Introducing Catholics into the World of Nudism.
Return to DiscussionsI am always attempting to introduce textiles into the world of nudism. When speaking to someone who happens to be Catholic, they often will say that the Church forbids it and it is a sin. As Catholics and nudists, we know that this is not the case and it is likely "Catholic Guilt" again rearing its ugly head. I often present these skeptics with articles written by St. Pope John Paul II. In my years as a nudist, I have known of several women who were once living in a Convent and are now out and have adopted the nudist lifestyle. I also know of at least one active Catholic Priest who is an active nudist. After saying his last Mass on Sunday, he will often go to a nudist resort to spend the rest of the day.
I would like to find present or past Religious individuals who are nudists and can suggest ideas or ways to ease the minds of reluctant Catholics, to at least give nudism a try. If you are such a person or knows someone who fits this description, please contact me. You can contact me here or through my profile. Thank you and remember Stay Nude, and Stay Happy. My profile is listed as DesertRat.
Well, you have these predators in the Catholic Church, and the Mormon Church, and the Boy Scouts, and in just about every totalitarian society where people have power over other people, and secrets are kept about what they do with that power. But that doesn't mean that every person in a position of power succumbs to the temptation of misusing that power. In fact, the vast majority of them don't.
The problem comes when the administrative parts of these organizations try to hide the activities, and fail to take steps to prevent it. It's an abuse of the faith that people have in the organizations that needs correcting.
The problem comes when the administrative parts of these organizations try to hide the activities, and fail to take steps to prevent it. It's an abuse of the faith that people have in the organizations that needs correcting.
I'm not Roman Catholic but I am an Eagle Scout and agree with your statement. Not once as a scout or an adult scout leader over 20 years was I persoanally aware of any sexual or other abuse. However, in 1980 the Boy Scouts of America BSA fought the right to discriminate all the way to the Supreme Court and won. It struck me as wrong, cowardly and unjust because the lawsuit was against a group of people rather than any specific behaviors. In the Scout Law, a Scout is kind and brave. When I learned how BSA had maintained a strong policy over many years to protect child abusers within their ranks, everything that Scouting stood for in getting my Eagle rank disappeared, turning my medal into a bubble gum machine trinket. What were they thinking - that child abuse by married, heterosexual church-going suburbanites in their own ranks is somehow acceptable or respectable? They fell to the notion that they could file away abuse and immorality and somehow maintain their moral authority. I too have lost all my respect and concern for their survival.
Has there ever been a Catholic service or gathering that could be attended nude?...I have seen on you tube where there have been nudist services attended by a nudist congregation with a nudist minister...I wonder has there ever been such a Catholic Mass or service?
I am a cradle Catholic and a nudist . I have never read or heard of the Churchs view on nudity. I guess I could google this topic, but it is foreign to me. I have heard of Priests who are alcoholic, but do not know any personally who abused children .
I am a cradle Catholic and a nudist . I have never read or heard of the Churchs view on nudity. I guess I could google this topic, but it is foreign to me. I have heard of Priests who are alcoholic, but do not know any personally who abused children .
I am a cradle Catholic and a nudist . I have never read or heard of the Churchs view on nudity. I guess I could google this topic, but it is foreign to me. I have heard of Priests who are alcoholic, but do not know any personally who abused children .
Unfortunately I do. My pastor was the first priest charged with taking minors across state lines to "meet" other priests. I knew 2 of the victims. All were 16 or 17 at the time.
I also know of at least one active Catholic Priest who is an active nudist.
I also know a Priest who is a nudist.I would like to find present or past Religious individuals who are nudists and can suggest ideas or ways to ease the minds of reluctant Catholics, to at least give nudism a try.
There are two books that address the Bible and nudism. Both of them draw the same conclusion: If you have a problem with nudity, you're the problem, not nudity.
That Famous Fig Leaf
Christian Body
I own copies of and have read both of the books listed above.
While getting the links to those books, I found a third book that also looks good. I'm going to order it right now.
Uncovering the Image
In the past 3 years people have responded to my post and asked some very good and pointed questions about the Catholic Church and its teaching about nudism. I had not been very active on TN due to my wife's lingerng illness and eventual passing so I was rather remiss in answering the questions. The following are excerpts from the book Love and Responsibility written by Pope St. John Paul II. Hope it helps.
Quotes from the book Love and Responsibility written by future Pope St. John Paul II.
Sexual modesty cannot then in any simple way be identified with the use of clothing, nor shamelessness with the absence of clothing and total or partial nakedness. There are circumstances in which nakedness is not immodest nakedness as such is not to be equated with physical shamelessness. Immodesty is present only when nakedness plays a negative role with regard to the value of the person, when its aim is to arouse concupiscence, as a result of which the person is put in the position of an object of enjoyment. The human body is not in itself shameful, nor for the same reasons are sensual reactions, and human sensuality in general. Shamelessness (just like shame and modesty) is a function of the interior of a person. There is a certain relativism in the definition of what is shameless. This relativism may be due to differences in the makeup of particular persons-a greater or lesser sensual excitability, a higher or lower level of moral culture-or to different world views. It may equally be due to differences in external conditions-in climate, for instanceand also in prevailing customs, social habits, etc. Dress is always a social question, a function ofsocial customs. In this matter there is no exact similarity in the behavior of particular people, even if they live in the same age and the same society. The principle of what is truly immodest is simple and obvious, but its application in specific cases depends upon the individual, the milieu, the society. There are circumstances in which nakedness is not immodest. If someone takes advantage of such an occasion to treat the person as an object of enjoyment (even if his action is purely internal) it is only he who is guilty of shamelessness not the other.
-- Pope John Paul II, Love and Responsibility, trans. H.T. Willetts (New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1981), pp. 176-192.
Below are the actual quoted materials with page numbers where they can be found. This is to verify that the context of each quote above is how the author of the book intended.
Sexual modesty cannot then in any simple way be identified with the use of clothing, nor shamelessness with the absence of clothing and total or partial nakedness. Page 176.
There is a certain relativism in the definition of what is shameless. This relativism may be due to differences in the makeup of particular persons- a greater or lesser sensual excitability, a higher or lower level of moral culture- or to different world views. It may equally be due to differences in external conditions- in climate, for instance,and also in prevailing customs, social habits, etc. Page 186.
In this matter there is no exact similarity in the behavior of particular people, even if they live in the same age and the same society. Page 189.
The principle [of what is modest or immodest in dress] is simple and obvious, but its application in specific cases depends upon the individual, the milieu, the society.
{Bracketed line has been inserted to explain context.} Page 190-1
Dress is always a social question, a function of (healthy or unhealthy) social customs.
{Items in parenthesis are the actual quotes from the book.} Page 190-2
There are circumstances in which nakedness is not immodest. If someone takes advantage of such an occasion to treat the person as an object of enjoyment (even if his action is purely internal) it is only he who is guilty of shamelessness (immodesty of feeling), not the other.
{Items in parenthesis are the actual quotes from the book.} Page 190-3
Nakedness as such is not to be equated with physical shamelessness. Immodesty is present only when nakedness plays a negative role with regard to the value of the person, when its aim is to arouse concupiscence, as a result of which the person is put in the position of an object of enjoyment. Page 190-4
The human body is not in itself shameful, nor for the same reasons are sensual reactions, and human sensuality in general. Shamelessness (just like shame and modesty) is a function of the interior of a person.
{Items in parenthesis are the actual quotes from the book.} Page 191
The following 3 items are from an Unknown Reference Source.
John Paul II later stated: Because God created it, the human body can remain nude and uncovered and preserve intact its splendor and its beauty.
The body is not something to be ashamed of and thus hidden in a puritanical sort of way nor is it a playground for personal satisfaction and selfish pleasure.
Sex is to be a free gift, a total gift, a fruitful gift. Any act of sex that doesn't fulfill each of these requirements falls short of the plan God has for us and is thus disordered.
The followinf is from Theology of the Body
In today's world, this teaching seems out of touch with reality and highly restrictive, but in truth, it reveals the true purpose of our bodies and produces true freedom of expression because when we express or love in a free andtotally fruitful way we achieve communion thatis an image of the Triune God.