First Christianity-themed nudist resort to open in Florida

by Abaddon 6 Replies latest jw friends

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  Abaddon

  http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1516&e=4&u=/afp/20040122/od_afp/us_nudist_offbeat_040122183013

  TAMPA, United States (AFP) - The first nudist resort created primarily for Christians in the United States is due to open in Florida and its co-founder claims that he can provide passages in the Bible where nudity is prominently mentioned.

  "Depending on the version of the Bible you use, there are as many as 40 passages that refer to nudity," said Bill Martin, co-founder of Natura, which will be the first Christianity-themed nudist colony in the country when it opens in a Tampa suburb in April. "In (the Bible book of) Isaiah 20.2, God tells Isaiah to go into the wilderness naked for three years. So there's historical basis for a Christian nudist lifestyle," continued Martin, who is a Quaker.

  When Natura is completed, the 240-acre resort area will have 500 homes, a hotel, a water-slide park, and a non-denominational Christian church. Although nudity will be mandatory, attending church services will be clothing-optional for residents, according to Martin.

  Followers of the Baptist, Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses,(*) Mennonites, and Quaker religions are some of the different Christian denominations who will call Natura home.

  "Fundamentalist Christians and the Southern Baptists may object to us, but I will meet with them anytime to talk about both Natura and nudity," said Martin. "It's funny that some Southern Baptists oppose us, because for about the first 500 years after the death of Christ, mass baptisms were done nude."

  (*) yeah, right...

  ... and next we will see Christiain BDSM clubs with bondage, flagilation and crucifixtion playrooms....?
• 

  DevonMcBride

  I know a few JW's that would go to Natura if they could get away with it.

  Devon
• 

  asleif_dufansdottir

  We talked about this a while ago and I guess I killed the thread...

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/14/65343/1.ashx
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  Abaddon

  Hi aslief;

  I missed that thread. One thing you may (as Icelandic) (?) not realise is that in English 'naturist' is generally the outdoor loving-family oriontated type, and 'nudist' is generally the 'out for sex' type.

  Problem is people lump everyone togther; the nude gay beach they saw out of the corner of their eye (everytime they passed it, mark you) and the 500 tent camp site with hundreds of families. Pleasure Island and Cap Agda are sex resorts. Most naturist resorts you see less public displays of affection between couples than ordinary resorts as over displays of sexuality are frowned on. It's two different things
• 

  asleif_dufansdottir

  I missed that thread. One thing you may (as Icelandic) (?) not realise is that in English 'naturist' is generally the outdoor loving-family oriontated type, and 'nudist' is generally the 'out for sex' type.

  Nope, sorry...my screen name is not my real name (though it is Norse). I'm American.

  My only experience in naturism/nudism is in the central U.S. and in Arizona. I agree with you about the term 'naturist', but would disagree that 'nudist' is "generally the 'out for sex' type"...the 'out for sex' type doesn't last long in the nudist resorts with which I'm familiar, if they are overt in 'coming on' to people. There are open relationships, of course in nudism as there are in the general public, but it must be carried on very privately, among consenting adults.

  I'm very conservative about such things and I've rarely been the least bit uncomfortable where we've been (after 21+ years of marriage, I'm very uncomfortable being 'hit on' and wouldn't go if it happened often).

  My husband just read this over my shoulder and saw your 'out for sex' comment and yelped, "That's not true!!" He says since the modern naturist/nudist movement started in Germany in the early 1900's the European term is naturist, but the American term is (generally) nudist. The 2 terms are generally synonymous in the U.S. In Europe naturism seems to be the "out in the forest" type, but as most (public) places in the U.S. don't allow nudity, private resorts are the norm here. He also adds that "swinger" is the term used by 'out for sex' types in the U.S.
• 

  Abaddon

  AH, I see...

  It's us Europeans who distinguish between naturism and nudism (or at least the ones I've spoken to) with overt sexuality being the differentiator; in the US the terms are more synomynous with swingers being the overtly sexual ones.

  We have swingers of course, but standing around naked waiting for sex is a very inefficient use of sex time, so our swingers tend to go straight to the sex...

  Of course, places like Cap Agda (South of France near Narbonne) are very well know for sex, and some naturist/nudist beaches tend to have a 'gay' end where things can be a bit racey. Funny thing is, we went to our first naturist camp site last year without having planned it; we knew we'd go to naturist/nudist beachs, but we found the nicest camp site for miles was naturist and thought why not? Brilliant holiday as you can see...
• 

  asleif_dufansdottir

  in the US the terms are more synomynous with swingers being the overtly sexual ones.

  To the best of my understanding, yep (hubby is more involved in the online nudist community, nudist rights and so on, so he knows the finer details better). I do know that more U.S. 'nudist' places are heavily emphasizing the phrase 'family friendly nudism' to make darn sure there is no misunderstanding of the terms.

  Edited because I forgot to say: Hubby, along with some others we know, prefers the term 'naturist' because he's an ecologist and likes to make the finer distinction of being "out in nature" nude rather than just sittin' around the house. You coulda knocked me over with a feather when I found out that in Arizona you could be nude in the national forests legally. Try that in Nebraska!

  We have swingers of course, but standing around naked waiting for sex is a very inefficient use of sex time, so our swingers tend to go straight to the sex...

  LOL!

  Brilliant holiday as you can see...

  Yes indeed! Hubby noticed your pic and said, "Hey! I see naturists!!" He sometimes wonders why I come on this board (having 'gotten over the JW thing' so he says), and was very interested in the thread.