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Naturism and Religion, and the Questions Only You Can Answer

Byournaturistlife

Ten questions at the crossroads of belief and body freedom.

Naturism and Religion: A person sitting in a meditative pose, nude, with a serene expression, facing a statue of Buddha in a cozy indoor setting.

We’ve written about naturism in many different ways… relationships, body acceptance, vulnerability, judgment, love, sex… but there’s one place we can’t write from… naturism and religion.

Last night, this topic came up with some friends and we didn’t have anything to say. Yeah… I know… how unusual!

But the reality is, Corin and I aren’t religious. That means we don’t know what it’s like to hold your faith in one hand and naturism in the other. But we know some of you do. Some of you wear the label of “Christian naturist” proudly. We’ve read Muslim naturists writing about the challenge of balancing naturism with modesty. Others keep quiet, hiding faith out of fear that the naturist community might not welcome it or that your church would never forgive it.

That’s a tough spot to live in.

We get asked about religion and naturism through direct messages and comments. And we have to admit… we don’t have the knowledge to answer those questions. But maybe you do. And maybe you can answer them for each other.

So instead of pretending we know, we’re putting the questions out there. And then we’re stepping back.

10 Big Questions About Faith and Naturism

1. Scripture and Modesty

Most religions say something about covering the body. Naturism flips that around and says modesty is about honesty, not fabric.

  • How do you make peace between what your faith says about modesty and what you live as a naturist?

2. Faith and Practice

For some people, naturism feels spiritual. For others, it’s just one part of life, separate from belief.

  • Do you see naturism as part of your faith journey or something completely apart from it?

3. Spiritual Growth or Tension

Some naturists talk about feeling closer to God (or the divine) when they’re nude in nature. Others feel conflicted.

  • Does naturism strengthen your faith or stretch it thin?

4. Facing Criticism

Let’s be honest… pastors, family members, friends… many will not understand naturism. Some will condemn it.

  • What do you say when people in your faith community challenge or criticize your naturism?

5. Belonging in Naturist Spaces

Sometimes it feels like naturism wants nothing to do with religion. That can make naturists of faith feel like outsiders twice over.

  • Do you feel your faith is welcomed in naturist spaces or do you feel you have to hide it?

6. Differences Across Traditions

Christian naturists talk about Eden. Muslim naturists often face cultural expectations of modesty. Jewish naturists might wrestle with rules about nudity and ritual.

  • What makes your naturist experience unique inside your own faith tradition?

7. Inclusivity and Exclusion

Naturism is supposed to be welcoming, but faith is sometimes used to justify exclusion.

  • How do you personally approach inclusivity in naturist spaces when your faith tradition may say otherwise?

8. Understanding Across the Divide

We admit it… we don’t always “get it.” A lot of naturists who aren’t religious struggle to understand how naturism and faith fit together.

  • What do you wish non-religious naturists like us could better understand about your journey?

9. Family and the Next Generation

Faith communities care deeply about raising children in belief. Naturism includes families too and sometimes the two don’t mix easily.

  • How do you talk to your children about naturism inside your faith, and how do you handle pushback from other families?

10. Faith, Community, and Courage

Being nude is one thing. Being honest about being a naturist of faith can be even harder.

  • Where do you find the courage to live openly as both a believer and a naturist, and what kind of community helps you do that?
A woman meditating nude in a serene indoor setting, seated cross-legged in a natural environment, with a Buddha statue and decorative plants in the background.

Closing Thoughts

Naturism has never been just about taking our clothes off. It’s about honesty, body positivity, freedom, and dropping the shame we’ve been carrying.

For some of you, faith is a part of that journey. For others, faith has been a wall you’ve had to climb. Both deserve to be heard.

We’re not afraid of debate. Healthy debate is how we learn from one another. Questions are welcome, curiosity is welcome, even disagreement is welcome. What’s not welcome are hateful or attacking comments. Those will be removed… full stop. What we want is a space for naturists of faith to share real experiences, in your own words.

And for us? This is about learning. We get asked these questions often, but we don’t have the lived experience to answer them. That’s why we’re leaving the space open for those of you who can.

So here are the questions. The answers are yours.

Because sometimes the most important thing isn’t who’s right… it’s finally giving people the space to speak.

Follow up: What stands out to us in the comments section is that everyone is interpreting.

Mainstream Christians often don’t realize how much of their view comes from centuries of tradition where clothing was tied to morality, rather than from a direct biblical command. Naturist Christians push back by asking: what does the text actually say…. and what does it not say? That’s why they emphasize Eden, modesty in context, and the lack of any clear command to always be clothed.

Neither side is approaching scripture in a vacuum. Both bring assumptions, fears, hopes, and culture into how they read it. The difference is that naturist Christians are questioning whether the dominant reading is truly biblical, or just inherited.

So maybe what we learn here is this.

Faith communities often defend long-standing traditions with as much passion as they defend scripture itself. Whether someone sees that as strength or limitation depends on where they stand. But it’s hard to miss the pattern… belief isn’t shaped by text alone, but by the lens people choose to read it through.

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30 Comments

  1. A well written post that poses alot of question. For me, I have always had struggles with organized religions. I larned that believing in the higher spirit, praying was my way of communication. I also found that naturism, when I learned to accept it on mhy terms helped me to heal mentally and physically, and that is my view.

    Reply

  2. I used the link you provided to relocate the article. Thank you so much! 😄 And so my reaction to your statement : “What struck me is that this seems to leave no one truly open to being convinced at all. If both belief systems begin from the assumption that visible bodies must carry sexual meaning, then persuasion becomes impossible by definition, and invisibility becomes the only remaining option.” You are right and I didn’t mean it that way. Obviously, some people without faith have found the intention of God (unknowingly), because they practice nudism. This is about freedom and God did not try to hide that purpose. There are other spiritual forces at play and their purpose is to mess up the plan of God, His plan for freedom for humanity. Unfortunately, their battle will succeed in some cases.

    Daniel Alfred

    Reply

  3. I need to say that I’m impressed with the level of knowledge that you share with your readers. So, I’m inclined to ask what level of training you have. I suspect it is a graduate, even a postgraduate level. The way you write and how you articulate your ideas is impressive – from my point of view. In this article, having admitted that your are non believers, you show a proprer way of dealing with the issues related to naturism in a very eloquent way. I’m impressed. But that is just in passing.

    I’ve been a Christian for more than 50 years. Yes, I was born in 1951. I had my first experience with group naturism when I was at University, 50 years ago. A small group of friends, among which some were naturists, gathered to share a meal and, during the evening, decided to let go of clothing and I followed suite. My relationship with faith was only budding at the time. It took me until recently to understand how deeply God felt about my naturism. I cannot share the details of what came out of it, but this is what I can say today: my standing with God compares to that of Adam and Eve BEFORE the fall. This is the case because I have a living relationship with Jesus-Christ, from which I receive His personal recommendations about my behaviour. Having received his salvation – that he acquired for me personaly at the Cross – my sins have been forgiven. This explains why my status compares with that of Adam and Eve before the fall. That fall was cancelled by my acceptance of Christ as Lord and Savior. But be sure of one thing, what really convinced me was the love that He demonstrated to me even while I was still a sinner. A relationship with God is not a matter of religion, even if we need to accept the category to classify subjects.

    So, my standing with God having been restored to the ex-ante order before the fall, it is natural that I would stand nude in the presence of God; because this is what He expected from Adam and Eve, before the fall. It is that simple.

    As you correctly pointed out, naturism in today’s world and among believers is not a simple matter. I support all the recommendations that you made about the issue. There are people that have discovered the blessing of living nude, while unbelievers have discovered the treasure by accident, so to speak. It is a blessing meant by God for humanity, but sin in general has twisted the plan of God. It is impossible to convince a faithless humanity that naturism is a blessing. And from a Christian point of view, the New Testament provides indications – not rules – that recommend what would be a proper behaviour. And those recommendations tend to refrain anyone from any form of sexual activity. Even though nudism is not a sexual activity, for Christians it falls in that category because sexual organs are exposed publicly. In society, there needs to be a coexistence between naturists and non-naturists. It is inevitable. And for Christians, it is better to stay out of the spotlight in general when it comes to naturism. It is a priviledge for american citizens to have a strong naturist community. It is not the case in Europe or anywhere else in the world.

    Since I’m writing a book about the New World Order. I expect that I should become a public figure in a near future. Therefore, I need to keep a low profile as a naturist.

    Reply

    1. Thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful reply. We really appreciate the respect and care in how you engaged with the article. Even when perspectives differ, conversations like this are exactly why we write in the first place.

      Just to clarify one thing you asked, neither of us has a postgraduate education. What we bring to our writing comes from life experience, a lot of reading, and the career paths we’ve chosen over the years. We’re very much “learned by living” people. Curiosity, observation, and sometimes getting things wrong have probably taught us more than any classroom.

      We also understand your decision to remain largely invisible as a naturist, especially given your faith, your work, and the paths you’re navigating. Everyone weighs risk and consequence differently. A lot of our writing comes from sitting in that uncomfortable space between personal conviction and public silence, and asking who benefits from invisibility… and who quietly carries the cost of it. There isn’t a single right answer, but it’s a tension we think matters.

      One part of your comment made me think, and I hope you’ll take this in the reflective spirit it’s meant. You suggest that a “faithless” humanity cannot be convinced that naturism is a blessing, while also acknowledging that within Christianity, nudity itself is often treated as sexual simply because sexual organs are visible… even when no sexual intent or activity is present. What struck me is that this seems to leave no one truly open to being convinced at all. If both belief systems begin from the assumption that visible bodies must carry sexual meaning, then persuasion becomes impossible by definition, and invisibility becomes the only remaining option.

      This is precisely why we tend to push back against both assumptions. We don’t believe bodies are inherently sexual, and we don’t believe people, religious or not, are incapable of learning to separate anatomy from intent. That separation, imperfect and uncomfortable as it can be, feels essential if naturism is ever going to be understood as something other than provocation or taboo.

      Lastly, just on the point about Europe… it actually has some of the oldest and strongest naturist traditions in the world. British Naturism alone is one of the largest and most organized national naturist bodies globally with tens of thousands of members, decades of legal advocacy, and ongoing engagement with media and public authorities. And across Europe naturism is often less about identity or advocacy and more about cultural normalization. France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Croatia, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Italy all have naturist federations. It can look quieter from the outside, but it’s very much there, and alive. We can only hope that North America can find that level of maturity one day.

      Thanks again for engaging with us so thoughtfully. We genuinely value conversations like this, especially when they stretch us a bit.

      Reply

  4. I’m going to take number 1. Christianity and Modesty. Most Christians believe the bible is very clear about the fact that Christians should cover up the body, and to expose “too much skin” is immoral. But here’s the thing. There is nowhere in the bible that commands wearing clothes, or forbids being naked. People try to take a few key verses out of context, and use them to say the bible condemns Naturism. But if they were to be truly unbiased, and do the research they say needs to be done on every other subject regarding Christianity, they would HAVE to find that they are in error about this subject.

    There are websites dedicated to debunking the myths of Christianity that most of the mainstream church believes. Here are a few:

    https://thebiblicalnaturist.blogspot.com/
    https://achingforeden.wordpress.com/
    https://nakedandunashamed.org/
    https://figleafforum.com/

    Several of these sites also have a resource page to find even more on this subject, including books and other websites.

    There is also a great youtube/vimeo channel called Mudwalkers that does a great job of talking about the typical subjects textiles bring up when trying to say Christian Naturism is an oxymoron. https://www.youtube.com/@mudwalkers8338

    So if someone on here is a Christian and thinks there is a possibility they are doing something wrong, I would encourage them by saying they are not. I would also recommend they check out some of the sites above, and even contact me if that is possible here.

    One final thought. Many Christian men, and even women, struggle with addiction to pornography. I know of many men who have beaten this addiction by coming to a truly Godly view of the human body. I am also one of those men. If you are struggling with lust and pornography addiction, again, check out the websites above, contact me, and one final resource is MyChainsAreGone.org. These websites are all free.

    There is true healing available when you renew your mind and learn how to properly regard the human body.

    Reply

  5. Regarding Q2&3, my practice of naturism has added to my faith in many ways. I never understood freedom in Christ until I became a naturist. It is rare that I visit a naturist venue that I do not gain some new spiritual insight. Naturism has become an integral part of my faith, not that my faith depends on naturism, but rather that my faith is integrated with the principles of naturism where the two intersect. Naturists speak of respect for self and others, which is entirely consistent with Christianity. Naturists do not objectify others, which is consistent with the teachings of Christianity (though sadly, all too often, is not consistent with the practice of many Christians). Naturism says that the human body is good, Also a Christian concept. These things are taught by the Bible, but often are not taught by the church. If my only exposure to the truth is what I receive in church, then I may well be left with the impression that naturism is wrong: however if I diligently search the scriptures, I find that naturism is correct and that its principles ADD to my faith and reinforce the correctness of my faith. My faith is not stretched thin by the practice of naturism, rather it is grown by and spreads to other areas of my life and thinking which my faith alone had not yet renewed. (Rom 12: 1-2 Dear brothers, in view of God’s mercies I urge you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, that you may be able to test and approve of what God’s will is, his good pleasing and perfect will.)

    Reply

  6. I could write a treatise on Christian Naturism. However those are not effective in comment sections so I will simply answer individual questions. Regarding Q1. As Christian Naturists we believe and take seriously the passage, “God created man(kind) in his own image, in the image of God He created him; Male and Female he created them. (Gen 1:27). If you skip down to V.31 God calls all that he had made “Very Good”, before that he only calls his creation “good”. Gen 2:25 states that the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. Once man sinned (rebellion against God) Adam’s reply to God is “I was afraid because I was naked”, but the Hebrew words used between 2:25 and 3:10 are two different words. (2:25 denotes simple nudity, 3:10 denotes lack of protection, uncovered, vulnerable). There are actually three Hebrew words that are translated naked, but the scripture attaches no shame to one of these, the one in 2:25 (if you want to look these up Blue Letter Bible has many helpful tools to understand the differences, including which word is used where). The Bible nowhere condemns simple nudity. I could go on, but this is already too long. The long and short of the matter is that our bodies reveal the image of God, both male and female. God called our bodies Very Good, a statement that he never retracts. Many say that after the fall of mankind we were no longer able to handle the sight of the unclad human form, but that is nowhere in scripture, these statements come from the superimposing our preconceived notions upon scripture. Nudity was God’s original intent for humanity and, I believe, pleasing to our Father in Heaven.

    Reply

  7. 1. Scripture and Modesty
    Most religions say something about covering the body. Naturism flips that around and says modesty is about honesty, not fabric.
    • How do you make peace between what your faith says about modesty and what you live as a naturist?

    I view modesty more as an attitude than a state of dress. Christianity isn’t anti-nude as far as I’ve read the bible.

    2. Faith and Practice
    For some people, naturism feels spiritual. For others, it’s just one part of life, separate from belief.
    • Do you see naturism as part of your faith journey or something completely apart from it?

    Naturism is completely apart from my Christian beliefs as the don’t clash. The dubious aim to get closer to the state before origional sin is a small cross-over.

    3. Spiritual Growth or Tension
    Some naturists talk about feeling closer to God (or the divine) when they’re nude in nature. Others feel conflicted.
    • Does naturism strengthen your faith or stretch it thin?

    Naturism has very little impact on my faith.

    4. Facing Criticism
    Let’s be honest… pastors, family members, friends… many will not understand naturism. Some will condemn it.
    • What do you say when people in your faith community challenge or criticize your naturism?

    I’ve had no challenges or criticism from my faith community, and we are open about it.

    5. Belonging in Naturist Spaces
    Sometimes it feels like naturism wants nothing to do with religion. That can make naturists of faith feel like outsiders twice over.
    • Do you feel your faith is welcomed in naturist spaces or do you feel you have to hide it?

    My experience of naturist spaces is limited, but the one resort we go to seems largely Christian, although it’s not a focal point.

    6. Differences Across Traditions
    Christian naturists talk about Eden. Muslim naturists often face cultural expectations of modesty. Jewish naturists might wrestle with rules about nudity and ritual.
    • What makes your naturist experience unique inside your own faith tradition?

    I’d say the acceptance I’ve encountered makes my experience unique.

    7. Inclusivity and Exclusion
    Naturism is supposed to be welcoming, but faith is sometimes used to justify exclusion.
    • How do you personally approach inclusivity in naturist spaces when your faith tradition may say otherwise?

    Christianity is by definition inclusive.

    8. Understanding Across the Divide
    We admit it… we don’t always “get it.” A lot of naturists who aren’t religious struggle to understand how naturism and faith fit together.
    • What do you wish non-religious naturists like us could better understand about your journey?

    Christianity is good and true, and it is not against naturism.

    9. Family and the Next Generation
    Faith communities care deeply about raising children in belief. Naturism includes families too and sometimes the two don’t mix easily.
    • How do you talk to your children about naturism inside your faith, and how do you handle pushback from other families?

    We’re openly naturist. My youngest is too, my eldest likes clothes. (9 and 11 daughters). We’ve had almost no push-back.

    10. Faith, Community, and Courage
    Being nude is one thing. Being honest about being a naturist of faith can be even harder.
    • Where do you find the courage to live openly as both a believer and a naturist, and what kind of community helps you do that?

    I think the fear is largely unfounded. People have been surprised, but never shocked or offended. We’ve been asked “but you don’t do the swinging thing though…”, but that’s about it.

    Thank you guys, I read all your newsletters.

    Reply

  8. This is a comment in response to Paul B, who said, “The word used in the original Hebrew in Genesis 2 is “arom”. It is only ever used to speak of physical nakedness. In Genesis 3, the word used is “erom” they are the same word, but when the second one is used, there are negative implications in the meaning. Both are only ever used to describe physical nakedness.”

    Paul, I think you’ll find that Genesis 2:25 uses the word “arumim” – “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed”. Here, עֲרוּמִּים (arumim) is a related form of the word arom and signifies their initial state of absolute nakedness without shame – in other words, innocence. Adam and Eve were in a state of complete innocence and had no need to hide from God.

    But you may be right – it could also refer to physical clothing, in the same way that the Garden, the two trees, the serpent, the fig leaf coverings, etc. are all described in physical terms. And I realise that some people insist on taking the whole account of creation and the Fall in a literal sense – and that’s ok. But it makes a whole lot more sense to me to view it as an allegory, bringing out the essence of things like innocence, trust, free will, disobedience, the nature of God and his relationship with man, how sin and death entered the world and the reconciliation of man to God through the death of Christ. As I mentioned, to take the account in a literal sense just invites scorn and ridicule from people who think it’s all about magic apples and talking snakes. It’s not. There is a much deeper message behind the whole account, in the same way that Jesus used made-up stories (parables) to describe spiritual truths.

    Reply

  9. If one is a believer, naturism is a bonus. It takes away shame about your own body and to come to that point you need to be honest. Honest about your insecurities and where they come from. Honest in how you percieve fellow naturists. And you treat that god’s given environment a lot better.
    Kees.

    Reply

  10. This is a huge topic, Kevin, and I really appreciate your desire to understand from a non-religious viewpoint.

    Having been heavily involved in Christianity for much of my life, I can certainly offer some insights relevant to Christianity and the Bible – not so much on other religions. But it should be realised that ever since the start of Christianity, it has spread globally into hundreds – possibly thousands – of denominations, each with their own particular stance on a multitude of issues. A particular religious practice or belief in one church might not be observed in the church further up the road. So, my comments have to be limited to my own experience and practice, and will almost certainly be refuted by some other Christian churches.

    1. Scripture and Modesty

    Most religions say something about covering the body. Naturism flips that around and says modesty is about honesty, not fabric. How do you make peace between what your faith says about modesty and what you live as a naturist?

    This is a big one, and probably one of the most important for Christian naturists to understand. In 1 Timothy chapter2: verses 9-10 Paul encouraged women to prioritize inner beauty through good works and a godly life, rather than external displays of wealth and vanity. The church had basically become a fashion parade, where women competed to show off their wealth. This was having a huge impact on folks who were less well off. Expensive clothing and intricate hairstyles are seen as promoting vanity and a worldly focus, which detracts from a godly testimony. This is what is meant by the term “modesty” – to demonstrate humility and kindness, rather than flaunting wealth. It had nothing to do with hiding the body. That false interpretation came later with the invasion of Gnosticism into the early church (see Romans 16:17-20 and 1 Timothy 1:6-7)

    Gnostics believed salvation was achieved through attaining secret, esoteric knowledge (gnosis) about one’s true divine nature and the spiritual world, not through faith. They presented a dualistic worldview where the material world was created by a malevolent or ignorant Demiurge (often identified with the Old Testament God), and the spiritual world was the true realm of existence. Along with this teaching, they believed Jesus only appeared to be human, because a true God could not enter a corrupt material body. Thus was born the belief that the body is inherently evil and must be covered – particularly those parts involved with sex. Many churches today still cling to the belief that exposing the genitals leads to lustful sin – even though the Bible teaches that Christ came to conquer sin! It’s a weird, but understandable, contradiction!

    2. Faith and Practice

    For some people, naturism feels spiritual. For others, it’s just one part of life, separate from belief. Do you see naturism as part of your faith journey or something completely apart from it?

    This probably varies hugely with each individual’s path. For me personally, there have been times when I have had important spiritual experiences and encouragements while being naked in isolated natural environments, but most the time being naked is just a convenient way to be.

    3. Spiritual Growth or Tension

    Some naturists talk about feeling closer to God (or the divine) when they’re nude in nature. Others feel conflicted. Does naturism strengthen your faith or stretch it thin?

    This kind of hooks into question 1. Provided a Christian understands and is convinced that being naked is not sinful, then they certainly shouldn’t feel conflicted. They should be able to appreciate and connect with the natural world of God’s creation enfolding them, and celebrate their body. For those that feel conflicted, I would thoroughly recommend Bob Horrock’s book, “Uncovering the Image”.

    4. Facing Criticism

    Let’s be honest… pastors, family members, friends… many will not understand naturism. Some will condemn it. What do you say when people in your faith community challenge or criticize your naturism?

    Yes, many will not understand. They buy into the erroneous teaching that public nudity leads to sin. All I do is present my case for them to consider – answering their questions as best I can. Some understand – others don’t. I accept their choice and respect their right to disagree.

    5. Belonging in Naturist Spaces

    Sometimes it feels like naturism wants nothing to do with religion. That can make naturists of faith feel like outsiders twice over. Do you feel your faith is welcomed in naturist spaces or do you feel you have to hide it?

    I’m not sure if naturist spaces are any different from the whole of society in this respect. In fact, in todays world it seems other ideologies and beliefs have become the trendy things to follow, while traditional Christianity is taking a seat very much at the back! Still – I don’t feel any need to hide my faith, but I certainly don’t “Bible bash” or try to ram it down people’s throats. Is it welcomed? Certainly by those who choose to chat with me about it, perhaps. Otherwise it’s not really an issue.

    6. Differences Across Traditions

    Christian naturists talk about Eden. Muslim naturists often face cultural expectations of modesty. Jewish naturists might wrestle with rules about nudity and ritual. What makes your naturist experience unique inside your own faith tradition?

    For me, and I would hazard a guess for most Christian naturists, the unique aspect within the Christian tradition lies in understanding the Garden of Eden allegory and the idea of being “naked before God,” not as shameful thing but as a state of innocence that can be recaptured after it was forfeited by Adam and Eve’s disobedience. It manifests as a sense of harmony with God’s creation that was lost after the Fall of Man.

    7. Inclusivity and Exclusion

    Naturism is supposed to be welcoming, but faith is sometimes used to justify exclusion. How do you personally approach inclusivity in naturist spaces when your faith tradition may say otherwise?

    This is an interesting one and, sad to say, many people struggle to separate people from their behaviour. Nobody is perfect; we all have our weaknesses and we all do stuff that falls short of perfection. The Bible has a lot to say about that – including Jesus’ challenge to the crowd who were about to stone an adulterous woman to death – “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”. Again – there is a lot of misinterpretation and misunderstanding of the apostle Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 5 where he says to expel the immoral brother. It’s NOT suggesting exclusion.

    And it’s not just about stuff we would label as “sin” either – it could be simply things the other person believes in that our faith doesn’t. But that doesn’t mean we have to exclude people. It would be ridiculous to suppose that we all have to agree on everything. I have people in my life who are amazing friends, yet on some issues we are poles apart! That doesn’t mean we have to exclude them from our circle.

    8. Understanding Across the Divide

    We admit it… we don’t always “get it.” A lot of naturists who aren’t religious struggle to understand how naturism and faith fit together. What do you wish non-religious naturists like us could better understand about your journey?

    This is a tricky one. I would first want to know why specifically they think naturism and my faith don’t fit. And, if they’re happy for a discussion, I’d be happy to answer any questions.

    9. Family and the Next Generation

    Faith communities care deeply about raising children in belief. Naturism includes families too and sometimes the two don’t mix easily. How do you talk to your children about naturism inside your faith, and how do you handle pushback from other families?

    I was brought up in a family where clothes didn’t matter – they were solely for practical reasons – warmth, protection, etc. Our kids were brought up the same way. Being naked is a non-issue for them. I suspect the situation will be quite different for families who discovered clothes-free living later on. But teaching the kids how they were created “in the image of God” – in body, mind and spirit – has given them a profound appreciation of who they are and the immeasurable value that God has placed on them. It has given them a healthy sense of self-worth, as they don’t place any importance on what other people think of them or how they look. Being naked nothing remarkable to them.

    Sure – other families don’t agree that our kids should be naked in social settings that include adults. But almost always that belief is enshrouded in the mindset that nudity = sex = adults only. I don’t ridicule them for that, but if they genuinely want to discuss the matter I’m happy to state my case. Those that don’t want to hear our viewpoint have no grounds for complaint.

    10. Faith, Community, and Courage

    Being nude is one thing. Being honest about being a naturist of faith can be even harder. Where do you find the courage to live openly as both a believer and a naturist, and what kind of community helps you do that?

    Interesting question. And, to be perfectly honest I’ve found much more help with this from the naturist community than the church. My personal approach to this is “With knowledge comes understanding; with understanding comes confidence; with confidence comes power”. For me, confidence and courage has come by studying and working through the issues that would otherwise drive naturism and faith apart. Even Christians who are not naturists need to have the courage to stand by their convictions in the face of atheistic ridicule. Adding naturism into the mix is just another step forward.

    Thank you, Kevin and Corin, for the opportunity to address these issues. There is much more to be said, of course, but I hope this relatively brief response sheds a little light. Cheers!

    Reply

    1. Thank you. This is exactly what we were looking for. Not just lines of scriptures but lived experience to help others understand. We often see naturists express fear of being ostracized by their church or community if they were open about their practice. But if your relationship is with God first, why does that fear hold so much power? Isn’t that putting more weight on what others think than on trusting God?

      Why stay silent instead of seeking a form of Christianity that would accept it? We don’t ask this to dismiss the difficulty. We understand community ties can be deep.

      How would you tell someone how to reconcile their faith, their naturism, and the potential cost of honesty in their church community?

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      1. “We often see naturists express fear of being ostracized by their church or community if they were open about their practice. But if your relationship is with God first, why does that fear hold so much power? Isn’t that putting more weight on what others think than on trusting God?”

        Yes, absolutely. That is totally true. I think any fear of being ostracized is rooted in two factors. Firstly it’s proportional to the amount of investment one has placed in the Christian fellowship they are part of. Those who have worked their way up to positions of responsibility and leadership rely on maintaining the respect of everyone, and have more to lose if they put a foot wrong in the eyes of the congregation. And secondly it’s inversely proportional to their degree of understanding of how naturism – rather than being in conflict with the Bible – is actually in harmony with it. Fear is born from ignorance and the unknown. There could even be a third factor – the fear of gossip. “What will the neighbours think if they find out?” Many churches are in small local communities, and news gets around.

        But, you’re right. In spite of all the constant teaching that a person’s value is based on what God thinks, rather than what other people think, that’s a really difficult concept for most humans to put into practice! And it’s a concept that we have tried to drum home to our kids. Even if later on they choose to follow another faith, or even none at all, at least they will have learned that other people’s opinions of them don’t matter!

        “Why stay silent instead of seeking a form of Christianity that would accept it? We don’t ask this to dismiss the difficulty. We understand community ties can be deep.”

        It’s the easier of the options. For many church attendees, the church community is their life, where they’ve built up friendships and relationships. Having to start again, find a new church that accepts naturism, and forming new friendships would be a mission and a half! Not to mention the pain of having to tear away from their original church. The apostle Paul drew the analogy of the church being like a body – that all parts play an important role, and that if one part suffers or is taken away, the whole body suffers.

        “How would you tell someone how to reconcile their faith, their naturism, and the potential cost of honesty in their church community?”

        With care and due diligence. Connecting the first two we’ve covered. Bringing the third into the equation is the next step. I would suggest, as a first step, to determine what is most important to them – maintaining a reputation based on what other church members think of them, or living authentically with no secrets? I’d suggest to take it slowly. First confide in the most trusted and closest friends within the church community. Explain what naturism is all about to them; that you earnestly believe this is God’s calling on your life, and win them over first. Then progress slowly from there. One can never tell – some may disapprove, but others won’t. Not everyone will be your enemy!

        Yes, it’s a risk. But one that I believe is worth taking. I could not live with such a secret aspect to my life – hiding it as though it’s a shameful thing. In fact, the very act of hiding it risks sending the wrong message to anyone who inadvertently finds out!

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  11. We are Secular Buddhists. The rest of the population is subjected to Dogma that is used by Slickers in separatating the weak minded from their money. Prove me wrong! 😉😉🧓👴

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  12. I have been a naturist for 22 years, and a Christian for much longer than that. But before I answer your questions specifically, I feel we need to distinguish between our personal experience of spirituality and our religious traditions. My experiences are my own, colored but not defined by the tradition I was raised in and continue to value.

    1. The Biblical definition of modesty is not how much skin isn’t exposed; it’s the absence of wealth display in the form of rich dress or jewelry etc. By that definition, *naked* is the most “modest dress” of all!

    2. Naturism is most surely an integral aspect of my spiritual experience.

    3. It has both challenged and enhanced my faith in the God Who made us naked and without shame.

    4. I could say a lot, if I’m allowed to speak. Unfortunately many of my brothers and sisters are more wanting to shut me down than hear me on this.

    5. I have mostly seen curiosity. Many people wonder, as you do, how naked faith shows up, and I’m happy to tell them.

    6. I was raised in a Baptist group that continues to value individual study and experience. My unique experience is that I’ve studied the Bible extensively, particularly every passage that mentions nakedness, and found that not only is there no general condemnation, but that in several places God encouraged His servants to go naked.

    7. Jesus never talked about exclusivity. Even in His harshest language He expressed His wish for all to “Come unto Me…”

    8. Many Christians say “Christianity is not a religion; it’s a relationship.” We mean that the direct experience supersedes any doctrine. (My direct experience of naturism certainly did so!)

    9. I’ll let someone else answer since I don’t have children of my own.

    10. Courage comes from the realization that I have nothing to lose. For every group that has excluded me, another has welcomed me. For every friend I’ve lost, I’ve gained two or three.

    It was a challenge at first, but naturism has brought love, joy and peace to me. I can no more go back to a clothes-minded mindset than I can stop believing in the God I’ve known. One only enhances the other.

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  13. Roman Catholic and never had a big bias against nudity. i believe that young people raised with nudity would be better adjusted.

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    1. True, I think the idea of nudity=shame is what makes people unadjusted. A healthy view of nudity and sex is a great part of growing up and in the faith. Sex with love is more fulfilling than not.

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  14. I was raised very conservative and that nudity other than at the doctors office was wrong. I am Christian nudist in a very conservative church. I would be ostracized and judged very harshly if it was known. As I read the Bible there is no place that nudity is listed as a sin. It does speak against sexual sin. As mentioned in the above comments there is Adam and Eve. Then there is the reference to King David dancing nude in front of the whole assembly. He is not condemned by anyone other than a family member. In addition there is the prophet who was instructed by God to wear no clothes for years and to preach during those years. I enjoy the freedom of being nude and knowing I am not condemned by anyone other than people who are hung up on the modesty issue.

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  15. When it comes to beliefs, both my wife and I are spiritual. We believe and do not believe in organized religion as we have had not so good experiences. I feel close to the higher power if you will. I ama Naturist at home, wife is not but she supports my choice. We do not believe the anyone has the right to judge and criticize others. It is up to you (me) to make that choice. I don’t go around saying “I am a nudist or naturist,” If it comes up and,I feel A thoughtful discussion is ok, then so be

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  16. I can’t answer any questions about how people reconcile naturism with religion any more than I could about anyone’s personal relationship to their faith an any issue.
    But I do have one thing that a Jewish naturist mentioned that I sometimes pass along:
    In Genesis, after eating the fruit, Adam and Eve hid from God in the bushes. When God asked why they were hiding, Adam responded, “Because we’re naked”.

    God’s response was, “Who told you that you were naked?”

    It implies that they already were, and just never paid attention to it and had no shame about it (I was once told that it’s different in the Q’uran, but I haven’t read it to verify that). The emphasis is in the question, “Who TOLD you that?”

    Just food for thought.

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    1. That’s an interesting thought. My take on it is that the book of Genesis needs to be understood as an allegory – not so much as a literal account of actual physical occurrences. To treat it literally just invites ridicule about magic apples and talking snakes – and who could blame them?!

      God created Adam and Eve as perfect sinless creations. Physically naked? Sure. But spiritually naked? No way! They were clothed in the righteousness of God and walked through the garden in pure innocence. But Adam and Eve were also created with the gift of Free Will. The test of that free will came when they were confronted with a choice to either obey or disobey God. The choice was represented by the two trees- the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. God allowed them to eat from the Tree of Life, but not the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Their temptation was represented as a snake, which urged them to try the fruit of the forbidden tree – convincing them that God was lying about the consequence of death if they ate from it. So they did!

      Then their eyes were opened and they realised they were now naked – their clothes of righteousness had fallen off them and their disobedience exposed. That, my friend, is why they tried to hide. The clothing made from fig leaves represents their own sad attempt to hide their disobedience from God – a vain attempt to recreate their righteousness. But it didn’t work.

      When Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden, God killed an animal – most likely a lamb – to make clothes for them to survive in the wilderness. It was the first example of death that can be found in the book of Genesis. It was an uncanny foretelling of the coming of Christ, thousands of years later, who would die on the cross – the Lamb of God – who would restore clothing of righteousness to all who would repent of their sin and accept it. That’s why he was called, The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”.

      The whole account of Adam and Eve is about spiritual nakedness – not physical clothing.

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      1. The word used in the original Hebrew in Genesis 2 is “arom”. It is only ever used to speak of physical nakedness. In Genesis 3, the word used is “erom” they are the same word, but when the second one is used, there are negative implications in the meaning. Both are only ever used to describe physical nakedness.

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  17. Love your article, wife and I are devout Catholics and we are nude at home all the time. Our kids are grown and in college so we are free to be more than ever. When they were younger we would not be naked all the time but we didn’t hide either. In our faith, it is fine to be nude and sexual. That is a common misconception about the faith. Nudity and sexuality is fine, it is the exploitation of both that makes it bad. So I know what you do is not exploitive it is freeing. Thanks for your thoughtful comments. Take care and God Bless.

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  18. I was raised roman Catholic but stopped being religious after I attended school and was beaten by the nuns. My naturism “journey” began about then. My own little rebellion.

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