In Principle. It seems, as I reflect on it, that nakedness has always been attractive to me, but I had gotten the idea that it was somehow immoral except in limited circumstances, such as showering. But I have come to realize a couple of things. One is that if the Bible says Adam and Eve were naked without shame before the Fall, that is, before they sinned, nakedness can't be inherently immoral. Another is that nudity is not necessarily sexual — non-sexual nudity is possible even now, after the Fall.
But why did Adam and Eve want to be covered after the Fall? Pope John Paul II, in his "Theology of the Body," explains that among the elements of our fallen condition, is lust. We are aware of our and others' lustfulness, and we want to preserve ourselves from being reduced to objects of lust. We want to preserve our dignity as persons, not objects. And we do this by covering our sexual organs.
Clothing is also to some extent cultural. Beyond the genitals, displaying other areas can be erotic when keeping them covered is customary.
When there is no intention of provoking lust, nudity is not immoral. So, clearly, nudity when one is alone is not morally problematic. Beyond that, there is no problem with nudity within a family that is accustomed to it. Moving beyond the family to other settings, such as beaches and other social settings, it seems to me that it depends on expectations. Obviously the more people involved, the greater the chance that some will begin to experience lustful feelings. But if people who enjoy the comfort of non-sexual nudity by themselves or in their family get together on beaches or at resorts, it seems that that should not present a problem.
John Paul II also sees artistic nudity as acceptable. In his view, which makes sense to me, it depends on the intention of the artist. A work which respects the integrity of the person is acceptable. One which is created in a way which is intended to provoke lust is not. For the viewer, of course, the reaction is also important. For example, here's a photo which Edward at "Pardon My Schadenfreude" posted a couple of months ago. To me this is legitimate. It is not eroticized. The model is not doing anything sexually inviting. It seems reminiscent of Michelangelo's David, showing a human person in his simple beauty. I'd say one who finds himself turned on by it should not look at it, but I certainly would not consider the photographer a pornographer for this work.
Personal Experience. Maybe eight or nine years ago I began regularly sleeping in the nude. One night I just decided to give it a try and found it comfortable. After my mother died and I was normally alone in the house, I began being naked around the house from time to time. Again it is a matter of feeling comfortable. In winter the air is so dry, that after I get dressed in the morning to go out, I rarely feel like getting naked until it's time to go to bed. But in the more humid weather, nudity is more inviting. Often I don't bother, once I'm dressed. (I've never been one for changing clothes when I didn't have to.) But there are days when being naked just feels good. For example, today's outdoor high temperature was 91.1°F (33C), and at about 8:00 p.m. it was 83.1 (28.4). Indoors at that time is was 86.5 (30.3) upstairs, 81.7 (27.5) downstairs, and 76.8 (24.9) here in the cellar. Nudity is much more comfortable than wearing clothes.
One limitation is my brother, who tends to visit twice a week. I've always believed that he'd freak out if he saw me naked or knew I was a closet nudist. He seems to still think that unnecessary nudity is immoral. Just last Wednesday, I knew he would visit in the evening. I was in the cellar at my computer, naked, at about 2:00 when he came in the back door. Yikes! He usually doesn't arrive before 4:00. And the shirt and shorts I had available in case someone came to the door were in the dining room. I dashed around the cellar and couldn't find anything to put on that wouldn't make it obvious I had been nude. So I went up the stairs. Fortunately, he had gone to the wing where his bedroom is, and I heard him close the door to the bathroom off the kitchen. So I ran through the kitchen to the dining room, grabbed the clothes, and went to the living room to put them on. By the time he got out of the bathroom, I was "fully dressed." But it was a narrow escape. He virtually never comes straight to the cellar when he arrives. But if he hadn't gone to the bathroom, getting to my clothes and putting them on unseen would have been much dicier. Not that I was doing anything wrong, just that he'd have been greatly upset.
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9 comments:
I agree with John Paul II that clothing is necessary to keep lust under control. But in today's society clothing can arouse lust just from the way it's worn, or how little of it's worn. A word of caution about being nude in one's own home. Watch this video: Click Here
I've heard people say that somebody is always watching somebody no matter where they are at. Orwellian for sure, and with cameras on nearly every street corner in major cities, it's obvious George Orwell was a prophet in his own time.
That's amazing. But I do try to avoid being visible from outside. I the daytime, of course, there is the mirror effect — since it's brighter outside, poeple can't see in unless something is very near the window or very brightly lit. At night I keep the shades drawn in rooms where I'll have the lights on (except the kitchen where the windows are over the sink and chest high).
Although I might like to be naked with other naked people, I don't want to display myself to the general public passing by my house.
And you're right that clothing can also arouse lust. I think some clothing can be more arousing than plain nudity.
I started sleeping naked years ago. It was just more comfortable and cool fabric against my skin just felt good. It started with losing my pants for a few months, then my shirt, and then eventually the whole lot.
It probably also had something to do with sexual...ness. I was probably in the early ages of puberty and i think there was something naughty about being naked that turned me on. :P
Once i started, i could never really go back. I find it really hard to sleep with clothes on at all these days. I just feel restricted. Even though i was super shy about my body, i still slept naked while Bitboy was with me as well. Although that definitely wasn't just about comfort. :P
I have little interest in being naked around the house though. I just prefer wearing clothes. I can't say i enjoy seeing my body naked. And of course, there's always pouncy cats around. Oh, and a mother. :P
My body is such a size and build that if I sleep naked I get too hot. About the only time I enjoy being nude is after a shower, so I dry off well. And you are right, there is nothing sexual or erotic about it. In general, there is nothing sexual or erotic about my body, whether I'm turned on or not. ;)
I see nothing improper with nudity when the intent and conditions are appropriate, such as in the circumstances you describe.
I've tried sleeping nude a few times but on each occasion found it to be physically uncomfortable and quickly terminated the experiment - probably for the same reason I've never worn boxers. lol
In one of my blog posts I described a visit to a nude beach. I made a joking but very cruel observation: that if the people in the clothing optional section had looked at themselves in the mirror before leaving for the beach that section would be mostly deserted.
Obviously, their intent was not to display themselves to others, but rather to just enjoy the sun, sand and water free of the constraints of clothing.
I'm sorry I wrote that.
I guess that I am puzzled by the cultural more which states that "lust" is somehow an emotion to be avoided. It seems highly unlikely that people can avoid lust entirely; so it becomes an effort with to do so with no discernible benefit. Perhaps if we were not so rabid in our need to norm everyone, "lust" might be nothing more offensive or obtrusive than laughter.
Thanks for the thoughtful comments.
@ D@vid @ndrew Del@cruz — I've been told on another website that the guy beat the rap, and the woman nearly got charged for being a Peeping Tom.
@ Mirrorboy — I've only alluded to the point that I don't recommend nudity for those whose "Raging hormones" make nudity almost inevitably lead to sexual activity. But at this point, you clearly aren't in that category. Having a mum around can certainly be a disincentive to practicing nudity during the day. Same for pouncy cats.
@ James — Maybe if you prolong the drying periods, it will start to feel more natural.
@ Mister Ed — Our culture generally considers nudity apart from personal hygiene to have to do with sex, and therefore ridiculous for those who aren't physically attractive. So your mistake was no more than the attitude you learned from our culture.
@ robert — I'd distinguish between sexual attraction and lust. I'm using Pope John Paul II's definition, as I understand it. Lust, then is the wish to use another as an object for one's own sexual pleasure. As such, it differs from love, which seeks the good of the other, and which, rather than seeking simply to possess the other, seeks to give oneself to the other. It also differs from simple sexual attraction in that it is an act of the will and not an involuntary response. In other words, one does not choose to find another person sexually attractive. And when one finds another attractive, there may well be a temptation to treat the other as an object for one's pleasure rather than respecting the human dignity of the other person. Lust goes one step further and decides that one wants to use the other that way — would do so if possible.
I think people get themselves into a lot of unnecessary distress when they think that their natural feelings must be suppressed, or that their temptations are sins. As I see it, the moral question comes when one moves beyond the involuntary.
This was a surprising post. I would never have thought of that side of yours.
I like to hug my partner while sleeping and vice versa (on business trips I often wake up because I can't find him in the bed). When sleeping naked however, there is no fabric that can absorb the sweat which is created when two bodies are in close contact. That's why I just have to put something on in bed.
@ Mr. Urs — Life is full of these little surprises. Interesting that two bodies give off too much heat. Have you tried sleeping with just a sheet over yu, rather than a duvet? I suppose that would feel strange.
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