Spirituality of Naturism

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Matthew Kerwin’s Personal Creed

I believe that we humans are composite beings made up of body, mind, and spirit.

Body is that structure of flesh and bone and senses that we use to interface with

the rest of the physical world. The mind is the interface between the spirit and the body. Although a good part of the mind utilizes the body or is part of the body, some of the mind -- its images and ideas

-- can be recreated at the will of the spirit, sometimes compulsively so. Thus, images and ideas of former existances can be carried over into the spirit’s future lives.

The spirit is the real you. Some call it soul or theta. The spirit has no mass, no energy, no location, no time -- except by its own consideration. The spirit is what is

aware of being aware. It is you no matter the body you happen to be cloaking it in.

Because we are composite beings, the way you interact with the world is hugely

dependent upon the type of body you choose or accept to live in. Thus, if you are in a cat body, you will act like a cat. You may bring certain quirks to your life as a cat that no other being would, but you still will be a cat. You will be a “feline being” rather than a “human being”. I believe that all living creatures are composite beings. I do not even

discount that inanimate objects may have spirits chilling out in them, so to speak.

The practice of Naturism is spiritual; when a person is nude (especially when active), he is more aware of being a spirit in possession of a body rather than identifying himself as the body and even dwindling into identification as his possessions. Being nude -- voluntarily, of course – enhances religious practices and other social interactions and contributes to a sense of social equality and personal equanimity.

I believe that my or anyone’s view on the nature of the supernatural (god or gods)

is irrelevant to living a good life – maximizing pleasure (love) for ourselves and others and minimizing the pain and hurt (fear) for all of us. My own view of god is that we are all gods, or all equally part of the godhead. I think that the universe is merely and magnificently the creation of all us spirits to give us games to play to relieve our boredom of the infinite. The most rewarding game, perhaps the only game, is the game of love: love of self, love of family and friends, love of the

groups with which we choose to associate, love of mankind, love of other species, love of the earth and all the physical universe, love of spirit and learning, love of the infinite or truth. This love must be balanced. Unbalanced, it looks like fear and hate. For example, without loving all mankind, a person or a group degenerates into fear, hatred, and intolerance of the life affirming choices of others simply because these choices are different.

Love isn’t a commodity. Love is infinite and utterly available to us. Our capacity

to love and receive love is not limited by the law of supply and demand; our love is

limited only by our own considerations. To make a better us and a better world, we need to better balance our loving. That balance is approached, really, by choosing to love rather than to fear whenever given the opportunity. 

This is what I believe. My beliefs are, of course, open to modification through

evidence and education and experience.

Naturism as a religious philosophy shall enjoy all the rights and responsibilities given by law or custom to any religion in a respective nation. Naturists believe that it is morally and spiritually beneficial to be nude as much as is safe and not unreasonably uncomfortable. It is up to each individual to determine for himself (or herself) and himself (or herself) alone what is "safe" and what is "unreasonably uncomfortable".

Naturism as a religious philosophy does not express an opinion toward God nor does it have any dogma and so is compatible with all religions. Spiritual Naturists can practice any religion of their choice and, at the least, will encourage the acceptance of naturism in society at large by their church, temple, mosque, etc. or join or organize one that does accept naturism in the society at large; more so, naturists should encourage naturist practice in their church, temple, mosque, etc. or join or organize one that does include naturist practice, if inclined to join one at all.

Naturism and the acceptance of Naturism by society are to the benefit of society through a decrease of violent tendencies of the citizenry, an increase in solidarity, an increase in social equality and in personal equanimity. Naturism also has been shown to delay the start of sexual activity and to reduce teen promiscuity while improving physical intimacy for adult couples. It provides a rational and emotional antidote to the poisonous dualism of Western society's sexual pandering and Puritanism and the objectification and suppression of women in most every culture and most religions.Naturist gatherings are proven to be far safer for women than other gatherings.  Children are well protected and cared for by the entire community, unlike some religous congregations; and they develop a respect and understanding of the diversity of the natural human form including their own.

Laws requiring the wearing of clothes on public lands or on one's own land, whether one is male or female or indeterminate and whether or not such land is open to the public, shall be considered neither constitutional, nor necessary, nor moral; for such laws are dangerous and detrimental to the happiness and betterment of the individual and to the improvement of society. Furthermore, nudity is a state of being, not an activity, and therefore not subject to regulation. The state may regulate the wearing of safety equipment in the work place to prevent an unsafe or unhealthy work environment; this is the only regulatory power regarding clothing allowed to a government. Seat belts and life preservers are not considered to be clothing and may be regulated by a government for use in motor vehicles and watercraft respectively. Private landowners can determine dress codes for their own properties and naturists should respect those codes and may be required to by trespassing laws; the laws of a country will otherwise protect a person's right to dress or not dress as he or she pleases.

Although the wider practice of Naturism will greatly benefit society, naturists should not demand laws or codes that require persons to be nude any more than they desire laws or codes requiring persons to dress, for coercion in the attempt to achieve religious or social conformity creates more harm than good.

Naturists should encourage others to embrace or accept Naturism through word and example.In this regard, naturists should support and demand the enactment and enforcement of free speech and of freedom of religion in the legal codes of their respective countries.

Responsible Naturists will not promote or mix sexual activities, illicit drug use, or other illegal activities in or on any platform or event that is intended and promoted as Naturist, excepting assembly of Naturists and promoting Naturism where laws exist against such.  

Not all naturists are expected to think of Naturism as spiritual or religious, but all naturists will benefit from the recognition by society and by government of the rights of Naturism as a religious philosophy.

https://kznna.org.za/naturism-and-christianity/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nudity_in_religion

https://religionnews.com/2022/06/28/naked-and-unashamed-christians-strip-down-at-a-south-texas-nudist-community/

 Catholic Pope John Paul II nudity quote:
From the question , Is Nudity a Sin
"The human body can remain nude and uncovered and preserve intact its splendor and its beauty... Nakedness as such is not to be equated with physical shamelessness... Immodesty is present only when nakedness plays a negative role with regard to the value of the person...The human body is not in itself shameful... Shamelessness (just like shame and modesty) is a function of the interior of a person "

 ...in the state of original innocence nakedness did not express a lack. Rather, it represented full acceptance of the body in all its human and therefore personal truth.  Pope John II,  Real Significance of Original Nakedness  

  "Among the British, the very earliest sea-bathing constume was skin.  Far a long time--in fact, for about a hundred years after that first dip in Scarborough--ladies and gentlemen in England bathed in the nude at the same time and in the same place without apparently suffering any affront to modesty...A 1735 engraving of Scarborough Bay shows an assortment of bathers of both sexes--some standing on the shore, some swimming--and all are stark naked.  No one appears to care.  To our sexual sensibility, this state of affairs appears both odd and paradoxical: we know that the seventeenth century had very strict views on the chaperoning of young women, and on land the period demanded concealing costume for both sexes...At Margate, Blackpool, and Scarborough, total nudity was the norm at least until the last decades of the eighteenth century."  -- Page 83, The Beach, The History of Paradise on Earth by Lena Lancek and Gideon Basker, 1998

"To be naked in a public place and feel no embarrassment can imply a release of old attitudes and restrictions, a new sense of freedom, a revelation, a new sense of honesty and openness.

'You may have a nude dream where the feeling is one of perfect peace, contentment, and total unconcern about the lack of clothing; this may indicate feeling unencumbered, happy, and carefree.  This could portray a new confidence in your self worth, your abilities, your values, and lifestyle.  It could show a clear perception, an uncluttered attitude, a lack of any prejudice or pretense, with everything open and above board.  No prejudice, no subterfuge, no need to cover up.  Having an open, frank, and honest approach, a sense of justice, freedom, and joy.  Nothing is hidden, nothing to hide, and feeling really good about yourself."  

__ pp 257-258, The Mystical Magical Marvelous World of Dreams by Wilda B. Tanner. 1988 (8th printing 1994)

Miley Cyrus  in Marie Claire, September 2015: "When you look at retouched, perfect photos, you feel like shit. They lighten black girls' skin.  They smooth out wrinkles. Even I get stuck on Instagram wondering, 'Why don't I look like that?'  It's a total bummer.  It's crazy what people have decided we're all supposed to be."

IBID: "Politically and spiritually, we have to always be learning and evolving... It's easier to stay in a box, put on whatever clothes someone told us we should wear. We're programmed. We worry about labels. I guarantee you that even people who have got a stick up their ass know deep down it would feel so good to run around naked and to genuinely not care about what people think."

IBID: Referring to Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" video: "I don't get the violence-revenge thing.  That's supposed to be a good example?  And I'm a bad role model because I'm running around with my titties out. I'm not sure how titties are worse than guns."

IBID: "I don't really stress too much about being out there.  There's nothing left to catch me doing.  You want to hack my e-mail so you can find my nude pictures?  I'll just fucking put them up."