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. In fact, the American Sunbathing Association, an early nudist group, was founded in 1931 by Reverend Ilsley Boone, a Baptist pastor.
Christian nudists, better known as Christian naturists, are found in just about every denomination, though most are probably incognito. The claim among these Christians is that they see no contradiction between biblical teachings and nudism. Some even go so far as to say the Bible promotes a nudist lifestyle.
The Garden Of Eden: The World's First Nudist ParkTo support their position, Christian naturists often begin at the beginning of civilization with the biblical account of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:8-4:2).
Everyone knows the story. Before they ate the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve were the world's first nudists. Not only were they naked, but they were also unashamed of their nakedness. Therefore, the Garden of Eden was not only a sin-free environment, it was also the world's first nudist park.
But Utopia was abruptly interrupted when something evil happened. A mysterious moral transgression of epidemic proportions plunged humanity headlong into a downward spiral, known in theological terms as "The Fall." Lurking nearby, a cunning serpent, identified elsewhere in the Bible as the devil, persuaded them to eat the forbidden fruit.
"Sure, God said no, but who cares what God said? Eat, and your eyes will be opened. In fact, you will actually become like God, knowing good and evil!"
So in direct defiance of the Creator's explicit prohibition, they ate. And just as the serpent predicted, their eyes were opened wide. Only probably not in the manner they had anticipated. Suddenly, they became profoundly ashamed of their nakedness.
This was new. After covering their bodies with fig leaves, they hid from God. God, of course, found their hiding place. Adam told God the reason he hid was because he was naked.
"Who told you that you were naked?" God asked. "Have you eaten the fruit I commanded you not to eat?"
"Uh, yes," Adam admitted, "but it was the woman's fault."
The woman said the devil made her do it. "The serpent tricked me," she replied.
So God pronounced a curse. The serpent was to crawl on its belly.
From that point forward, the serpent and his offspring would be the enemies of the woman and her offspring.
"He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
The woman would now bear children with intense pain. Her desire would be for her husband, and he would be her master.
God said to Adam, "All your life you will struggle to earn a living.
Then you will die."
Adam then named his wife Eve, meaning "The Mother of All Living." God changed their wardrobe to animal skins, then booted them pronto from paradise. Mighty angels and a flaming sword guarded the entrance to The Tree of Life. East of Eden, a clothed humanity continues to live unhappily ever after.
How The Eden Account Is Used As A Biblical Endorsement Of NudismChristian naturists notice several elements in the Eden saga that suggest an endorsement of the nudist lifestyle. Since Adam and Eve were naked and unashamed before The Fall, and since they were clothed and ashamed after The Fall, it seems logical that wearing clothes and being ashamed of our bodies are both a direct result of sin. Early Christianity seems to agree with this assessment.
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