Dream LLama

This may be more of a nonsensical or poorly realised concept than a contradiction, but I still think it worthy of discussion.

Is nudity a sin?

If Leviticus is to be trusted then yes. The verses about nakedness from chapter 18 onwards set things up so that seeing just about anybody naked, the only real exceptions being your husband or wife, is a definite no-no. Therefore any form of public nudity is a sin.

But this contradicts the concept of Original Sin, which, according to Genesis, was Eve eating fruit from the tree of knowledge. But that doesn’t happen till chapter 3 whereas Genesis 2:25 tells us;

Had Adam and Eve gone on to conceive children, and the rest of mankind, without eating the forbidden fruit several of the laws of Leviticus would have been broken, yet there is no indication that any sins would have been committed.

Is there a caveat tucked away in some obscure part of the Bible that I’ve missed, or were Moses and co a bit sloppy with their proof reading?

Toto

I have heard that mention of nakedness in the Bible is often a euphemism for *sex*.

Dream LLama

In some instances it may be, but in others it certainly is not. Genesis 9:22 for example;

This happened while Noah was asleep. In my experience people don't have sex while they sleep.

Also, this piece of nakedness-uncovering resulted in the cursing of an entire race.

[ October 28, 2002: Message edited by: Dream LLama ]</p>

Butters

I've heard theories that Noah was real drunk, and is son sodomized him, and thats what the big deal was all about.

Dream LLama

I've never heard that theory before so I don't know the reasoning behind it, though, if true, it wouldn't explain why Shem and Japheth averted their eyes while they 'covered the nakedness of their father.'

Butters

Well, to "look upon someones nakedness" was a euphemism for had sex with.

and maybe the sons were ashamed to look at him.
Is there any other mention in the Bible that it was taboo to see your father naked? Or any where else? Just curious now, don't get me defending this position!

Cretinist

Gen 9:24 - And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.

You wouldn't know if someone saw you naked while you were asleep, but you might know that they anally raped you. It certainly makes Noah's curse on Ham's son a little bit more understandable...

lpetrich

Alternatively, Shem and Japheth could have told Noah about what a Peeping Tom Ham had been.

Bible Humper

ROFL

Ezekiel seeing the nakedness of the LORD!

8:2
Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.

1:27
And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

Well, the loins at least. I guess that even Yahweh needs a blowjob once in a while!

Baidarka

It does seem that some that some Bible stories have been edited to hide some uncomfortably explicit sex and violence and archaic religious practices.
What did Ham do to Noah?
Why did God try to murder Moses?
What was the original nature of Jacob’s injury after his wrestling match?
Was the concubine who was raped by the Benjaminites alive or dead when she chopped into pieces?
What part of God did Moses really see?
Why place ones hand under a Patriarch’s “loins” when taking an oath?
Was Isaac really spared or was he sacrificed in the original story?
What kind of religion was Jacob practicing when he erected the standing stone?
Is there anything to Freud’s idea that Moses was murdered?
Why did Jacob steal his father in laws Idols?

Check out God's Phallus: And Other Problems for Men and Monotheism by Howard Eilberg-Schwartz for a very interesting perspective on the anthropology of ancient Judaism and Biblical use of euphemisms for sex acts and sexual organs.