Jade Sambrook: What if Nudism were a Religion?

What if nudism were a religion? What if the practice of ”Nudism” were considered equal to the practice of Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Abrahamic religion or any of the other many religions that exist today?

If nudism were a religion then surely I could no longer claim to be an atheist. I’d be attending Nudist Church every Sunday and even volunteering my time towards the church on other days of the week. Heck, I’d even be interested in becoming a nudist preacher!

Some people reading this might answer that it is against the law to be naked in public, or that they would be offended if they saw a naked human body.

First of all, if nudism were a religion, then being naked in public could no longer be considered a criminal offence, or else it would amount to a clear case of religious persecution by the state. In Canada for example – where I am from – the Charter of Rights and Freedoms states that everyone has the freedom of conscience and religion. Hence, if ”Nudism” were a religion, forcing a ”Nudist” to put on clothes would be like asking a Sikh to remove his turban or a Muslim woman to remove her hijab.

A photo comparison: Jade Sambrook wearing the Nudist religious garb versus a woman wearing the burka. Photo credit (woman in burka) Amazon.com

In terms of being offended by the sight of a naked human body, well, many folks already claim to be offended by other things that they are ultimately powerless to stop. They simply have to live with it, accept it and get use to it. If nudism were a religion, anybody offended by the naked human body of a nudist would simply be putting into evidence their religious intolerance towards that particular religion.

While full nudity as religious garb finds itself on one extreme of the spectrum, on the other extreme of the spectrum are some Muslim women who cover themselves from head-to-toe by wearing a burka. These women do so based on their religious beliefs that are supposedly derived from the Qur’an. Naturally the folks who are offended by this practice are powerless to stop it. Therefore, it only makes sense that people be able to practice the religion of ”Nudism” by uncovering themselves from head-to-toe, derived from their beliefs as to the health benefits of being naked, and that those offended by it would equally be powerless to stop it.

For Jade Sambrook one thing is clear, we are all born naked, no matter where we are born and no matter the values, morals and beliefs of our parents, there is no getting around it – we come out of the womb naked. We also leave this world in the same way.

As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand – Ecclesiastes 5:15 – King James Bible.

My understanding of religion, which is a minimal and simplistic understanding, is that man was created in the image of their God. Yet we are obligated by society to cover this image in clothing out of shame and disgust towards it. I simply don’t get it! 

To quote selectively from Wikipedia, religion is defined as an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence. Many religions have narratives and symbols (. . . .) From their beliefs people may derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle. Many religions have organized behaviours (…) festivals, feasts, music, art, dance or other aspects of human culture.

From the above definition alone, nudism could and should be considered a religion equal to other religions.

Jade Sambrook at the nude beach. Is this the only appropriate place for a nudist?

People will often tell me that if I want to practice my nudist lifestyle I should only do so in appropriate places – like at nude beaches and nudist resorts. Unfortunately such comments are much the same as telling a homosexual that he or she should only practice his or her lifestyle in appropriate places – like at home, ”in the closet” or in a gay bar. It is much the same as telling a cigarette smoker that he or she should only practice their lifestyle in appropriate places – like at home, in the bedroom and hidden under the blankets. I think you get my point… I’m looking forward to the day that nudism becomes a religion, if it indeed ever does. And if it does, that will be the day where I, like many others, will be free from persecution, free to openly practice an awesome lifestyle, and most importantly, free to live the way I was born: naked.