From: jimc@megatek.com (Jim Campbell)
Subject: Re: Christian nudists
Reply-To: jimc@megatek.com
Organization: Megatek Corporation, San Diego, California
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 16:23:05 GMT

In article <1duh11INNdom@network.ucsd.edu> middleto@poincare.ucsd.edu (Tom Middleton ; System Manager) writes:
>
>
>1) I sure hope all you christians are nude while doing all this posting
>that is straying away from nudism.
>
	While technically this subject may be straying from nudism, the
thread is a little bit related to issues nudists and naturists have to
face. Like fundamentalists' opposition to nude beach recreation. Maybe
discussions concerning different interpretations of Christianity may
provide some insight into how these people think. ('These people' meaning
fundamentalists). If we understand our opposition a little better, we increase
the odds of successfully dealing with them. (But when talking about religion,
it may not matter anyhow -- their minds are already made up.)

>2) A fundamental mistake that many people (both christians and non) make
>is the assumption that nudity causes lust (or causes sex).  Lust is
>something that exists in all of us (too varying degrees of course).  In
>our society nudity may enhance lust and stimulate lust but it does not
>CAUSE lust.  We can prove this by the negation method.  Take someone
>you are lusting after while you are both nude.  Now put bathing suits
>on, did the lust go away?  No, it did not.  You still lust after that
>person.
>
>A very important point here when discussing nudity, nude beaches, etc.
>Please try to separate between things that are actually a direct result
>of the nudity and things that are merely better (or worse) or heightened
>by the nudity.  Nudity doesn't cause sex but sex is much better (and a
>bit easier) when nude.
>
>3) Finally, although brought up christian I don't profess any belief
>in god now.  However, I was taught not to judge others, that god would
>judge us in heaven.  (I don't know if that is uniquely christian or
>just some christians groups or what.)  Given that, why is it that so
>many good christians chose to judge us and make laws against us doing
>what we feel is right.  Why can't the pope and other like it just kick
>back and say "hey, you do what you want, god will deal with you later".

	But if what someone wants to do is kill you, God's dealing with him
later won't do you any good. Unless, of course, you can persuade them to not
kill you, maybe with God's help.

	A history teacher I had in high school talked about this one day.
He was saying something like:
	"Ok, say it's way back when, maybe 2 or 3 thousand years ago, you're
minding your own business, like tending sheep or farming or something, and
along comes this bad guy, who is bigger than you, has weapons, etc, and he's
decided he wants something of yours. Like your wife, your life, possesions,
whatever. 
	"Well, you're not big enough to stop him, so you've got to think fast.
You can't threaten him with anything physical, so you mention something about
this GOD that will cause him much grief if he mis-behaves. This GOD can even
get to him AFTER HE DIES! As a matter of fact, this GOD won't even bother with
him UNTIL after he dies.
	"You might tell him something like 'Sure, you can kill me, but when I
        die, I get to go to heaven, and when You die, you have to go to hell! 
	'Now you can avoid hell if you obey the word of GOD. and by the way,
since you can't read, it looks like you need me around so I can tell you what's
in these books' (or whatever they used that long ago).
	"With any luck, you now get to tell this guy what to do, instead of the
other way around"

	So maybe that's why these religious guys can't leave us alone. All
this business about 'saving' us could be used to tell us what to do so we
don't suddenly run over and kill them and their families, or worse yet, go to
the beach nude!!!
	(Ever notice all the killings on network TV, but you never get to see
front of a nude body? Nah, people that read this newsgroup don't notice things
like that :^) ).






-- 
Jim Campbell			|	"Remember to tweet!"
jimc@megatek.com		|	Is it my imagination, or am
WB6ZPB				|	I just imaginning things?