Nude Art and Jesus

[JoJo]

[quote:1d3ti8cj] JoJo wrote:
Perhaps she was referring to Isaiah 57:8.

There's nothing in that verse about nudity.[/quote:1d3ti8cj]

The word "nakedness" is used in the ESV and NIV. The word "nudity" is used in the New King James Version.

 

[Timothy]

[quote:11td79pt] JoJo wrote:
Perhaps she was referring to Isaiah 57:8.

There's nothing in that verse about nudity.

The word "nakedness" is used in the ESV and NIV. The word "nudity" is used in the New King James Version.[/quote:11td79pt]
The word Nakedness/nudity isn't really there. Best look this one up in KJV (clicky for kjv with strongs lookup) its much more accurate to original language for this text.

 

[JoJo]

Well, that's a whole other debate. :yes

 

[Timothy]

Well, that's a whole other debate. :yes

Not really, that word doesn't appear in the original text that your versions were translated off of. So adding is not accurate.

 

[JoJo]

Well, unfortunately not all of us have access to the original texts (or can read/understand it if we did) and must rely on English translations.

Note: The argument that the KJV is closest to the original text remains a debate.

 

[Timothy]

Well, unfortunately not all of us have access to the original texts (or can read/understand it if we did) and must rely on English translations.

Note: The argument that the KJV is closest to the original text remains a debate.

I linked the kjv with strong's. There are a ton of online resources, my favorite being studylight.org that give you access to look the original words up. You obviously have internet access so you have access to these resources. Simply put, see the word your curious about click on it or number next to it and it will show you the original word and the various meanings. It's not as good as being able to read and understand the original language however its just as good in most ways and is a great resource to studying the word of God.

And I'm not saying KJV is the best, that's a debate I never care to enter, however regardless of your translation a tool like KJV with Strongs number reference is a great tool and absolutely free either online or through many downloaded bible software (free versions always have options for KJV and Strong's dictionaries). Its a great tool I'd strongly recommend it to anyone looking to take there study to a new level. I'm not sure I'd ever say KJV is best overall but along side your normal bible its far easier to look up words in original language with KJV w/Strong's numbers and a Strong's dictionary.

ESword is a free windows Bible study tool and the basic installation comes with "This basic installation includes the King James Version, King James Version w/ Strong's numbers, and Strong's dictionary. " With links to get more books (though not all are free like KJV).

Having this ready with your normal Bible while studying will enable you to look up words in the Greek and Hebrew respectively. It really does paint a more accurate picture of various scriptures your trying to understand by going to Greek/hebrew words. For example the various words for Love in different scriptures can me vastly different things. And its free, will run on any pc for the most part that is out now days. (I did mention it was free right?)

 

[JoJo]

Thanks, Tim. That's very helpful.

 

[turnorburn]

This is strictly my opinion understand, I don't know who started this thread, but

to associate my Savior with, awe never mind I may say something I'd regret.


turnorburn

 

[Jon-Marc]

[quote:2agebki9] JoJo wrote:
Perhaps she was referring to Isaiah 57:8.

There's nothing in that verse about nudity.

The word "nakedness" is used in the ESV and NIV. The word "nudity" is used in the New King James Version.[/quote:2agebki9]

The two words are basically the same thing. I just prefer the words "nude" and "nudity"--as in "nude art". You don't see "naked art; you see "nude art". I read only the old King James, which uses "naked". I also didn't see anything in the verse about nakedness.

 

[Jon-Marc]

God did not create anything offensive--including the human body and never declared anything offensive about any of His creation.

 

[merlow]

The two words are basically the same thing. I just prefer the words "nude" and "nudity"--as in "nude art". You don't see "naked art; you see "nude art". I read only the old King James, which uses "naked". I also didn't see anything in the verse about nakedness.

Maybe she meant Isaiah 20: 2-4

 

[JoJo]

God did not create anything offensive--including the human body and never declared anything offensive about any of His creation.

I'm not sure the issue here is whether nudity is offensive on its own but whether it is appropriate for public viewing.

 

[Jon-Marc]

The strange thing is that everyone eventually learns that all males are built basically the same, and that all females are built basically the same. Yet, most people continue to be offended, embarrassed and shocked at seeing a nude person--even if it's just a child. What are they seeing that they didn't already know was there?

That's why porn is so popular and makes the publishers wealthy--people are told that nudity is either sinful, offensive, shameful, or something to hide. Many brothers have never seen one another nude. Many sisters have never seen one another nude. My brothers and I saw one another nude many times, and you know what? It was NO BIG DEAL! As a child I saw my dad nude a lot, and again, it was NO BIG DEAL! I once saw my mother nude (quite by accident), and you know what? You guessed it; it was NO BIG DEAL! I grew up at a time when the human body wasn't considered to be so shameful as it is said to be today.

Parents and society today teach the children that their "privates" are shameful and should always be hidden, and so children play "doctor" or "show me yours and I'll show you mine." They also get involved in sex a lot sooner because of the body being made such a mystery that they have to find out what the big mystery is. Also, people spend billions on porn to see what they're told not to see.

 

[JoJo]

I grew up at a time when the human body wasn't considered to be so shameful as it is said to be today.

You grew up before Adam & Eve hid in the bushes?

j/k But I think that most of what you described is simply what happens in a world where there is sin. As soon as Adam & Eve sinned, they became aware of their nakedness (Gen 3:7) and were afraid for God to see their nakedness. (Gen 3:10)

You know this brings me to another subject in another post: do babies sin? Babies usually show no signs of distress when unclothed (unless they are cold or something). In fact, most seem to enjoy the freedom of nakedness. But once they reach a certain age, they suddenly become aware that they are naked and will hide it. There must be some significance to this phenomenon.

 

[Guest]

Are you really that obtuse? That's scary!

I was pointing out the absurdity of the categorical statement.

 

[Guest]

Nudity is good.

Nudity is neither morally good nor bad. It simply is, for only behavior can be morally good or bad.

But nudity in public is walking a very fine line with sin.

Is? Rather, can be walking a fine line with sin. It is a complex issue to which no simple solution really exists, to my knowledge.

Maybe not from a verse in the Bible about actual nudity. But about causing others to stumble and for us to avoid the appearance of evil.

Theses arguments only weakly support your perspective because they are highly contingent upon your context. If one is going to establish a categorical ban on public nudity via art then a better case will be needed.

If you comment on this, you will be doing so for others education. As far as I'm concerned, my girlfriend and I and my daughters when/if God wills them to be (When the daughters reach around 6-7 years old) will be staying fully clothed (with some exceptions of course) until in wedlock when there is a male in the room.

I am not attempting to change your mind. I am attempting to help you and others (myself included) critically think about your perspective. We, as Christians, need to have well reasoned and established perspectives, and should not be guided by the masses (i.e., majority of Christians) or our feelings about morality.

 

[Guest]

And there is no such thing as non-sexual nudity, because somebody is always going to lust after you, if you are naked in a museum somewhere on a wall, somebody will find you attractive sexually, and they will start to imagine having sex with you, not only the males but, women too.

Does every form of public nudity result in someone lusting? If so, what evidence is there to support this?

 

[ProphetMark]

Philippians 4 v 8: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."
I'd say that includes people, and their bodies. If the bible encourages us to think about naked people, it seems rather unlikely that God would disapprove of us looking at them.
(Of course, if we're thinking about them in a lustful way, it's a different matter.)