tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post4942340842818154065..comments2024-01-20T07:17:13.678-05:00Comments on Phil Wyman's Square No More: Nudity, Innocence, and Christian DistopiaPastor Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07344719487413688550noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-57025826466227035032011-03-29T15:46:10.095-04:002011-03-29T15:46:10.095-04:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvkJafnhtYMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvkJafnhtYMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-20549155430540926542010-06-27T14:43:32.617-04:002010-06-27T14:43:32.617-04:00Interesting. You might want to be interested in th...Interesting. You might want to be interested in this group. This Website is for Straight Christian Men who want to enjoy skinny-dipping with other male friends like during the old Y.M.C.A., with out being marked as homosexuals. <br /><br />http://gasguys.wordpress.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-7082365299990313952007-12-13T23:38:00.000-05:002007-12-13T23:38:00.000-05:00Jim,Thanks for a little more insight into what is ...Jim,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for a little more insight into what is a far more complex subject than I could possibly have covered in a short blog post. You are welcome at Square No More any time - or at The Gathering is Salem for that matter.Pastor Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07344719487413688550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-59858842320612313542007-09-03T15:55:00.000-04:002007-09-03T15:55:00.000-04:00Well, it looks as if this topic has been left behi...Well, it looks as if this topic has been left behind, however, I have some insights into the "image of God" that have not been mentioned.<BR/><BR/>I think it is fair to state that satan hates the human body--or anything that reflects the "image of God". Some have brought shame to the body by attaching it to unGodly ideas, others have grossly misinterpreted the Bible by claiming the God Himself is ashamed of the body He created and still others have tried to cover the image so completely that it is not seen at all. All are the work of satan, whose fingerprint is his diversity of tactics.<BR/><BR/>In contrast, God is consistent and unchanging. He created the body and proclaimed it good. Prior to casting Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, He asked "who told you that you were naked?" He knew that the answer was satan. The first sacrifice of an animal to make "aprons" was to atone for their sin and to protect them from the harsh environment outside the Garden. It was not to obscure the image.<BR/><BR/>Not all Christian nudists are trying to recreate the innocent times in the Garden of Eden. Some of us just prefer to see the body the way God does--His beautiful creation in all its shapes and forms and not especially stimulating in any sexual way when it is completely exposed.<BR/><BR/>If you want to experience spiritual growth like you've never known, try spending an entire day praying and fasting completely nude. If you can be in an outside environment part of the time, all the better. Take the challenge!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07870678012254862974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-53405955376803421852007-07-16T15:54:00.001-04:002007-07-16T15:54:00.001-04:00Stoneman,I am honored by words of praise, oh great...Stoneman,<BR/><BR/>I am honored by words of praise, oh great blogificator.Pastor Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07344719487413688550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-84842834848808170342007-07-16T15:54:00.000-04:002007-07-16T15:54:00.000-04:00hey ded,...or a serial deconstructionist.hey ded,<BR/><BR/>...or a serial deconstructionist.Pastor Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07344719487413688550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-89412076802224730552007-07-16T08:43:00.000-04:002007-07-16T08:43:00.000-04:00Great post PhilGreat post PhilAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-10012573595197306602007-07-16T07:49:00.000-04:002007-07-16T07:49:00.000-04:00Such a pragmatist! ;^),Such a pragmatist! <B><I>;^)</B>,</I>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-21333739982647229342007-07-15T23:14:00.000-04:002007-07-15T23:14:00.000-04:00Jere,Better by far, and I suppose Job's story beco...Jere,<BR/><BR/>Better by far, and I suppose Job's story becomes prophetic of the Church.Pastor Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07344719487413688550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-28423572375474355002007-07-15T23:12:00.000-04:002007-07-15T23:12:00.000-04:00ded,I am fully supportive of small groups as a mea...ded,<BR/><BR/>I am fully supportive of small groups as a means of discovering God intimately, but even that sometimes becomes an attempt at some kind of ecclesiastical Eden. They work when we realize that they are work - after all, they are relationships.Pastor Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07344719487413688550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-47336995782109937442007-07-14T09:30:00.000-04:002007-07-14T09:30:00.000-04:00Yep. No Eden until Jesus comes. The weird part i...Yep. No Eden until Jesus comes. The weird part is that what's left over is said to be better than Eden...<BR/><BR/>-jeremiahAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17543658406328716120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-68103451349175044342007-07-14T07:32:00.000-04:002007-07-14T07:32:00.000-04:00I agree with you, Phil. The corporate eludes. The...I agree with you, Phil. The corporate eludes. The nudity angle was interesting. I had never viewed nudist camps as a means to Utopia before. Nudism always struck me as so confused need for safe voueurism. Being from up north you are probably aware of the history of the Oneida, another attempt for man to create Utopia.<BR/><BR/>Recently a friend of mine for several years told me of participating in a Christian nudist men's group. The moderators were Christian psychologists who held that the nude state supported being humble and vulnerable to openness. I thought about it and decided I am so good at lying if I want to, that I could hide my heart even in the nude. Your point about the heart is well made.<BR/><BR/>In my idealism and my yearning for the fullest experience of Jesus on earth, I expect someday to be involved in a small group that knows communing with Him together.<BR/>I base this on the idea if one can know His presence, so can two. If two gather in Him and He is in the midst...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-68272806122504012912007-07-14T04:52:00.000-04:002007-07-14T04:52:00.000-04:00Hey, Maalie,I'm in the UK and we've got Pastor Phi...Hey, Maalie,<BR/><BR/>I'm in the UK and we've got Pastor Phil visiting us during his sojourn to the UK. I could put you in touch with people roughly in your area if you like as I've a few connections throughout the UK. :)<BR/><BR/>My website is at http:paganandchristianmoot.co.uk/pcvbforum -you could get in touch by hitting the 'contact us' button and maybe there would even be a way of making it possible for you to meet up with Phil at one of his stop-over points whilst he is over here. :)<BR/><BR/>BB<BR/><BR/>Mikecernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06159048983588703450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-89283556155182213002007-07-13T22:58:00.000-04:002007-07-13T22:58:00.000-04:00Hey ded,I am in total agreemetn with the thought t...Hey ded,<BR/><BR/>I am in total agreemetn with the thought there is a Edenic connection at the heart level. My thoughts in the post have to do with the attempt of humanity to establish a corporate Utopian society through outward actions.<BR/><BR/>In the case of attmepting to discover "innocent social nudity" there may not actually be a better attempt to discover the original Eden in all human attempts which have been tried, but as the history of the story shows - human attempts fall short. So too with our hearts I find, and that is why the corporate Eden can not yet be found on a permanent basis, but only in small snatches of lawn mowing. They do get longer if we practice pursuit of God as Brother Lawrence did.Pastor Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07344719487413688550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-49914137389837465702007-07-13T09:57:00.000-04:002007-07-13T09:57:00.000-04:00Oh, my comment came in response to your statement ...Oh, my comment came in response to your statement that Eden was blocked until the return of Christ.<BR/><BR/>True enough, but talking with God is pretty close to my own personal Utopia!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-10536398749088638792007-07-13T09:54:00.000-04:002007-07-13T09:54:00.000-04:00One day I was mowing grass and thinking something ...One day I was mowing grass and thinking something like...<BR/><BR/><I> Adam walked and talked with God in the garden during the evening. </I> <BR/><BR/>cut grass, cut grass<BR/><BR/><I> Sin ended this communing with God. </I> (sigh) <BR/><BR/>turn and cut the other way<BR/><BR/><I> The finished work of Jesus on the cross restored communing with God between human and God. </I> <BR/><BR/>thick clump of grass hit too fast shuts down mower<BR/><BR/>Cranking mower <BR/><BR/><I> I am a human who has trusted in Jesus and communing with God is restored to me. </I><BR/><BR/>STOP. Mower running at idle while I digest the thought.<BR/><BR/>Out loud: "I am living in Eden in my soul!" <BR/><BR/>Pushing mower again...<BR/><BR/><I> Who cares if I have to cut grass since I get to commune with God while I do it! </I>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-6152039806063495132007-07-13T08:08:00.000-04:002007-07-13T08:08:00.000-04:00Maalie,I will be in North Wales at the National Ei...Maalie,<BR/><BR/>I will be in North Wales at the National Eisteddfod - somewhere between Mold and Wrexham in a few weeks. If you have some time, and the distance isn't too far, we should hook up.<BR/><BR/>You can find a few things I've written on the subject if you go to the church website at: www.salemgathering.com and you'll find a link to some writings on Neo-Paganism from the front page. Also there is a Pagan/Christian dialogue we host, and you could sign up for that as well.<BR/><BR/>Peace.Pastor Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07344719487413688550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-86978980419632161542007-07-13T07:57:00.000-04:002007-07-13T07:57:00.000-04:00I am curious about your study of neo-paganism. I t...I am curious about your study of neo-paganism. I think I might be one, but i never new what it is called. Do you have more info about that please? Thank you in advance.Maaliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13444125754967223180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-12724321698290123992007-07-13T07:52:00.000-04:002007-07-13T07:52:00.000-04:00Hyland Will,The issue of shame in correlation to t...Hyland Will,<BR/><BR/>The issue of shame in correlation to the body, and how that speaks to the issue of sin and redemption is a potentially interesting topic. Not so much because of some need to work out our salvation in overcoming the shame response (I think that is where the Adamites went too far), but because the inate response found in adolescents and adults speaks of the very problem of sin itself, and perhaps becomes a type of natural prophecy to each human.Pastor Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07344719487413688550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-12506693586773360722007-07-13T07:49:00.000-04:002007-07-13T07:49:00.000-04:00David,That was a difficult piece to write actually...David,<BR/><BR/>That was a difficult piece to write actually, and yeah I guess I stir up some pots don't I?Pastor Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07344719487413688550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-44868431108148929582007-07-13T07:47:00.000-04:002007-07-13T07:47:00.000-04:00Mike - funny!Pray Nakedno matter who you areno mat...Mike - funny!<BR/><BR/>Pray Naked<BR/><BR/>no matter who you are<BR/>no matter what you do<BR/>there's only one thing<BR/>i ask of you <BR/>and that's if you pray<BR/>then when you pray<BR/>be naked prey<BR/>pray nakedPastor Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07344719487413688550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-76464250106206027582007-07-13T02:37:00.000-04:002007-07-13T02:37:00.000-04:00sorry, i just kept thinking of the 77's and Pray N...sorry, i just kept thinking of the 77's and Pray Naked.Mike Murrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17953216797987615864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-71932138256088695152007-07-13T00:19:00.000-04:002007-07-13T00:19:00.000-04:00lol, funny david!Thanks for the article phil, very...lol, funny david!<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the article phil, very interesting! There is something about this article that reminds me of my child hood feeling of "shame". Methinks it comes from the original garden scene and has transcended to all generations. Even as an adult I sometimes feel that same child hood feeling of shame and the need to cover up. As a married man, however, the only time I think I do not feel this shame is when I am with my wife intimately. And, this I believe is God's wonderful and beautiful grace bestowed upon us to give us a glimpse of what it was like in the original garden before sin. Further, I like to think that God is also giving us a glimpse of what it will be like when we are in his presence one day in our heavenly bodies. <BR/><BR/>On another matter, Sorry I have not been around too much. I have been pretty busy with working on the house after work and tending to some family matters. Glad to see the great response from your post on the Ooze. I lurk there alot too! I also try to stay out of trouble, but sometimes I just can't help myself. :) <BR/><BR/>Blessing to you sir.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28637516.post-62860517521752066332007-07-12T23:39:00.000-04:002007-07-12T23:39:00.000-04:00Ahhh Phil, always the trouble maker.You know if a ...Ahhh Phil, always the trouble maker.<BR/>You know if a woman shows her ankles..nothing but rampant orgies will follow.<BR/><BR/>;-)<BR/><BR/>Good post. I like the way you provoke thought.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14670609970252209273noreply@blogger.com