Is public nudity a sin, in places where it is legal?

Question

Other than the old testament, does the Bible address how much of one's self should be covered? If so, why don't all religions follow this code? If not, what is wrong with public nudity?

Answer 1

If god didn't like nudity, we would have been born with clothes.

Answer 2

1 Tim. 2:9 is speaking of modesty in regards to being ostentatious or flamboyantly displaying your high social status by the way you dress.

When Paul was ministering to people with Timothy, he was concerned what the Jews might think of Timothy being half-Greek, so Paul had him circumcised.

Act 16:3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

This is significant because it raises the issue: How would anyone know whether or not a person was circumcised? The reason they would know is because public nudity was a very common part of ordinary life in the Roman empire during the first century. They exercised in the nude, performed athletic competitions in the nude, and went to public communal bath houses in the nude among other things.
More about this can be learned from documentaries like PBS's "From Jesus To Christ: The First Christians." There is also a lot of information on their website: www.pbs.org. There are many other resources too, but that's a good starting place.
Culture has a lot to do with the acceptance of nudity, and the Bible is shockingly silent on the issue in the New Testament, especially considering the fact that it was part of their every day life. It's reasonable to assume that God would have preserved some sort of admonition regarding public dress and nudity if it were spiritually important.
Based on this, I personally believe that public nudity is acceptable for a Christian where it is both legal, and where it is the norm and won't attract unnecessary attention.

Answer 3

Here in this area of Upstate NY it's legal for women to go topless in any public area. I think the initial thought by the more conservative element that opposed this was that nudity and sexually-explicit behavior would run rampant, and would contribute to the already-occuring moral decay. It was definitely ideas of the act being of a sinful nature on a religious level that was the (loud) voice of dissent. Those who supported it did so strictly from the perspective of women's rights.

I don't remember exactly when this legislation was passed, but it was quite some time ago. And for the record, I have never seen a woman, even once, exercise her right to do so nor have I witnessed any behavior that supports the theory that women in that state of undress will cause a shift in morality.

Answer 4

Public nudity should be legalized immediately because clothes cost way too much!

Answer 5

God covered the nakedness of Adam and Eve so there is a definite reason against public nudity and besides I would not want my children seeing people of all ages walking around showing their parts.

Answer 6

I think of it like this:
We are not to tempt others to sin. To walk around naked in public may be to lead others into states of mind that could get them in trouble. Now at a place like a nudist colony this is much less of an issue because predominantly they do not view the naked human form as something inherently sexual.

Of course, in my opinion, the state of 'partially dressed' is a lot more sexually charged than 'buck nekkid'

Answer 7

Yes. It is still immodesty. The Bible teaches to dress modest.

1Ti 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.

All religions do not follow the bible.

Answer 8

I think we are now supposed to be ashamed of our nudity and cover ourselves, as per Genesis and the FALL.

Answer 9

it's illegal,that's what. Private nudity is not prohibited by law,or for that matter Christ,although Jews go on and on and on and on about how wicked it is.

Answer 10

Isaiah went for three years naked. (Isaiah 20 2-3). That help?