillation and immoral behaviour. Nudity is found
in men's magazines, R rated movies, pornographic videos, strip clubs and
prostitution. But not all nudity is sexual in nature. We undress to shower
and bathe, when sleeping (well, not everyone), and during a medical examination.
We see non-sexual nudity in classical art, including the ceiling of the
Sistine Chapel.
Is all nudity evil? No. Does
all nudity lead to lust? No. If it did, no Christian could ever be involved
in the medical profession.
Does social nudity lead to
lust? Lust can occur anywhere, so theoretically it is possible. Having
visited all types of beaches, I maintain that there is more temptation
and invitation for lust when women wear skimpy swimming costumes than when
they don't. To describe a typical swimming costume as modest is stretching
the definition. Today's swimwear is designed to enhance the body, to draw
attention to those small parts that are almost covered. The body is contorted
to fit whatever shape is currently fashionable. In short, these costumes
make women look more sexually attractive than they would without.
At the nude beach, there
is no pretense, no effort to conform to an unrealistic ideal shape. As
for lusting, there's no point in mentally undressing someone who is already
naked. The fact is, only a minute percentage of the female population will
ever have a model's body, and then only for a relatively few years of their
lives.
At the clothed end of the
beach, women are pretending they're someone else and men are using their
imagination to make up the shortfall. That's what I call lust. Meanwhile,
further down the beach where the nudists take refuge, it's difficult to
lust when you aren't hiding behind swim trunks. The result of any inappropriate
thoughts is there for all to see.
So, does nudism lead to lust?
In practical terms, no. If a man went to a nude beach and remained clothed,
then his motives would appear suspect. But once he undresses, any sexual
arousal is obvious. Practising nudism develops an attitude that controls
lust and inappropriate thoughts, not only at nudist venues but in everyday
situations.
2. Nudity causes others
to lust. I'm prepared to concede some ground on this one. I have
no control over others' thoughts. But that applies in every other situation
in life.
In your comments you applied
the risk of lust equally to men and women. While politically correct, I
feel it's a bit harsh to attribute the same level of moral depravation
to both sexes. Unfortunately, men are clear leaders if criminal records
are any measure. Women peering at my body with lustful thoughts? They'd
have to be sick indeed.
Those who attend nudist venues
with the sole purpose of "perving" don't fit in with the nudist movement.
They usually leave disappointed. Unlike strip clubs or topless bars, women
in nudism aren't parading for the benefit of others. They aren't selling
a commercial product, offering entertainment or touting for sex. They fail
to satisfy the misguided fantasies these strange men have.
Does this mean because nudism
attracts even a small group of men to lust, then it must be sinful? Paedophiles
are attracted to the Boy Scout movement and the Catholic Church, but that
hardly makes either sinful. It's better to remove the offender than blame
the victim and the organisation. If we are going to blame the woman for
what a man is thinking, then we'll have to blame the boy scout for what
his leader did to him.
No. When I sin, as we all
do, I'll take full responsibility for my own actions, and I expect everyone
else to do the same.
3. Promoting nudism
destroys your influence for good. How vigorously is John Kundert
promoting nudism amongst Christians? Unless you were seriously researching
the subject, you would probably never find his Web site. So he caters to
those who are already interested in nudism, and specifically those with
Christian beliefs. I feel he is teaching Christianity to nudists, not nudism
to all Christians.
The material on his site,
and others like it, is an enormous benefit to Christian nudists who feel
they are living a clandestine life. Hopefully, he can strengthen those
who feel they have to abandon their faith if they choose to enjoy nudism.
When nudism is causing marital conflict because only one partner is interested,
this information can help to resolve concerns. Christian nudists focus
on the puritanical application rather than the hedonism promoted by some
extremists.
Some will say Christian nudists
aren't open about their activities because deep-down they know it's wrong,
and that they must be trying to hide their sins. The early Christians also
had to practise in secret when they were regarded as a heretical sect.
Of course Christianity isn't and never was a sin. They hid to escape the
intolerance and prejudice prevalent in their society. The Gospel was shared
only with those they trusted and cared about.
The analogy between nudism
and Christianity has obvious limitations. My faith is much more important
to me than what I wear (or don't wear) at the beach. Nudism won't save
me. I am not afraid to be criticised or mocked for my religious beliefs.
But why would I want to invite ridicule over something as insignificant
as my choice of clothing?
4. Promoting nudism
leads others to sin. That brings us to the central question, Is
nudism a sin? If it is, then promoting it WILL lead others to sin. I regard
nudity as sinful in these situations:
— when used to shock or offend
— where it is illegal
— if used in a sexual context outside of marriage, like in pornography,
strip clubs, topless entertainment, etc.
Whether social nudity is
a sin or not will be forever debated, but the Scriptural evidence I've
read fails to condemn it and actually condones it in certain situations.
Teaching that nudity is always
evil carries the same danger as teaching that sex is always a sin. For
some, total abstinence is acceptable while for others it creates intolerable
pressures with devastating consequences (for example, molested altar boys).
As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7.9, "But if they cannot contain, let them
marry: for it is better to marry than to burn" (KJV). It's better to advocate
under which circumstances sex and nudity are acceptable.
5. Why be nude with
others? Few critics of nudism would regard nudity between a husband
and wife as sinful. The question of propriety only arises when others are
involved. The argument follows that nudity is fine with your spouse, but
if you want to be nude with others there must be another motive.
The primary reason for being
nude with others is the lack of suitable venues. Few of us have the resources
to purchase our own beach, lake or acreage. Legal nude beaches allow people
to skinny-dip without breaking the law or risk offending others. The company
of others is incidental. Some resorts have grounds large enough for couples
to find their own space and enjoy their nudity in private. But having others
within sight ensures appropriate behaviour. People are also sociable by
nature. We seek and enjoy the company of like-minded people with similar
attitudes and values.
Social nudity also has an
unexpected benefit for women. Because of our culture's obsession with the
perfect female body, the only nudity most of us see consists of the underfed,
surgically enhanced, or air-brushed models appearing in the media. If that's
what women are comparing themselves to, it's no wonder so many are unsatisfied
with their body shape, and why the beauty industry makes billions.
When a woman sees other women
naked, all ages, shapes and sizes, she compares herself with reality, not
fantasy. The process of realising that she is physically normal and achieving
body acceptance is a tremendous boost to her self-esteem.
In summary, nudism is not
for every Christian. And with respect, I am not implying that each of the
following applies to everyone opposed to it. Christians should not practise
nudism if:
— they sincerely believe it is a sin
— they haven't matured beyond the adolescent obsession with anything
remotely sexual
— they feel their motives might be lustful
— it causes marital conflict
I don't expect to convert
you to the cause. In your debate you raised some concerns that I have attempted
to answer. I've had to resolve these same issues myself before I could
enjoy nudism in good conscience. Those who have never personally experienced
social nudism probably suspect an undercurrent of sexuality. I haven't
seen it yet. What I have hoped to demonstrate is that it is possible for
a Christian to maintain high standards in different situations.
Editor's Note: After the debate about social nudism was published in Issue 55/56 of Fig Leaf Forum and placed on this Web site, many readers took the time to write directly to Mark Roberts. Copies of several of these letters were forwarded to the editor of Fig Leaf Forum and the above was among them. It was published in Issue 60 and has been slightly edited for space and clarity.
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