Hypothetically

[natman]

As the question is posed (see emphasis)...

If someone of vast scriptural knowledge for whom you had uttermost respect for was able to proved from scripture beyond any question or possibility of debate that being naked in company (i.e. anyone other than your spouse... or... perhaps... immediate family) was a sin... what would your response be?

Would you:
a. cease being a naturist/nudist?
b. ignore anything that person had revealed and continue in your current life style?
c. actively argue against any or all of those 'proofs'?
d. pursue some other course of action?

... I would have to choose (a.).

However, that does not mean that I would cease investigating Scriptures to prove him wrong.

[Petros]

What it comes down to, all said and done, is I - any of us, I think - would quit if God clearly said quit.

[Ramblinman]

If someone of vast scriptural knowledge for whom you had uttermost respect for was able to proved from scripture beyond any question or possibility of debate that being naked in company (i.e. anyone other than your spouse... or... perhaps... immediate family) was a sin... what would your response be?

If being naked (or witnessing nakedness) in the presence of someone other than one's spouse is a sin,
then rescuing a naked person from a fire or flood would also be a sin.
Better to let them die unseen than commit the sin of nakedness?

[New_Adventurer]

Did Jesus sin when he cured the ill on the sabbith? Some were ready to stone him until he took them to task. This definately falls in the same catagory.

[natman]

If being naked (or witnessing nakedness) in the presence of someone other than one's spouse is a sin,
then rescuing a naked person from a fire or flood would also be a sin.
Better to let them die unseen than commit the sin of nakedness?

It would seem that would be the logical conclusion.

[OzTech]

Brothers,

It's a measure of our commitment to God that:
a. we are able to hear from Him that which would normally be contrary to our own desires and
b. we are prepared to do as He requires of us.

It is also most reassuring that the general response in this forum is that we would choose to follow God even if it meant that, for whatever reason and however improbable, we felt that pursuing a naturist or nudist life style was no longer part of God's plan or purpose for our life. I can imaging that, for some people, being naked in public could be sin but only because they are either convinced in themselves it is a sin or, alternatively, it is pursuant of some form of sexual immorality. From what I've learnt about the people writing within this forum I cannot see that either of those conditions would apply. Perhaps we can touch on the subject of sin more in my next strip as that has great bearing upon several areas relevant to us.

And Englishman... I loved your presentation of 'How do we know if a call is from God'. It's pretty much exactly what I would say... except I reckon you said it much better than I could.

[Englishman]

Thank you for your kind words; they are much appreciated.

[Ramblinman]

On the question of the sinfulness of nudity, I think it is akin to the sinfulness of driving a car.
Cars are not inherently sinful, but too many of them pollute the air in the city where I live and too many drivers are not attentive nor courteous.
None of these things make an automobile a sinful object.
Conversely there is a context in which an automobile could assist the pastor or missionary in the Lord's work.

There is the question of some Divine callings that would in theory make nudity impractical to nigh impossible.
If you were led to minister to the Inuit (Eskimo), the climate is so cold that nudity would be impractical or even fatal much of the year.
While one could retain the freedom of conscience that is such a delightful part of naturism, it would take a step of faith and devotion to give up the actual exercise of that freedom.

[Petros]

Be fair - in Inuit [I don't know about the Aleut and Samoyed] I am told that at least in the past in winter in the igloo - insulation, family, heat source - people were nude.

[Ramblinman]

I give them full credit for having a very similar attitude about the nude body to that of naturists, just less opportunity in the outdoors.