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BARING IT ALL

Is Public Nudity Un-Biblical?

Radio host suggests activists should be ashamed like Adam and Eve

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by David Mark

Editor-in-Chief t

Image: AP

San Francisco is becoming a veritable Garden of Eden - and it's no paradise. That's the take of conservative radio host and columnist Dennis Prager, riffing off the Board of Supervisors' recent 6-5 vote to ban public nudity (though women can still walk topless in some areas.)

"When human beings walk around with their genitals uncovered, they are behaving in a manner indistinguishable from animals. A major difference between humans and animals is clothing; clothing separates us from - and in the biblical view, elevates us above - the animal kingdom."

Prager sees a broader assault on biblical teachings. "To those who believe in Judeo-Christian values, telling people to be ashamed about being naked in public is not totally wrong. It's the whole point."

"The first thing Adam and Eve discovered after eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was that they were naked. And the first emotion they ever experienced was shame over their nudity."

Via Townhall.com.

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Is Prager right to scold public nudity activists?

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Comments (view in Forum)

  • GmanGSW
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    LOL! I really think that it depends on what "the people" in the area think, as you seem to be alluding to, vs. what the "Bible freaks" think. I'm in agreement that they can't get it right. Also, Isn't there something about tolerance in the Constitution? Wait, isn't it under attack, much lkike a bit of public nudity? LOL! Sad re the Constitutional attacks...
  • o
    SomethinsFishy
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    I am a fervent advocate of a Woman's Right To Choose- ESPECIALLY when it comes to Public Nudity! Let The Sun Shine, baby! The Right to Keep and Bare Arms, Legs, Thighs, Breasts, Tushies, Hoohahs, etc.! 2ndamendmentrevision dot blogspot dot com
  • LGRepublican
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    Be careful with that. If it happens to be Jessica Alba or someone like that I'd be 100% with you. If it were Roseanne or Rosie on the other hand....
  • wild_turkey6
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    @LGRepublican That seems to be the case most often. The ones that I want to see, never go topless. The ones that I don't want to see, seem to be advocates for public nudity. And don't get me started on having to sit down after they got out of a vinyl seat on a hot summer day (did this in the Caribbean a few years ago)
  • View all 6 replies >
  • jessejaymes
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    There is a greater issue here. The advent of the internet has shown us that the pedophile problem is much larger than previously known. I for one do not want pedophiles walking around the streets and malls of our country getting their kicks by exposing themselves to children. I'm pretty liberal sexually and do not really care who you have sex with or how you have sex providing you do so among consenting adults. I don't have a problem with Polygamy. But I have a problem with perverts being unclothed among our children. Go to a nude beach. There should be more of them. Go to a nudist colony. Parade around your home nude if you like. But not in public. I will never agree to that.
  • u
    equalityboy81
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    I've read online however that sexualizing nudity (if people are not desensitized to nudity) that could possibly create more perverts/deviants/sex offenders because society is making nudity a taboo thing. I know it sounds far fetched but the increasing of seeing nude people may actually lower the amount of people who grow up to be sex offenders. I don't hear of increasing number of sex offenders over in Europe because they are more relaxed about nudity. It's the complete opposite in the U.S. In Europe you see nudity (of both genders/all ages) on commercials, movies, at the beach, etc. Over here in the United States male nudity in rated R movies is demonized/censored unlike back in the 80s and female nudity is flaunted and innocent photos a parent takes of their baby in the bathtub is wrongly labeled child pornography when it's just innocent nudity. You seem okay with nudist colonies. If it's okay there I don't see how it is harmful elsewhere. Adam and Eve were nude and God clothed them out of compassion because they were ashamed after eating from the tree but God doesn't consider nudity bad, only people do, people are born nude. Guys used to change and shower together but because society has become more homophobic (in different aspects now than what they used to be more so in then) they have all become ashamed of their bodies. The Coppertone Girl's backside is no longer exposed because I'm sure they think some pedophile is going to get off on a cartoon image. How ridiculous and paranoid! It's terrible that there are people like that out there but all the stuff they are doing and covering up a sunscreen icon are not going to cure or prevent pedophiles. Yeah they are sick but you can't control what they think and a logo should not be censored because of sex offenders out there. That's really giving them more power than they should have over society. As far as male nudity vs. female nudity in movies I really don't think that straight men are going to be that offended by a nude male or butt in a movie especially if they show an equal amount of female nudity. The movie industry ASSUMES younger straight men are more offended by male nudity than the previous generations. It's just butts, get over it! Gay men and straight women have to see boobs all the time and they don't get all bent out of shape and they should get to see their share of male nudity. I'm sure straight men are not so weak that they'll let one dude's butt showing in a movie cause them to turn off the DVD if so then they need to get some psychiatric help and have issues with their own sexuality. Straight women have desires too you know, it shouldn't be all about the pleasure of straight guys and there are more women in the world than men if I'm not mistaken. I'm not judging you for any of your statement I'm just making a statement for everyone in general to see. Yeah I'm pretty liberal too if you haven't noticed and I don't see it necessary for a ban on public nudity. People need to differentiate between nudity and sexuality. While sexuality most of the time involves nudity nudity does not always means sexuality, they are not one and the same. In conclusion, this nation needs to get religion/church the hell out of state and politics.
  • jessejaymes
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    @equalityboy81 This is not a religious issue to me and I have spent many trips to Western Europe. I want you to tell me the country where people stroll through the malls naked. You can't. Your whole dissertation is based on a falsehood.
  • u
    equalityboy81
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    @jessejaymes Well I'm going by things I've read and comments. I do know that the U.K. has nude beaches and guys don't have a problem with male nudity nor are they homophobic in comparison to the U.S. The U.K. is relaxed about nudity on TV but not too cool with too much gore and violence. It's the other way around here in the U.S. I think it's pathetic they are so weird about showing a nude body on TV but they are perfectly okay with blood and guts, torture, decapitation, violence, etc. That's what really sick about the U.S. and their songs and movies have the F word in between everything they say or always something sexual implied. The U.S. is ambivalent toward sexuality they flaunt and suppress/repress it at the same time.
  • u
    equalityboy81
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    @jessejaymes I'm not sure that in San Francisco they can enter certain businesses like a mall nude but I don't see what the difference is between nudity on the streets and nudity on the beach.
  • View all 17 replies >
  • PoliticalSpice
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    @Knightmare OK I started off supporting the nudist, deeply ifluenced by the women in the picture accompanying the story, this is the only time, knightmare, you have made a convincing argument to change my position :)
  • jessejaymes
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    As long as Humans have thumbs we will be elevated above other animals. The man is right about the issue but wrong about why. I'm an atheist and I do not support at will public nudity. There is a time and a place. We have literally come to understand that there is not old guy pervert preying on kids here and there. It's an epidemic worldwide. Hundreds of thousands every year are busted and still they keep coming. Your really want these people strolling through the mall with an erection because they can expose themselves to kids legally? What are you going to do about it? Arrest some guy with an erection but not those who are not? It's a pandora's box of perversion you seek to open.
  • Russell797
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    @jessejaymes I don't advocate for general public nudity. I am an atheist too, and I find it misguided to impress people with the idea the human body is something to be ashamed of. People have enough of a problem with their bodily image and accepting who they are without having these prudes asking people to feel shame and guilt.

    As to human being at to top of the evolutionary tree, that concept assumes we have enhanced survivability over that of other species. We don't. All species alive today are survivors, and each and every species is very well adapted to current Earthly conditions. All of the species have reached this point together and within the intricate web of life great interdependency is ongoing. We can't survive without many of them, but they would do just fine absent us.
  • Dan_Tien
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    @jessejaymes If thumbs elevated us above animals, then chimpanzees would be our superiors since they have thumbs on their feet too.

    Quire a few people aren't even aesthetically pleasing with clothes on, so give the sighted a break and keep your clothes on as a matter of public consideration. Hearing someone base their argument on "biblical" reasoning makes no impression on us godless heathens though, and passing laws based on what Adam and Eve would do is a good way to get separation of church and state involved in the mix.
  • jessejaymes
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    @Russell797 First of all I don't consider humans superior because of their destructiveness beyond a need to feed and breed. But I do find it interesting that so many of you liberals want to base this on "nudity is nothing to be ashamed of". That is not the issue here. The male erection is often an involuntary reaction to visual stimulus. I don't want pedophiles wandering through the mall in a state of arousal because children are about. What's next? the kids go naked so the pedophiles can get a good look? This should not be a religious issue, It should be a common sense issue.
  • Russell797
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    @jessejaymes I am have a difficult time understand where we differ on this one. I don't think nudity is anything to be ashamed of. However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, therefore out of respect for others I don't advocate nudity in view of the general public. I don't know what else I can say.
  • View all 6 replies >
  • DerivePI
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    Dennis Prager is a happy, thoughtful, respectful and enjoyable radio talk show host, but, I think we will need a democratic process to determine which women should and shouldn't be ashamed to be publicly nude (TIC).
  • u
    Jet_Silverman
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    Can Prager go 5 minutes without saying "the left" or "liberal"? You may not have noticed it, but pay attention next time you listen to him. It's funny, really.
  • u
    QuiteCrazy
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    The bible has nothing to do with it. I'd wish they'd keep it out as a flogging tool. Public Nudity is an oxymoron onto itself, if it's public you are no longer -nude- you are -naked- especially in the eyes of others. Perhaps nude in the mind of the nudist but one cannot live as a society based on exceptions for one. Graffiti is considered subway art or city art in certain areas and to others it's vandalism. It's all about approach, a kid goes into the store and talks to the owner of the building and they come together with ideas, sketches, viola art. I would suggest the same for the naked nudists and to respect others boundaries as they would like theirs.

    For you fellows that are thinking it's great for other reasons I'm sure you would not to be checking out a young woman and oogling only to find out she's your daughter or niece ..etc.. same for women.
  • John_Matrix
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    @talkenhed

    What in the hell are you talking about? I used to run all the time free balling it. Unless you're running awkwardly it doesn't slam them around that much.
  • u
    QuiteCrazy
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    @John_Matrix
    rotflol... like I said.. I have noooo idea. But now that you mention it I was on this island once and the guy ran like art in motion and I'm pretty sure he couldn't afford "support." I thought talknhed was yapping about a jock strap for men's sports.
  • u
    Realthinker
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    In a word, yes, it is unBiblical. People have forgotten that God prizes purity, including sexual purity, and equates purity with holiness. God has not changed, we have. I dislike public nudity; it is always intended to inflame passion and show off.
  • justapirate
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    Uh, beggin' yer pardon here, but didn't God make Adam and Eve naked and then allow them to wander around the Garden undressed thusly? Doesn't that make your statement erroneous?
  • NormalFlora
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    @justapirate "You can live on my farm as long as you both stay naked and stupid. And stay away from my stash of Cosmic Apples."
  • View all 22 replies >
  • u
    classychazy
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    There are times and a places to be naked, but walking around a mall is not one of them! I am no prude, but there are some people I do not want to see naked and others would use this as a way to get their jollies knowing children are walking among them. You want to run around naked go ahead, but do it in your home, backyard, or a club that allows it.
  • JustTheFacts
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    Not every woman looks good topless ... so it goes without saying ... cover your ugly ass up ... lol! Plus, this is a bad move for the strip club economy ... hehe.
  • PNWest
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    I propose a thought experiment. Go to somewhere where a lot of people congregate. Take a look around. What percentage of them would you like to see naked? Now compare that with the number of ones that you would not like to see naked. Mr. Prager may have stumbled upon a cure for obesity in America. Imagine walking around a Walmart full of naked shoppers. You might not want to eat for a month.
  • kathyparsell
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    Thank God I live in the country where I can be nude whenever I choose. However I only inflict myself on my husband and select others when appropriate. I don't approve of public nudity, but I don't bring religion into it.
  • u
    equalityboy81
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    Thank God for people not bringing religion into it. Religion controls more than it should in the United States. One religion should never have control especially when others of a different religion may have differing views. The United States is not supposed to be a theocracy but is somewhat despite it's unconstitutionality.
  • martydotcom
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    What is the best birth control method for senior citizens?
    nudity

    Want to see a real flying saucer?

    A flying saucer results when a nudist spills his coffee.
  • View all 6 replies >
  • harold_lloyd
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    To ban nudity or anything else on biblical grounds violates the Constitution and could not be allowed to stand.

    This is not a theocracy, and the intent of the founders was that it not ever be.

    On the other hand, for public safety, I do think public nudity is inappropriate, not to mention at the extreme end of present cultural norms.

    On the other other hand, anyone who is willing to go nude in San Francisco in January is either very very committed, or nuts.
  • u
    equalityboy81
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    I wouldn't say they are necessarily nuts just not ashamed of the body they were born with. Being nude is not the same as having sex in public.
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