BT

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  1. How did we get so far from the topic of this forum? I posted something yesterday that I believe was passed over. I only read the first few posts of this forum and decided to respond. I did not realize it had veered so far off topic. Is there any more interest in "BYU's Stance on Nude Art and Self-Censorship"? Just curious. I need to turn off notifications if there is no more interest.
  2. Now back to the original topic of this forum: BYU Stance on nude art and Self-censorship. I'm new to this forum. I came across this discussion and wanted to respond because this is a subject that has concerned me since I was a student at BYU in the 90s. Concerned because people very close to me are addicted to nudity of any sort. They search for it in medical books, science magazines, and, of course in art books. Every form of nudity has the same response to an addict--chemically, emotionally and psychologically. Are we allowed to reference scripture? I hope so. Here are some questions I don't claim to have definitive answers to, nor do I claim to be an authority, but they are questions that this forum has caused me to ask for my learning and study. I hope you find them as interesting as well. Why did Father instruct Jesus to "make a coat of skins" [garments] to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness? (Gen. 3:3, 21) Why was covering their nakedness so important and why did it require sacrifice? Why were fig leaves not enough? Why are covenants associated with the coat of skins [garments]? If God designated a time when it is okay to remove the sacred symbols of our covenants to display the beauty of the body, when is that time? Consider teachings from the Book or Mormon: Why was the state of mind of the Lamanites as it was when they began to shed their clothing (Enos 1:20)? Why was the state of the minds of the Nephites and Jaredites as it was when they "cloth[ed] their nakedness" (Mosiah 10:5; Helaman 6:13; Ether 10:24)? Of course, we might ask why John the Baptist was dressed in a girdle of loins while living in the wilderness? Perhaps there is something about John's context we don't fully know. In Milton's Paradise Lost (clearly not scriptural), Satan was envious of Adam's love for Eve because of Eve's beauty. This is a direct quote from Milton (the grammar and syntax comes from Ol' English): "aside the Devil turnd For envie, yet with jealous leer maligne Ey'd them askance, and to himself thus plaind (p. 118). Milton described Eve's beauty in this way: "With Flowers, Garlands, and sweet-smelling Herbs Espoused EVE deckt first her Nuptial Bed, And heav'nly Quires the Hymenaean sung, What day the genial Angel to our Sire Brought her in naked beauty more adorn'd, More lovely then PANDORA, whom the Gods Endowd with all thir gifts" (p. 126). Milton believes Satan yearned for what he could not have, Eve's beautiful body. So Satan created a situation wherein he could possess Eve's body. Of course Milton is not scriptural, but are there lessons we might learn from his magnificent poetic piece of "art"? To answer this question do not take these small quotes out of context of Milton's full message. There is much more I might write, but I'll spare you. The Fall has powerful lessons, which is why we relive it each time we attend the temple. God is concerned with how one gets in and out of the world. If the body is sacred and is covered for a reason, perhaps understanding why God has done what He has done and "[His] thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways [His] ways..." (Isaiah 55:8-9), whose "thoughts" and "ways" should we follow when discussing the beautiful body? Perhaps the arm of flesh (the famous artists of old, nor contemporary artists and teachers of art), are not the best interpreters of God's thoughts and ways. it's personal, but as someone wrote above, you and God know.