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Okay, so I'm watching the news tonight and there is a segment dealing with the Nude Bike rallies through Capital Hill and Freemont, and the demonstrators lathering it up in the International Fountain, and hanging out (no pun intended) in parks around the city after the ride.
Apparently the Seattle Parks Department feels things have gotten out of hand, and are attempting to limit the nude expression and they have ran into some angry naked folks. The report noted that all the different nude events are legal, and that in fact the Seattle Police Department has sent letters out explaining their limitations legally in dealing with the nude demonstrations and behavior.
Now, I had assumed, wrongly I now know, that the nude bike riders were simply sneaking into other planned events or parades to make their point. Nope, they are planned and permitted events by the city itself. You can check out the King 5 News piece at:
http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_111308WAB_parks_nudity_KS.1ac93ea38.html
So, now it's gotten out of hand and they are wanting to ban nudity in public parks and on beaches. Well kudos for that, it's really not the healthiest societal plan to allow mass nudity next to our kid's swing set, but my question is, "Why would they even think that would actually benefit our community in the first place?"
The report noted that:
In Seattle it's illegal to flash someone but perfectly legal to run around nude.
"The bare facts of the law are that if you knowingly show yourself
naked with the intent to alarm and offend people that's illegal, said
Sergeant Sean Whitcom, of the Seattle Police Department. "Just being
nude is not against the law."
It seems to me that most forms of public demonstration that are radically counter-cultural -do- intend to alarm and offend people's sensibilities, that's why they do it. This is no different.Now I realize that most of the Seattle participants will vehemently disagree with me, but I can't even imagine why it was ever allowed in the first place. It comes down to asking ourselves the questions about what behaviors most benefit the whole community, I just don't see how a bunch of naked people frolicking in the fountain at Seattle Center, riding their bikes through the city, or turning public beaches into nude beaches adds to who we are as a whole.
***NEWS FLASH*** as I am typing, King 5 news just said the city council delayed the vote on banning the nudity because not enough people were upset…
Man, what ever happened to civic leaders actually leading!
What do you think..
MC
It wasn’t the story that interested me most it was the responses about it. The one that made me the most sad was this one, “My GOD is GOD whether you call him Jesus, Buddha, Allah, the Great Spirit, or one of the many others in use. If the people in Nepal see fit to look upon this boy as the possible reincarnation of Buddha that is their right”.
Yes, we have a right because God gave us freewill but that does not mean that this common train of thought is correct. The Bible says that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no man can come to the Father, but by Him.
We have to make a choice. Jesus is God, not just a Rabbi, a great teacher, he is the Christ. He fulfilled the Jewish prophecies of the messiah, performed signs and miracles, died and rose from the dead 3 days later… He didn’t have to die, he chose to. He sacrificed himself so that we could live and then rose and walked among us. No, not all religions are the same.
People are hurting they know that there is more to life than what is here on Earth. By saying that there are no differences in these ‘gods’ is like saying there is no good and no evil. Don’t jump on that ‘co-exist’ bumpersticker bandwagon it just isn’t possible. All religions are not equal and to assume so is simply ignorant.
It says that you will find God when you search with all your heart. If you are truly searching you can’t help but find Jesus. Many have tried to disprove Him and have found that Jesus is the truth in the process.
Find out for yourself. Search don’t settle.
What gets me about this is the idea of riding a bike nude in the first place! Ouch!
What gets me about this is the idea of riding a bike nude in the first place! Ouch!
I don’t think there should be another message out there that we are to be ashamed of our bodies. Why would you be so concerned with covering up God’s creation? Everyone in Seattle knows when the rides happen- if you don’t want to see it there is ample time to get lost. My question is why wouldn’t it be allowed? What an awesome expression of free speech and tolerance that a great city like Seattle would be unashamed of this demonstration and a church would be up in arms…
A couple things…first valley ghost, there is no mention of being ashamed of the bodies God created in the article, you read that in from your own angst…there was a question addressed however which you missed “why would, or how does that expression honestly enhance the level of community? I have heard your adage “let’s not be ashamed of our bodies”before, so, since my question is one of a deeper sense of community, (meaning life isn’t only about me and what I want and think)how does that “really” make us a better. stronger, community?
The only other thing I would mention is that you said the church is outraged…there is also no mention of “The Church” or “A Church” but my perspective…me thinks you have some church issues :-)which you brought into the conversation.
I also think that the bodies God gave us are an incredible expression of His creative beauty…and should be honored, I think we probably differ on the meaning of how we should “honor” but we agree on the beauty of what God has created.
i also believe one of God’s greatest creative gifts is our sexuality. Having said that, even though I am not ashamed of that gift either, mass orgies in public also wouldn’t be the healthiest expression for our community.
My thoughts on community consciousness do ask us to do something that is extremely hard for our culture…and that is to think about a community as a whole and not just ourselves.
I really appreciate your exchange…and would hope you would appreciate another’s point of view as well…that does enhance community.
MC