I am blessed to have two daughters and an amazing wife that is guiding them thru life as they become women. I recently saw Rihanna’s album cover and I was saddened because another influential young lady was showing off her precious body again. I then reflected back on other popular young ladies (Paris Hilton, Vanessa Hudgens, Adrienne Bailon, etc…) that had naked or racy photos of themselves on the internet. I wanted my wife’s perspective on the issue and this is how she responded.

“It’s deception, a lie. It doesn’t really show strength and power. Matter of fact it is false empowerment. I think women are searching for a way to express their feelings and some choose this type of liberation. Don’t get me wrong, making the decision to show your body isn’t easy and generates a strong feeling of liberation, but it is still a lie. Such a bold move causes others not see the intentions behind your decision, but just a shell or the surface of your decision, just your body. People don’t see the inner growth, and strength, that is why its false. It is widely accepted because men, at the end of the day, will just be drooling over your so called artistic pics. They just see and feel the gratification of your pics. Many will not get the message or see the message more important than those pictures. Just as a women’s clothes are stripped off, so does the nakedness strip away the power of the message. It devalues it.”

I think that sums it up. Young ladies keep it on, young men, quit being perverted, it may get you in some serious trouble.

Entertainers Cassie, and Rihanna are two more young individuals that have had naked pictures of themselves released over the internet.  This type of behavior has been so prevalent over the years that I recently saw a countdown of the most scandalous sex tape or photos on one of the music networks.  Every reality show, especially the match making ones, seem to have individuals bearing almost all.  Getting naked has always given one opportunity to gain a morbid type of fame or advance one’s career, but it seems like it’s becoming more accepted.  I’ve heard the rationalization for nakedness, its artistic, beautiful, or I am just showing off my hard work.  They all can make sense when presented in a certain way, but the one thing we don’t say is how ashamed it makes one feel.  Truth be told initially showing your naked body to anyone or in any situation made you feel ashamed.  Truth be told you needed an opinion of someone you respected, or some mood altering drug to tear you away from that initial feeling.  Truth be told some of you never really get over feeling ashamed which keeps you on a vicious cycle of doing something to bury that nagging feeling.  Now I am not going to tell you never to where a bathing suit or go shirtless when playing sports or jogging.  

There is a place where being completely naked before someone is not shameful.  Genesis Ch2 verses 18-25 explains God placed ADAM in a deep sleep, pulled a rib from his side, created woman, explained that they reconnect when they commit to each other (marriage), and the last verse says at that moment they were both naked and not ashamed.  Before you get pissed off and look at this as brain washed babble, be objective and look at it as a differing view on life that you can choose to accept or disregard.  Also get passed the fact that traditional marriage is going thru a rough patch right now, that doesn’t mean it is out dated.  It could just mean a lot of people are entering into it ignorant of how to maintain it.  We all know that if we had the opportunity to have a truly committed relationship with another person that understood that all of our intimate experiences are only for each other not just physical acts we would gladly embrace it.  I am one of many voices that is experiencing this type of relationship and I accredit it to trusting God’s ways and finding someone that believes in their heart the same.  You can be naked and not ashamed just give God a real chance and allow Him to teach you thru his biblical instructions.  You may have had many failures in the past but trustworthy relationships do exist, don’t give up and quit allowing strangers into the most intimate areas of your lives.  Some things should be left between  you , God, and your spouse (of the opposite sex).