Monday, November 30, 2009

Comments settings changed

I only recently realized that the Comment function of the posts was not turned on for everyone.  I have changed it now so that you do not have to have a Blogger login to post comments.  I have kept the option to moderate them before they are seen.  I am not going to delete negative comments, just rude, obnoxious or crude ones.  If I edit words out, I will make note in the comment that words were deleted.  I still consider this a family-friendly blog, but some people may not.  That is why I decided to position it in the adult Blog section and have kept the moderated comments option.

Nothing else to mention today.  I have some ideas that I will work on for future posts though.

Peace,
Jeanluc

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Nudist Fiction

  If you search for the term "Nudist Fiction", you will get links to all kinds of web sites that propose to have stories written by the average Joe about nudism.  Often you will find that even though the characters in the story live a lot of their lives without clothing, the story will usually involve them having sex at least once therein.
  While I realize that nudists are normal people and that married (and unfortunately - in my opinion - many unmarried people) do indeed have romantic interludes throughout their lives, I do not believe that a story that proports to be about nudism needs to include that.  We fight enough battles with the world thinking that nudism is all about sex, we don't have to blare it out that sex is the be all and end all of our nudist lives.  Sex is the same thing whether people are textile compulsive or nudists.
  I have a brother who wrote a mystery novel that centers around a nudist camp.  I will admit the plot is intriguing, though I found a few weak spots.  But the sad part about this book is the constant sexual excapades that most all of the characters have throughout the book.  There is the underage sister of the main character, the Mom, the playboy, etc.  I did read all of the book because the author is my brother.  The first time he offered it to me to proofread, I read the first couple pages and gave it back to him.  I told him that if the book started out with that many mentions of sex, it was giving the wrong impression of what nudism is really about and I didn't want to read any further.  Somehow he did get it published, so I supported him by buying one and reading it.

  All of this leads me to some nudist fiction that I believe to be of top-notch caliber. The first site is that of Tom Pine's The Naked Truth Naturists.  You do have to contact him to get a login in order to read the stories, but I think it is worth it.  Tom has written several what could be called feature length stories that have appeared a bit at a time in the issues of the Fig Leaf Forum.  After they have ended there, he has posted the story in its entirety on his web site.
  One of the first stories I read was called How Kristen Spent Her Summer Vacation.  It is located on a web site where there are a lot of stories, from full length novels like Kristen's to short stories.  It is called the Naturist Fiction Archive.  If you like reading, you might give it a try.  I haven't gotten through all of the stories, but so far none of them have any sexual overtones.
 
  Oh, by the way, thanks for reading my blog.  Leave comments if you like.  I hope to be able to continue putting my thoughts down for you to peruse.

Peace,
Jeanluc

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Family Nudism

Whenever there is a post somewhere about the reasons for nudism, the title of a rather in-depth article on this subject - "205 Arguments and Observations in Support of Naturism" is invariably brought up.  I have found some very noteworthy bits of information contained therein, especially how nudism should be lived by families.
 These items from that article are a couple that I want to mention at this time.

72. Most commentators say that it's the context in which family nudity takes place, not the nudity itself, that determines whether it's problematic. Children respond far more to parents' attitudes toward nudity than to the nudity itself, and nudity is only a problem when it is treated as one.97

73. Many psychologists argue that the implicit message conveyed by a lack of nudity in the home is that the body is basically unacceptable or shameful--an attitude which may carry over into discomfort about nudity in the context of adult sexual relationships.98

74. Children of "primitive" tribes, surrounded by nudity of all forms, suffer no ill effects. Neither do children who grow up in other societies which are more open about nudity than our own.99 Presumptions that exposure to nudity will lead to problems for children grow out of the preconceptions of our culture.

  Many people either recall their own childhood, or have seen children who take off their clothes and run around carefree and naked.  Parents may try to stop them or worse, scold or punish them for doing this.  While I realize they think they are protecting them from the pedophile that lurkes around every corner, there are many ways to protect those innocents besides shameing them into getting dressed.  A gentle explanation if they are in a location where vigilance is not possible and then letting them run free when they are in a place where they can be protected is one option.  Discussing when it is proper or not may not sink into little minds right away, but it will make them more susceptible to further discussions in the future.

  In the home parents should not be embarassed of their God-given bodies that they shrink behind  towels or shower curtains if a child walks in on them when nude.  I believe bathroom doors need not be closed except to keep the warmth in on cold winter days and should not be locked.  Some people think that using the toilet should be an exception, but I think that children should not be shamed into thinking any body function is gross or disgusting.  They are just normal things that happen and everyone does them, so why get all upset if you are seen in that situation.  Again, a gentle explanation is enough to tell the child that privacy is important and that if a door is closed, they should knock first and follow the wishes of the person inside.

  Why then should there be a 'magic age' when a parent should not let their child see them naked?  Most places you read about this, it is age 5.  What makes a 5 year old different than a 4 yr 11 mo old child?  What makes a 7 year old child different?  Is that 7 yr old able to be shamed into hiding their body and not come out with psychological scars that a 4 yr old child won't?  I don't think so.  Any time a person of any age is told their body should be hidden, the underlying message is that there is something wrong with it.  Building on the message of body shame day after day, year after year is enough to make anyone's self-esteem go from that care-free child running naked to the person who won't undress except behind closed, locked doors.

  It is a proven fact that a child's concept of how much and when nudity is acceptible comes from his parents.  I know for a fact that even if grandparents are casually nude around their grandchildren, but their parents are not, the children are less inclined to join in with casual nudity.  Some people say the grandparents should be punished for leading a bad example.  Looking at our society, I think those who shame their children into clothes-compulsion are the ones who should be puished for raising the next generation of porn addicted, clinically depressed, sexual experimenters.

  Ok, enough of my rant for this time.  Just as a personal note, one of the primary reasons I started researching and eventually practicing casual, non-sexual nudism was because I wanted our grandson to be raised in an environment that would possibly prevent him from becoming that next generation mentioned above.  Will it help him in that regard?  I don't know.  But I do know that I can't do it alone.  I can spread some seeds, but for him to accept his body as good and pure, he needs to be raised in a family where each gender can show him that there is nothing wrong with each individuals body.  Possibly he will then become one of those who will lead the world into a new generation of body acceptance for all.

Peace,
Jeanluc

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Is nudity Scriptural?

  A lot of forums or web sites that I have read have a lengthy discussion on the Scripturality of non-sexual nudity.  I don't want to go over the same ground that they have done so very well, but  will point you to some of them.
  My favorite site is the Fig Leaf Forum with its in-depth look at nudity and what the Bible says - or doesn't say - about it, specifically the article entitled Clothing and Nakedness in the Bible.
  Another site of an individual that has written some very insightful books is that of Jim Cuningham.  I very much enjoyed reading his book "Nudity & Christianity".  Jim is a very devout Catholic like myself but he brings quotes and information from all segments of Christian life into his book.  He doesn't make it denominational and uses all aspects of good Biblical study to show that non-sexual nudity can be very Christian.
  Some people say that you can take any Bible quote and twist it to mean anything you want it to.  I agree and that is why I am not putting any specific quotes in this post.  I want you to look at the articles I have listed and see that they not only make the statement that nudity is not opposed in the Bible, but that they follow that statement with a lot of research and follow-up to continue that idea.
  Enjoy!!

Peace,
Jeanluc

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Acclimatization

  I have always been hot-blooded.  No, not the sexual kind of hot-to-trot type of hot blooded, but I don't need any covers in bed during the summer and very little most nights during the colder months.  My wife likens me to a furnace most nights if she crawls into bed after I have been there for a little while.  I know she likes to snuggle up to a warm body, so I usually try to hop in before she does just to warm up the bed a little.
  I have noticed this even more so as I have spent time nude or nearly so around the house.  Others are wearing sweatshirts or covering up with blankets while watching TV or reading in the living room and I am not wearing anything and am perfectly comfortable.  If it is too cool for too long, the first thing I notice is the shivers, but it has to be around 64F for a while before that  happens.  My office has several computers in it that are usually always running and that keeps the chill out of that room and if the house feels cool, I either light up the wood stove or knock the chill off with a nudge of the furnace.
  I mention this because I found it enjoyable to walk in the rain on our second trip to the nudist club that I mentioned earlier.  It was a rainy day and we didn't get there until close to dusk on a Friday night.  I had to do some work in the area the next day and decided that it would be too good of a chance to pass up to spend the night at the club.
  We rented one of the cottages and planned on spending Saturday there after my job was finished.  Like I say we got there around dusk, undressed, unpacked what little we had to from the car into our cabin and decided to walk the trails for a while.  By the time we got around them all, it was getting dark so we soaked in the hot tub awhile and then went back to the cabin.  It was a little cool, but not a bad evening at all, so we sat outside and talked until bedtime.  There were very few people there, the caretaker and another couple was all that I noticed.  Since our cabin was on the path that led to the showers, the guy from the other couple stopped to chat for a while when he went for his evening shower.
  Sometime during the night, it started to rain.  I figured that would cool things off even more.  When we got up to get ready to leave I walked across the lawn to the shower while it was still lightly raining.  My wife decided she was not going to venture out as she was feeling cold even without getting rained on.  I, however decided to give it a try and I am so glad I did.
  The light rain on my skin felt like nothing I can remember.  It was just a little cool (to me anyway) and since I am usually hot, it felt absolutely wonderful.  I showered, shaved, etc. and walked back to the cabin again enjoying the feeling of the rain.  I even stopped a little while in the middle of the clearing and tilted my head back to take in all of the wonder of what was happening.
  Here again I was reminded of God and all his wonderful majesty.  The beautiful morning, the towering trees, the softly falling rain, the day coming to life slowly but surely couldn't be anything else but the Almighty letting me know that he was there that day.  It was an awesome feeling.
  Since my wife was already cool and the day didn't warm up much at all as well as continuing to rain lightly, we did not return after my work was finished.  But I do believe I will remember that walk across the lawn for as long as I can remember things.
  But back to my acclimatization.  I can't but believe that it has been my spending as much time as possible in the nude that has helped me become adjusted to the weather like I have been.  I have gone outside dressed in just a bath wrap to get a load of firewood when it was in the upper 30 degrees F and for the 5 minutes or so did not feel any colder than I would have if I had been in the house.  I notice if I touch my back, it feels cool to my hands, but I have no indication that I am cold otherwise.  I am beginning to understand what I have read about the body becoming accustomed to the environment it is in, whether trapping the heat in by clothing, or letting the body adjust its own thermostat by not wearing anything.
  As my grandson would say - COOL!!

Peace,
Jeanluc

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Christian Nudism

You might think that the term 'Christian Nudism' is an oxymoron and indeed it could be if it were up to many people who call themselves Christians.  I am a Catholic.  I am devoted to my faith.  I believe in God and the things that my Catholic faith teaches.  I do not harbor any ill-will against anyone who believes the same way about their religion unless they think their god wants them to harm anyone else in the process of believing.  I think Christianity is just one of many religions that promote good over evil and that is what everyone on earth should strive for in their lives.  Any 'religion' that promotes evil or destruction or any of the macinations of an evil entity are not religions but cults or whatever.  I am not sure I have a name for it.
  So what does any of this have to do with nudism?  Well, let me tell you - a lot.  I believe Christian Nudism (or Naturism or whatever you wish to name it) gives me a greater sense of God than I had ever thought possible.  When my wife and I went to the club this past summer, I didn't know what to expect.  I had never been in a mixed gender nude social situation.  I had been nude around the house a lot, either by myself or with my family, but I did not know quite what to expect.  I had been corresponding with someone from the club who appeared to have similar feelings about nudity as I did and that helped.
When we arrived and undressed and just spent the day visiting, swimming, etc, I found that I had never known such calmness and acceptance.  Maybe it was that everyone was equal there.  No pretentious clothing to designate the architect from the computer tech.  No bikinis to accentuate the cleavage or long legs of the women.  Whether small breasted or large, whether the body had a scar all the way down the stomach or a penis ring, whether tan or white skinned, we were all nude.  We were all more or less the way we were born and no one cared about the status of another.  We could visit and laugh and enjoy the company of people we could begin to call friends - after only one afternoon together.
I - as a man - could enjoy the beauty of a woman - any woman there - and not worry about getting aroused by the scanty bits of clothing hiding just that little bit of skin that the mind teases you into wanting to see.  It was all out in the open.  While it is never polite to stare or 'gawk', I found it extremely enjoyable to look.  Not in a sexual or lustful way, just enjoying the full beauty of God's creation.  I began to see that God is truly a master of the Arts.  He made each body different yet the same.  He sculpted and painted and molded each person - and the wonderous thing was - each body was beautiful.  There was the lady a bit younger than we are with firm youthful breasts.  There was the older lady with large pendelous breasts.  There was the man with an athletic body and the man who was very overweight.  NO ONE CARED about any of this.  It was not ugly or gross or whatever people want to say about it.  It was Gods beauty shining through each and every one of them.
  I am so very glad we went that day.  It was a revelation to me in many more ways than one.  I thank my wonderful wife for accepting my invitation to go and for being the most beautiful woman there.  I found that I loved her all the more for that one day than if she would have given me any material thing.

Peace,
Jeanluc

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Really - What IS a nudist?

The terms 'nudist', 'naturist', 'clothing-optional', 'clothes-free', etc. have been bandied about so much that no one really seems to have a perfect definition of any of them.  Sure 'naturist' (as opposed to 'naturAList' ) supposedly means someone that spends time in the outdoors rather than at a swanky club.  And 'nudist' means the other crowd - until you go overseas.  Then it could be anyone that appreciates the joy of not wearing clothes at any time could be called either one or the other.
  I follow several clothes-free web forums: http://www.naturist-christians.org/ and http://www.chatbocks.com/ primarily and this discussion is in each of them at one time or another.  By the way, I would recommend either or both of these for anyone wanting to know more about the clothes-free lifestyle. LIFESTYLE - now there's a word for another post.
  So what is my definition?  "Not wearing clothes when you don't have to."   I really don't care what term you use for that definition, as long as it is done without a sexual tone or agenda.  Nudity is natural.  We were all born without clothes and we spend at least part of our lives in the skin God gave us with nothing else on, so why be paranoid about clothing or nudity either one.
Peace
Jeanluc

Monday, November 2, 2009

First visit to a landed club.

I had been spending time around the house in the nude and had numerous 'discussions' with my wife and daughter over why I felt it was ok to be nude in front of them.  I explained all that I had learned and after several re-starts, I told them that I would not change my feelings about casual non-sexual nudity even though I would try to be more considerate around them.
  I had mentioned several times to my wife that I would like to go to a nudist club that was several hours from our home.  The first time I mentioned it, she was very adamant that she would not go.  This last summer I told her that I wanted to participate in the World Record Skinny Dip at the club.  I was surprised that she agreed.  She didn't just come out and say she would go, but when I mentioned it a bit later, she indicated that going was the plan and she would go.  I had contacted the club and found that even though it is not officially clothing optional, she would not need to get undressed until she felt ready.
  We arrived around 12:30 in the afternoon.  The wife of a guy I had been corresponding with met us with a towel wrapped around herself.  She showed us where we could park for the day and I undressed.  Then she gave us a tour of the facility and after we met several of the people there - all nude of course, she left us to get settled in our campsite.
  I was pleasantly surprised when my wife came around the side of the van and was nude except for shoes.  She said later that she figured "When in Rome...".  We spent the day visiting, swimming, enjoying the "Bare-B-Que" potluck and left for home as the sun was going down.
  What made this day so memorable was that she acted as naturally with nothing on as she usually does fully dressed.  She must have felt secure enough around people who were similarly undressed that she did not appear to have any of the reservations she has to even go nude in our house when we are the only ones there.  I was amazed, pleased and I will say that that Saturday was the most enjoyable day I have spent with her in a long, long time.  We really didn't do anything differently other than being nude, but the very fact that she would do that for me and seem to enjoy it was enough.
  Thank you sweetheart.  I love you more than anything.