Newsgroups: rec.nude
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 15:10:34 -0400 
From: Michel Fougeres <mf0w+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Interesting (?) opinion :)

Excerpts from netnews.rec.nude: 26-Aug-92 Re: Interesting (?) opinion :)
by Tom M. ; S. Manager@poin 
>From: middleto@poincare.ucsd.edu (Tom Middleton ; System Manager)
>Subject: Re: Interesting (?) opinion :)
>Date: 26 Aug 92 00:59:00 GMT
> 

>I think we must be careful how loose we play with the word "exhibitionist"
>here.  The dictionary* currently at my side gives two definitions for
>exhibitionism.  "1) a perversion marked by a tendency to indecent exposure
>of the person so as to excite or gratify oneself sexually by such exposure.
>2) the act or practice of behaving so as to attract attention to oneself."

One can see by the 2 definitions of your dictionary (a perversion marked
by a tendency to indecent exposure...) and (the act or practice of
behaving so as to attract attention to oneself) that the people who
wrote those definitions were non-nudists.  What is a perversion for,
let's say, Pat Robertson (in this case "nudity in public") is not a
perversion for nudists.  And non-nudists will also contend that to go
naked to a place where other people can see you is definitely "the act
or practice of behaving so as to attract attention to oneself."  In
other words, the appellation "exhibitionist" (and even "voyeur") have
been concocted by highly prejudiced non-nudists.  My point was that IF
ONE ACCEPTS THE CRITERIUM of what is immodest or/and immoral behaviour
as stated by non-nudists and even anti-nudists, then of course all
nudists in the world are "lewd", "obscene", "immoral", "exhibitionist",
"voyeur" etc...  etc...   What do you think they get arrested for ? 

Forget it, this is just a discussion about the proper meaning of a word.
 One can see right away why millions of people have slaughtered each
other -- and still do in some parts of the world, and will still do in
the future -- because of disagreement over the TRUE MEANING of a single
word.   (Religions are especially good at this -- Marxism has been very
good at this too.  It is a very sad day if even nudists start
excommunicating one another over the proper interpretation of a word. 
But it certainly may happen again...  I have seen ugly fights, among
nudists, over smoking and alcoholism.  And in Switzerland years ago,
nudists had ferocious fights over the mandatory display or the mandatory
shaving of pubic hair (men's and women's) and a number of clubs split
down the middle over this issue (as over language and over alcohol and
over smoking) and were enemies forever after.) 


>Did you consider the possibility that the nude portion of the beach was too
>small and crowded and the nudists were merely attempting to find more
>breathing room?
The beach at Agde is very long.  In fact it is tiring to walk all the
way from one end to the other.   (It is excellent exercise, healthwise,
though.)


>Michel, I don't know what motivates you or what goes on in your own mind.
>Perhaps your desire to believe most nudists are exhibitionist is a 
>defense mechanism that allows you to justify your own tendencies.  Why
>did you go to Cap D'Agde, was it to show off your body?  Did you get a
>sexual thrill out of it?

Why in the world would YOU want to know HOW I PERSONALLY get a sexual thrill ?
Will YOU get a sexual thrill out of it, if I tell you ?  Do YOU get
sexual thrills out of posing such intimate questions and out of making
such wreckless insinuations ?  At the time of the Inquisition, it would
not have been good to have you as an Inquisitor.        ()--;

=====================================================================
If the facts are against you, argue the law.
It the law is against you, argue the facts.
If the facts and the law are against you, yell like hell.

                                (MURPHY) 
Newsgroups: rec.nude