Nudes in the news

[Greenbare Woods]

It seems that the writer is playing to his audience, much like many political candidates are doing, reinforcing the fears and conformity. My gut instinct tells me that there is more to this than meets the eye. Perhaps more of a personal struggle or a marital one?

You are right, he is playing to his christian audience.   Opposition to nudity and "putting clothes on the natives" has been a Christian campaign since before they conquered pagan Europe.  For some reason, asceticism and monotheism are inexorably tied together, and have been since the first Kings of Israel fought over religion with pagan Jews until monotheism finally won.  Orthodox Christians, Jews, and Moslems fear bodies as "filth" that must be covered to prevent normal feelings of pleasure and lust. 

There always are a few christian nudists who argue theology with themselves and the Christian establishment, but the establishment continues on its orthodox shame of bodies.  And yes, they still don't like pagans who are still not opposed to bodies and pleasure. 

The authors of this "marriage bed" web site fear that Christian is losing its grip as the uniform identification in America.  Atheists, pagans, and other religions are making dents in their conformity in many parts of America.  All that is tied to increasing acceptance of nudity. The asceticism of monotheism is losing its iron grip.   Offsetting this trend is the Islam invasion.  Islam is even more demanding and controlling than Christianity, and covers women even more as well. 

Bob

[jbeegoode]

I was reluctant to bring up the subject of intolerance and its effect on body freedom. It needs to be brought up, but care needs to be taken to not insult the belief identification of some of us, who enjoy conservative church life, teach on Sundays, have community, etc. So far, I hope, so good.


Too often power has been intertwined with religion. Clothing is also intertwined with power. Power tends to diminish diversity and tolerance. This happens on many levels, from Mohammad conquering and laying down the law down to the masses, to some catty behavior among a group of girls ostracizing someone out of the group, to politicians today.


Having had ancestry coming from Europe to escape religious oppression, and realizing the foundations of the country's forefathers concerns, religious intolerance tends to tickle my ire, when it is directed at me from any source. Nudity is an integral piece of deep spirituality, ie a personal religion to me. Repression from other religion's beliefs of this, well... I don't like it.


I have this dichotomy of thought. First, all we need in this country is a bunch of new fundamentalists raised in intolerant countries coming here. We're just now getting out from under the ones that have been pushing their religion on the rest of us, ie, body freedom. Then thought comes to me, oops, well who am I to be intolerant of people who are refugees and of another religion, so were my ancestors. Then, I realize that these people aren't swarming toward Indonesia, or a host of other Muslim countries that are less prosperous. The issue isn't harboring refugees from war. This isn't Voyage of the Damned. These people from intolerant cultures have places to go, but they come here for the economic opportunity. They want to bring what they left and what they are familiar with, to here. A body of people only assimilate so much.


This isn't a wide open space to steal from the Natives anymore. The overpopulation has made elbow room and being naked more and more difficult. For 45 years, I've been standing for freedoms, equality, tolerance and population control. I have no obligation to muck that up. I want to see the USA catch up with Europe's body freedom and then move forward from there and from religious oppression. I don't mind sharing a beach, or any place, with someone in a silly swimsuit. It may feel disconcerting, confusing, a symbol of ideals that I don't share, I may even find disgust with it, but I respect that it is someones choice and belief.
Jbee
 

[Greenbare Woods]

This may be off topic but I find it interesting.   Its a scholarly study of the history of Islam from sources outside of the Quoran myths.   Its about obedience,  Islam means obedience.  Daily practice obedience is how religious/political leaders maintain control of large populations.   Wearing clothes is daily practice in obedience.  Our body is shame and we obey by hiding ourselves.   Good video.

https://youtu.be/-dlXCrpKTt0

[eyesup]

To me there is a disconnect between the teachings of some Christian churches and nature (nudity included) as life was intended.

Many times when I have returned from my hikes my misses asks, "did you have a talk with your God?". Honestly I can answer "Yes"!

I agree with you there. There are no distractions, and all you need for that conversation to be meaningful, is around you, not on you.

This may be off topic but I find it interesting. It's about obedience . . .  Daily practice obedience is how religious/political leaders maintain control of large populations.  Wearing clothes is daily practice in obedience.

Not only obedience but also fear/aversion of the disapproval of others. Both have to be present.

Duane

[nuduke]

Watching a few snatches of the nude rugby match it does render the matter of team identification a bit of an issue.  I assume the teams wore green socks and no socks.  Perhaps an armband might have been most effective!  In the UK at school we were made to play Rugby and the season was in the cold weather.  It always struck me as hopelessly illogical that one had to wear much less clothing and get dirty in the cold muddy field rather than wear much more clothing - to keep one warm clean, dry and more protected from injury!

John

[eyesup]

I've watched rugby and know little of the rules. It always reminds me of a game we played when smaller and more flexible that we called "Kill the Man With the Ball".

If you were foolish enough to pick up the ball, well, you get the idea.

Fun times!

Duane

[nudewalker]

We had a similar game only we called it "One Man Run". The rules were to run till you were tackled, throw the ball in the air then go after the guy with the ball. A few of my high school teammates went on to play club rugby in college. Needless to saw they were quite fast and skilled in ball handling, just not cut out to play college football in America.

Why do I have the feeling that if such a game if played here would have a SWAT team arriving before the first try? But I would suggest arm bands and different colored socks for team identification. Much easier to have volleyball as a nude team sport!

[Greenbare Woods]

Some body paint in your team colors would be sufficient to identify team members.  We also need to remember that humans are very good at identifying other humans.  If you take away all the "uniform" covering we have the ability to recognize our friends immediately.   Only the spectators may not be able to quickly tell which team member is which.

[jbeegoode]

Gotta watch that body paint in the sun. There are gaps between colors and streaks of brush marks. Different colors absorb light at different rates. I was painted with rainbows and swirls at a, well, Rainbow Gathering in '98. When the paint was wiped off, it looked like I had scars from being whipped and branded.

People looked at me like I had been. Some seemed horrified.

Sorry the old pics are 35 mil prints, not digital.
Jbee

[eyesup]

Sorry the old pics are 35 mil prints, not digital.

There's a gadget out there called a scanner that will digitize them.
To echo a comment heard elsewhere on this site, pictures please!

Duane

[nudewalker]

I have had some success taking pictures of pictures. Maybe I'll try some from hikes years ago and add then in some where appropriate.

[JOhnGw]

Sorry the old pics are 35 mil prints, not digital.

There's a gadget out there called a scanner that will digitize them.
To echo a comment heard elsewhere on this site, pictures please!

Duane

The scanner I have works with colour negatives as well as colour slides.

[eyesup]

I think film scanners are a different breed than the ones integrated with typical personal printers. I have wanted to get one for years, they are a little pricey, but I have a few decades of slides I would like to transfer to digital.

Right now it's a low priority.

Duane

[Davie]

I have an old scanner that can scan positive as well as negative pictures. Some slides seem to come out better than others and at a high bit rate it can be time consuming. I've thousands of slides and only scan one or two when required. Despite that the scanner has been a worth while investment.

Davie 

[nuduke]

we have the ability to recognize our friends immediately

Would know you anywhere, Bob!

And in respect of scanning slides - before we moved, I had a guy scan my several hundred collection which are now on a memory stick & backed up elsewhere and hopefully the technology will remain to allow them to be viewable during my lifetime.  They are much easier to view and have a few minutes down memory lane as jpegs rather than physical slides.  The original slides and manky old projector (inherited from my uncle who died about 1975)...with great reluctance but practical resolve, .....I put in the bin!

You gotta accentuate the positive
Eeeeliminate the negative
Latch on to the digital
Don't mess with Mr In Between!

John