Nudist Scriptures Used To Support Nudism
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Part of http://scripturesusedtosupportnudism.blogspot.com
Scriptures Used To Support Nudism
In addition to the Eden text, other passages of Scripture are used to support nudism. Here are a few:
Bathsheba Bathes In Plain View Of David's Palace
It is quite clear that God strongly disapproved of David's adulterous affair with Bathsheba. Since David's downward spiral all started when he lustfully observed Bathsheba taking a bath, it can legitimately be argued that she simply had no business bathing nude in eyeshot of the king's palace (2 Samuel 11). Was she deliberately trying to seduce David? Scripture doesn't say.
This reminds me of the account found in Genesis 26:8-9. Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from a window and saw Isaac engaging in some sort of sexual activity with his wife Rebekah. Some translations say they were "sporting" (KJV). Other translations say Isaac was "fondling" Rebekah (NLT). And still other translations say they were "laughing" (ESV). Whatever they were doing, it was in plain site of the king and it was a tip-off that Isaac and Rebekah were not brother and sister, as they claimed, but husband and wife. Whether or not this display of affection involved partial or complete nudity is anyone's guess.
Saul Gives Prophetic Utterances In The Nude (1 Samuel 19:23-24)
Prophets sometimes went nude to make a point, although some contend that they weren't totally nude. One example Is Saul.
So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even upon him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. He stripped off his robes and also prophesied in Samuel's presence. He lay that way all that day and night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” (NIV)
Isaiah Walks Around Naked For Three Years (Isaiah 20:1-5)
Another prophet that walked around nude was Isaiah, although again, some claim this did not involve total nudity.
In the year that the supreme commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it—at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. He said to him, “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.” And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot. Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years, as a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush, so the king of Assyria will lead away stripped and barefoot the Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared—to Egypt's shame. Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be afraid and put to shame (NIV).
Being Naked According To Josephus
However, not everyone agrees that all biblical references to being naked refer to being completely naked. According to the highly-respected Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (37 – sometime after 100 CE), sometimes being naked refers to being without one's usual attire:
(38) Mr. Reland notes here very truly, that the word naked does not always signify entirely naked, but sometimes without men's usual armor, without their usual robes or upper garments; as when Virgil bids the husbandman plough naked, and sow naked; when Josephus says (Antiq. B. IV. ch. 3. sect. 2) that God had given the Jews the security of armor when they were naked; and when he here says that Ahab fell on the Syrians when they were naked and drunk; when (Antiq. B. XI. ch. 5. sect. 8) he says that Nehemiah commanded those Jews that were building the walls of Jerusalem to take care to have their armor on upon occasion, that the enemy might not fall upon them naked.I may add, that the case seems to be the same in the Scripture, when it says that Saul lay down naked among the prophets, 1 Samuel 19:24; when it says that Isaiah walked naked and barefoot, Isaiah 20:2, 3; and when it says that Peter, before he girt his fisher's coat to him, was naked, John 21:7.What is said of David also gives light to this, who was reproached by Michal for "dancing before the ark, and uncovering himself in the eyes of his handmaids, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself," 2 Samuel 6:14, 20; yet it is there expressly said (ver. 14) that "David was girded with a linen ephod," i.e. he had laid aside his robes of state, and put on the sacerdotal, Levitical, or sacred garments, proper for such a solemnity (Antiquities of the Jews - Book VIII).
Being Naked According To Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch also do not believe that the prophets went totally naked:
With the great importance attached to the clothing in the East, where the feelings upon this point are peculiarly sensitive and modest, a person was looked upon as stripped and naked if he had only taken off his upper garment. What Isaiah was directed to do, therefore, was simply opposed to common custom, and not to moral decency. He was to lay aside the dress of a mourner and preacher of repentance, and to have nothing on but his tunic (cetoneth); and in this, as well as barefooted, he was to show himself in public. This was the costume of a man who had been robbed and disgraced, or else of a beggar or prisoner of war [Commentary on the Old Testament, 7:242 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2002).]
Being Naked According To Ian B. Johnson
On the other hand, there are also those who strongly disagree that Isaiah and other prophets wore some clothing. For example, when, God told His prophet Isaiah to go about naked and barefoot for three years, it was as a sign of what the Assyrians were going to do to Egypt and Ethiopia. According to Ian B. Johnson:
Moreover, as ancient armies really did publicly parade columns of their captives literally totally naked both to break their wills (through shame to the point of hopelessness) and as a demonstration of the complete control they had over them, it is not to be imagined that either Isaiah or the Egyptian and Ethiopian captives his demonstration symbolized actually were wearing some clothes. They were [totally] naked.
Posted by Tom Gruber at 5:40 PM No comments:
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About Me
Tom Gruber
In 2001, I published a book through Trafford Publishing entitled: What the Bible "REALLY" says about... SEX: A New Look at Sexual Ethics from a Biblical Perspective. Here are a few of the key points: (1) Marriage, as we know it, was instituted after the fall as a result of the fall. (2) There are two kinds of sex: Responsible Sex and Irresponsible Sex. Sex outside of Marriage can be and usually is irresponsible, but not necessarily. (3) Alternative lifestyles, such as swinging and polyamory, can be practiced responsibly and therefore, they are not sinful per se. (3) There is sex in Heaven. In fact, there is polyamorous sex in Heaven. These ideas have been met with great resistance in the Christian community. I still believe much, if not most, of what I believed back in 2001. But I am constantly refining my beliefs and subjecting them to rigid scrutiny. Ultimately, I believe the Bible is the final court of arbitration for all Christians. ChristiansTalkingAboutSex.com is a Christian site dedicated to seeking the truth regarding sexual ethics.
View my complete profile
MENU
HOME PAGE/ HOT TOPICS POLYGAMY
Is Polygamy A Sin?
One of the greatest challenges facing Christianity today is the question of polygamy. Is polygamy a sin? If so, why? If not, why not?The polygamy issue is both complex and controversial. Since there are plenty of good arguments on each side, Christianity has reached a stalemate regarding whether or not polygamy is a sin. Even giants of the faith have been divided on this issue. Luther and Calvin, for example, took opposite views. Sincere Christians today are still divided. To find out more, CLICK HERE.
RELATED TOPICS
How Does The Polygamy Issue Affect Missions?
/What Do Surveys Say About Polygamy?
/What Did Augustine Say About Polygamy? /
/What Did Thomas Aquinas Say About Polygamy?
/What Did Luther Say About Polygamy?
/What Did John Calvin Say About Polygamy?
/What Did Billy Graham Say About Polygamy?
/What Did John MacArthur Say About Polygamy?
/What Did R.C. Sproul Say About Polygamy?
/What Did John G. Reisinger Say About Polygamy? /
/The "Polygamy Has Always Been Sinful" Argument
/The "Polygamy Is Not Sinful" Argument
/Was Polygamy A Sin In The Old Testament?
/Was Polygamy A Sin In The New Testament?
/Was Moses A Polygamist?
/Did God Disapprove of David's Polygamy?
/Why Did God Allow Polygamy?
/Is Polygamy Unwise?
/Is Polygamy The Preferred Form Of Marriage?
/Is Polyandry A Sin?
/Is Polygamy A Mormon/ Islamic Heresy?
/Would God Portray Himself As A Polygamist If Polygamy Is A Sin?
/Was Levirate Marriage Only For Single Men?
THE SIN OF ADAM AND EVE
What Was The Sin Of Adam And Eve? Why Is It Relevant To Us Today?
Although everyone is familiar with the story of Adam and Eve, this narrative has been interpreted and re-interpreted countless times and numerous ways throughout Judea-Christian history. Precisely what mankind's first sin was and how it subsequently effected the human condition continues to be a source of debate.
RELATED TOPICS
Biblical Account Of Adam And Eve
/Is Clothing A Result Of The Fall?
/Did The Serpent "Really" Lie?
/In What Sense Did Adam And Eve Die?
/Difficult Questions Posed By The Eden Saga
/I. What Was The Forbidden Fruit?
/Four Ways Adam And Eve May Have Misused Sex
/Why Did The Sexual Interpretation Go Out Of Vogue?
/What Did The Eden Narrative Mean To Ancient Israel?
/Top Ten Reasons Why The Sin Of Adam And Eve Was A Sexual Transgression
/1. Symbolic Significance of Trees
/Eve And Asherah: What's The Connection?
/All About Asherah Tree Worship:What's Sex Got To Do With It?
/2. Figs as Aphrodisiacs And Phallic Symbols
/3. The Garden Was A Metaphor For Both The Female Body And The Female Sex Organ
/4. An Enclosed Garden Was An Idyllic Environment For Lovemaking
/5. The Serpent Was a Phallic Symbol
/6. The Apple Has Long Been A Sexual Symbol
/7. The Serpent Was A Universal Fertility Symbol
/8. Eve And Asherah Shared The Title: "The Mother Of All Living"
/9. To "Know" Can Mean "To Have Sex"
/10. Adam And Eve Were Ashamed Of Their Nakedness After They Sinned
/The Modern Telephone Game Illustrates The Possible Validity Of Ancient Interpretation
/How Could Eve Have Sex With A Serpent?
/II. Was The Forbidden Fruit Literal, Symbolic, Or Both?
/Can Eating A Piece Of Literal Fruit Contaminate The Human Race?
/III. Were The Other Elements In The Story Literal, Symbolic, Or Both?
/(b) Was The Tree Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil Literal, Symbolic, Or Both?
/How Did Adam Partake Of The Forbidden Fruit?
/Are There Female Demons?
/(c) Was The Tree Of Life Literal, Symbolic, Or Both?
/IV. How Did The Sin Of Adam And Eve Effect Humanity?
/Was The Forbidden Fruit Only A Test?
/V. In What Way Did Adam And Eve Become Like God?
/What Did It Mean To Freely Eat Any Fruit In The Garden?
/The Sin of Adam and Eve According to Martin Luther
/The Sin of Adam and Eve According to St. Jerome
/The Sin of Adam and Eve According To Aquinas
Eve According to Tertullian
The Sin of Adam and Eve According to Augustine
/The Sin of Adam and Eve According to St. Gregory /
The Sin of Adam and Eve According to Theophilus of Antioch and St. Irenaeus
/The Sin of Adam And Eve - John of Damascus
/The Sin of Adam And Eve According To Justin Martyr
/NUDISM
Does The Bible Condone Nudism?
Does God think it's okay for Christians to prance around naked in a public setting? Are nudist resorts nothing more than havens for perverted social misfits? Most Christians would probably answer "no" to the former and "yes" to the latter. Nevertheless, many followers of the Christian faith are, and probably always have been, a part of a widespread clothing-optional movement.
(CLICK HERE to continue.)
RELATED TOPICS
Benefits Of Nudism
/Nude Exercise In Ancient Greece
/Nudity At The YMCA
/How Queen Victoria Influenced Nudism
/How Platonic Asceticism Impacted Social Nudism
/Public Bathing In The Time Of Jesus
/When Nudism Is Not Okay
/Scriptures Used To Support Nudism
/Do Christians Clothed In Christ Need Clothes?
/Is Nudism Healthy For Children?
/How Do Nudist Resorts Deal With Erections?
/Why Was God Unhappy With The Fig Leaves?
/Was Jesus Nude After His Resurrection?
/Was Jesus Crucified Nude?
/Was Jesus Baptized In The Nude?
/Nude Baptism In Early Christianity
/MISCELLANEOUS
Why The Church Fathers Were So Negative About Sex
/The Sex Life Of Jesus: Was Jesus Married?
/About Tom Gruber
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Part of http://scripturesusedtosupportnudism.blogspot.com
Scriptures Used To Support Nudism
In addition to the Eden text, other passages of Scripture are used to support nudism. Here are a few:
Bathsheba Bathes In Plain View Of David's Palace
It is quite clear that God strongly disapproved of David's adulterous affair with Bathsheba. Since David's downward spiral all started when he lustfully observed Bathsheba taking a bath, it can legitimately be argued that she simply had no business bathing nude in eyeshot of the king's palace (2 Samuel 11). Was she deliberately trying to seduce David? Scripture doesn't say.
This reminds me of the account found in Genesis 26:8-9. Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from a window and saw Isaac engaging in some sort of sexual activity with his wife Rebekah. Some translations say they were "sporting" (KJV). Other translations say Isaac was "fondling" Rebekah (NLT). And still other translations say they were "laughing" (ESV). Whatever they were doing, it was in plain site of the king and it was a tip-off that Isaac and Rebekah were not brother and sister, as they claimed, but husband and wife. Whether or not this display of affection involved partial or complete nudity is anyone's guess.
Saul Gives Prophetic Utterances In The Nude (1 Samuel 19:23-24)
Prophets sometimes went nude to make a point, although some contend that they weren't totally nude. One example Is Saul.
So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even upon him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. He stripped off his robes and also prophesied in Samuel's presence. He lay that way all that day and night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” (NIV)
Isaiah Walks Around Naked For Three Years (Isaiah 20:1-5)
Another prophet that walked around nude was Isaiah, although again, some claim this did not involve total nudity.
In the year that the supreme commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it—at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. He said to him, “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.” And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot. Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years, as a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush, so the king of Assyria will lead away stripped and barefoot the Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared—to Egypt's shame. Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be afraid and put to shame (NIV).
Being Naked According To Josephus
However, not everyone agrees that all biblical references to being naked refer to being completely naked. According to the highly-respected Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (37 – sometime after 100 CE), sometimes being naked refers to being without one's usual attire:
(38) Mr. Reland notes here very truly, that the word naked does not always signify entirely naked, but sometimes without men's usual armor, without their usual robes or upper garments; as when Virgil bids the husbandman plough naked, and sow naked; when Josephus says (Antiq. B. IV. ch. 3. sect. 2) that God had given the Jews the security of armor when they were naked; and when he here says that Ahab fell on the Syrians when they were naked and drunk; when (Antiq. B. XI. ch. 5. sect. 8) he says that Nehemiah commanded those Jews that were building the walls of Jerusalem to take care to have their armor on upon occasion, that the enemy might not fall upon them naked.I may add, that the case seems to be the same in the Scripture, when it says that Saul lay down naked among the prophets, 1 Samuel 19:24; when it says that Isaiah walked naked and barefoot, Isaiah 20:2, 3; and when it says that Peter, before he girt his fisher's coat to him, was naked, John 21:7.What is said of David also gives light to this, who was reproached by Michal for "dancing before the ark, and uncovering himself in the eyes of his handmaids, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself," 2 Samuel 6:14, 20; yet it is there expressly said (ver. 14) that "David was girded with a linen ephod," i.e. he had laid aside his robes of state, and put on the sacerdotal, Levitical, or sacred garments, proper for such a solemnity (Antiquities of the Jews - Book VIII).
Being Naked According To Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch also do not believe that the prophets went totally naked:
With the great importance attached to the clothing in the East, where the feelings upon this point are peculiarly sensitive and modest, a person was looked upon as stripped and naked if he had only taken off his upper garment. What Isaiah was directed to do, therefore, was simply opposed to common custom, and not to moral decency. He was to lay aside the dress of a mourner and preacher of repentance, and to have nothing on but his tunic (cetoneth); and in this, as well as barefooted, he was to show himself in public. This was the costume of a man who had been robbed and disgraced, or else of a beggar or prisoner of war [Commentary on the Old Testament, 7:242 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2002).]
Being Naked According To Ian B. Johnson
On the other hand, there are also those who strongly disagree that Isaiah and other prophets wore some clothing. For example, when, God told His prophet Isaiah to go about naked and barefoot for three years, it was as a sign of what the Assyrians were going to do to Egypt and Ethiopia. According to Ian B. Johnson:
Moreover, as ancient armies really did publicly parade columns of their captives literally totally naked both to break their wills (through shame to the point of hopelessness) and as a demonstration of the complete control they had over them, it is not to be imagined that either Isaiah or the Egyptian and Ethiopian captives his demonstration symbolized actually were wearing some clothes. They were [totally] naked.
Posted by Tom Gruber at 5:40 PM No comments:
Home
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
HOT TOPICS
Go to HOME PAGE
About Me
Tom Gruber
In 2001, I published a book through Trafford Publishing entitled: What the Bible "REALLY" says about... SEX: A New Look at Sexual Ethics from a Biblical Perspective. Here are a few of the key points: (1) Marriage, as we know it, was instituted after the fall as a result of the fall. (2) There are two kinds of sex: Responsible Sex and Irresponsible Sex. Sex outside of Marriage can be and usually is irresponsible, but not necessarily. (3) Alternative lifestyles, such as swinging and polyamory, can be practiced responsibly and therefore, they are not sinful per se. (3) There is sex in Heaven. In fact, there is polyamorous sex in Heaven. These ideas have been met with great resistance in the Christian community. I still believe much, if not most, of what I believed back in 2001. But I am constantly refining my beliefs and subjecting them to rigid scrutiny. Ultimately, I believe the Bible is the final court of arbitration for all Christians. ChristiansTalkingAboutSex.com is a Christian site dedicated to seeking the truth regarding sexual ethics.
View my complete profile
MENU
HOME PAGE/ HOT TOPICS POLYGAMY
Is Polygamy A Sin?
One of the greatest challenges facing Christianity today is the question of polygamy. Is polygamy a sin? If so, why? If not, why not?The polygamy issue is both complex and controversial. Since there are plenty of good arguments on each side, Christianity has reached a stalemate regarding whether or not polygamy is a sin. Even giants of the faith have been divided on this issue. Luther and Calvin, for example, took opposite views. Sincere Christians today are still divided. To find out more, CLICK HERE.
RELATED TOPICS
How Does The Polygamy Issue Affect Missions?
/What Do Surveys Say About Polygamy?
/What Did Augustine Say About Polygamy? /
/What Did Thomas Aquinas Say About Polygamy?
/What Did Luther Say About Polygamy?
/What Did John Calvin Say About Polygamy?
/What Did Billy Graham Say About Polygamy?
/What Did John MacArthur Say About Polygamy?
/What Did R.C. Sproul Say About Polygamy?
/What Did John G. Reisinger Say About Polygamy? /
/The "Polygamy Has Always Been Sinful" Argument
/The "Polygamy Is Not Sinful" Argument
/Was Polygamy A Sin In The Old Testament?
/Was Polygamy A Sin In The New Testament?
/Was Moses A Polygamist?
/Did God Disapprove of David's Polygamy?
/Why Did God Allow Polygamy?
/Is Polygamy Unwise?
/Is Polygamy The Preferred Form Of Marriage?
/Is Polyandry A Sin?
/Is Polygamy A Mormon/ Islamic Heresy?
/Would God Portray Himself As A Polygamist If Polygamy Is A Sin?
/Was Levirate Marriage Only For Single Men?
THE SIN OF ADAM AND EVE
What Was The Sin Of Adam And Eve? Why Is It Relevant To Us Today?
Although everyone is familiar with the story of Adam and Eve, this narrative has been interpreted and re-interpreted countless times and numerous ways throughout Judea-Christian history. Precisely what mankind's first sin was and how it subsequently effected the human condition continues to be a source of debate.
RELATED TOPICS
Biblical Account Of Adam And Eve
/Is Clothing A Result Of The Fall?
/Did The Serpent "Really" Lie?
/In What Sense Did Adam And Eve Die?
/Difficult Questions Posed By The Eden Saga
/I. What Was The Forbidden Fruit?
/Four Ways Adam And Eve May Have Misused Sex
/Why Did The Sexual Interpretation Go Out Of Vogue?
/What Did The Eden Narrative Mean To Ancient Israel?
/Top Ten Reasons Why The Sin Of Adam And Eve Was A Sexual Transgression
/1. Symbolic Significance of Trees
/Eve And Asherah: What's The Connection?
/All About Asherah Tree Worship:What's Sex Got To Do With It?
/2. Figs as Aphrodisiacs And Phallic Symbols
/3. The Garden Was A Metaphor For Both The Female Body And The Female Sex Organ
/4. An Enclosed Garden Was An Idyllic Environment For Lovemaking
/5. The Serpent Was a Phallic Symbol
/6. The Apple Has Long Been A Sexual Symbol
/7. The Serpent Was A Universal Fertility Symbol
/8. Eve And Asherah Shared The Title: "The Mother Of All Living"
/9. To "Know" Can Mean "To Have Sex"
/10. Adam And Eve Were Ashamed Of Their Nakedness After They Sinned
/The Modern Telephone Game Illustrates The Possible Validity Of Ancient Interpretation
/How Could Eve Have Sex With A Serpent?
/II. Was The Forbidden Fruit Literal, Symbolic, Or Both?
/Can Eating A Piece Of Literal Fruit Contaminate The Human Race?
/III. Were The Other Elements In The Story Literal, Symbolic, Or Both?
/(b) Was The Tree Of The Knowledge Of Good And Evil Literal, Symbolic, Or Both?
/How Did Adam Partake Of The Forbidden Fruit?
/Are There Female Demons?
/(c) Was The Tree Of Life Literal, Symbolic, Or Both?
/IV. How Did The Sin Of Adam And Eve Effect Humanity?
/Was The Forbidden Fruit Only A Test?
/V. In What Way Did Adam And Eve Become Like God?
/What Did It Mean To Freely Eat Any Fruit In The Garden?
/The Sin of Adam and Eve According to Martin Luther
/The Sin of Adam and Eve According to St. Jerome
/The Sin of Adam and Eve According To Aquinas
Eve According to Tertullian
The Sin of Adam and Eve According to Augustine
/The Sin of Adam and Eve According to St. Gregory /
The Sin of Adam and Eve According to Theophilus of Antioch and St. Irenaeus
/The Sin of Adam And Eve - John of Damascus
/The Sin of Adam And Eve According To Justin Martyr
/NUDISM
Does The Bible Condone Nudism?
Does God think it's okay for Christians to prance around naked in a public setting? Are nudist resorts nothing more than havens for perverted social misfits? Most Christians would probably answer "no" to the former and "yes" to the latter. Nevertheless, many followers of the Christian faith are, and probably always have been, a part of a widespread clothing-optional movement.
(CLICK HERE to continue.)
RELATED TOPICS
Benefits Of Nudism
/Nude Exercise In Ancient Greece
/Nudity At The YMCA
/How Queen Victoria Influenced Nudism
/How Platonic Asceticism Impacted Social Nudism
/Public Bathing In The Time Of Jesus
/When Nudism Is Not Okay
/Scriptures Used To Support Nudism
/Do Christians Clothed In Christ Need Clothes?
/Is Nudism Healthy For Children?
/How Do Nudist Resorts Deal With Erections?
/Why Was God Unhappy With The Fig Leaves?
/Was Jesus Nude After His Resurrection?
/Was Jesus Crucified Nude?
/Was Jesus Baptized In The Nude?
/Nude Baptism In Early Christianity
/MISCELLANEOUS
Why The Church Fathers Were So Negative About Sex
/The Sex Life Of Jesus: Was Jesus Married?
/About Tom Gruber