Quotes and Comments — #1

Conventionality is not morality.

Self-righteousness is not religion.

To attack the first is not to assail the last.

— Charlotte Bronte —

Christian Naturism is certainly a blow to “conventionality.” Social nudity is considered (it would seem) by all Christendom to be utterly immoral. It is viewed as an utter rejection of Biblical chastity.

But it’s not.

Christian Naturism directly challenges the spoken or unspoken assumption that “adequately” covering the body and avoiding non-spousal nakedness is a measure of holiness, “modesty,” or righteousness. Those that cover themselves judiciously are upheld as “pure.” Those who would allow strangers to see their unclothed bodies are considered “perverse.”

But they’re not.

Christian Naturism strongly affirms chastity and biblical sexual morality. In fact, I would contend that the practice of naturism will actually promote greater purity in one’s life. I testify before God that it certainly did for me.

Christian Naturism rejects false measures of righteousness regarding clothing, but it affirms the centrality in every believer’s life of a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Man-made rules of righteousness (no matter what the issue) are enemies of true righteousness, and we are called to actively reject them (See Gal. 3:1-3 & Col. 2:20-23).

Christian Naturism and those who promote it are accused of rejecting morality and spurning righteousness.

We have rejected…

• conventional notions about the unclothed body…
• the covering of the body as a sign of righteousness…

…but we we have not lifted our hands or voices against moral purity or true relationship with God… not in the least.

…To attack the first is not to assail the last.

— Matthew Neal

(If you have not already done so, please read the Introduction to the Quotes and Comments.)

Introduction to “Quotes and Comments”

Stealing from one source is plagiarism.

But stealing from many sources… is research!

— unknown —

I enjoy quotes.

I have an app on my iPod Touch that has over 53,000 quotations from all sorts of people and sources. Often, I will simply read through them to glean their wisdom. Of course, not all the quotes are good, and some are downright false… but there are a number that make me smile or nod in agreement. Those, I mark as “favorites” to come back to later (I now have almost 200 favorites…).

Many of the quotations that capture my attention do so when I consider them in relationship to the issue of naturism—or more specifically—naturism from a biblical Christian perspective.

So, it is from that context that I have decided to write a series of short blog posts, each citing one quotation along with my own comments on it… hence the series name, Quotes and Comments.

Disclaimer

Before I get going on this series, I need to say a few things about it…

1. I am fully aware that these quotations are not Scripture; I do not present them as such. They do not have authority as God’s revealed Truth. I use them simply because I find them pithy and insightful.
2. In many cases, I do not know much about the person who originated the quotation. Consequently, I may end up quoting someone with whom I would otherwise disagree on every other topic. My quoting them here is not an endorsement of anything else they say or believe… it is simply a single quotation that I do judge to be true.
3. In each case, I am not suggesting that the author of the quotation would agree with my position on naturism… or would even approve of my application of their words to the topic. However, it is my own opinion that the quotation is apt for the issue… and that is why I will add my own comments.

These points apply to all the posts in the series. I have included this disclaimer here in the introduction so that I don’t have to repeat it on each and every post.

Having said that, I hope you enjoy the series!

— Matthew Neal

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Quotes and Comments — #1