The Christian Self-Esteem Movement.

[aliveinHim]

I do believe there is some extent of male beauty. Look at the statue of David by Michelangelo. That's the epitome of male beauty (well, I don't consider it beautiful since he's nude). What adds to people's looks is how well they carry themselves. I've seen girls who are naturally really pretty but slump down and don't walk with confidence. I've seen not so pretty girls who are beautiful because they carry themselves with confidence.

[Atria35]

I do believe there is some extent of male beauty. Look at the statue of David by Michelangelo. That's the epitome of male beauty (well, I don't consider it beautiful since he's nude).

But God created our bodies like this. So why is the body not beautiful? Double-standard! XD

[ShiroiHikari]

I...am just going to leave this thread now.

[K. Ayato]

Excuse me, aliveinHim, but you're only 16. There's a lot more to life and the world out there than what you've been exposed to.

[Maledicte]

Look at the statue of David by Michelangelo. That's the epitome of male beauty (well, I don't consider it beautiful since he's nude).

Says who? The man's got ape arms. XD Seriously, he's meant to be viewed at an angle and not straight on.

I've got my own epitomes of male beauty, thankyaverymuch.

And speaking of nudity - taking a life drawing class (where all the models were nude) really broke me out of thinking which people were ugly and which people were not. Not only did the models have insane confidence to pose for us - we had a pregnant woman, for example - drawing them allowed me to see God's signature in all of them. They were not all fit, or young, or commercially attractive, but they were all unique and therefore beautiful to me.

[PrincessZelda]

Says who? The man's got ape arms. XD Seriously, he's meant to be viewed at an angle and not straight on.

I've got my own epitomes of male beauty, thankyaverymuch.

And speaking of nudity - taking a life drawing class (where all the models were nude) really broke me out of thinking which people were ugly and which people were not. Not only did the models have insane confidence to pose for us - we had a pregnant woman, for example - drawing them allowed me to see God's signature in all of them. They were not all fit, or young, or commercially attractive, but they were all unique and therefore beautiful to me.

This.

XD;; I feel like this is going to sound weird no matter how I say it, but I don't think it's any less beautiful because it's nude, I think the male nude figure is very beautiful.

For the record, I'm an art major and I've taken life/figure drawing classes. I actually really love drawing/painting nudes.

[Nate]

God created humanity and they were naked.

God said "It is good."

Therefore nudity = good.

After Eve and Adam ate the fruit and sinned, they put on clothing. Clothing only exists because of sin. If we had never sinned, we'd all be naked, and it would be good, because God said it is good.

Therefore nudity is the pinnacle of beauty. God says so.

[PrincessZelda]

God created humanity and they were naked.

God said "It is good."

Therefore nudity = good.

After Eve and Adam ate the fruit and sinned, they put on clothing. Clothing only exists because of sin. If we had never sinned, we'd all be naked, and it would be good, because God said it is good.

Therefore nudity is the pinnacle of beauty. God says so.

I 100% agree with this.

[Nami]

God created humanity and they were naked.

God said "It is good."

Therefore nudity = good.

After Eve and Adam ate the fruit and sinned, they put on clothing. Clothing only exists because of sin. If we had never sinned, we'd all be naked, and it would be good, because God said it is good.

Therefore nudity is the pinnacle of beauty. God says so.

This made me laugh.

And I agree!

[K. Ayato]

Clothing was introduced to cover shame, which was brought on because of sin. It says right there in Genesis that both Adam and his wife (she had not yet been named Eve) were naked and not ashamed (bold for emphasis).

[Nate]

This made me laugh.

Good, because it was supposed to. :p

I'm being mostly facetious here. Obviously I'm not advocating everyone should be nudists. That wouldn't work for a variety of reasons. Plus, it gets cold in winter. But I stand behind what I said. God created humans naked and said "It is good." God even got angry when he saw Adam and Eve wearing clothes. They had covered up the beauty he gave them.

Nudity is a wonderful thing, and again, is the epitome of beauty. However, like many beautiful things in the world, sin has twisted it. Nudity is still beautiful, but often times that beauty is abused.

Also, people acting like nudity is shameful or ugly only further serves to harm the truth of God.

And that's why I don't wear pants!

[K. Ayato]

Nate, I'm gonna get you for that visual you just implanted into my brain!

[Nami]

Good, because it was supposed to. :p

I'm being mostly facetious here. Obviously I'm not advocating everyone should be nudists. That wouldn't work for a variety of reasons. Plus, it gets cold in winter. But I stand behind what I said. God created humans naked and said "It is good." God even got angry when he saw Adam and Eve wearing clothes. They had covered up the beauty he gave them.

Nudity is a wonderful thing, and again, is the epitome of beauty. However, like many beautiful things in the world, sin has twisted it. Nudity is still beautiful, but often times that beauty is abused.

Also, people acting like nudity is shameful or ugly only further serves to harm the truth of God.

And that's why I don't wear pants!

Wooow, didn't need that visual ^_^ XDD

[Maledicte]

I love the nude human figure, but I also love dressing it up in fashionable clothing. What do I dooooo?

[Lynna]

XD This thread is funny XD
I think all people are beautiful because God Made them that way. Even if they aren't beautiful to me, they are beautiful in the sight of God

[TheSubtleDoctor]

And that's why I don't wear pants!

Been waiting forever for an opportunity to post this one...

[Htom Sirveaux]

The first thing I thought of when I saw the title of this thrad was Tyler Durden saying, "You are not special. You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake. You ar the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world."

Don't know what that says about me, but it's probably nothing good.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Been waiting forever for an opportunity to post this one...

I have a feeling this was originally meant for me...

[Yuki-Anne]

Okay, first of all, I really don't believe that God doesn't only think people are beautiful on the inside. I think he truly sees everyone as beautiful, physically, in their own way. Also, I think beauty is a really subjective term, and I really don't think you can label who is and isn't pretty. Yes, they may not appeal to you, but that doesn't mean that everyone out there thinks that about them.

But I think when God creates us he is very intentional in what he makes us look like. I always think of God as being an artist, creating a work of art. Not everyone may like that work of art, but He still thinks it's beautiful, and there are probably some people out there who agree. Everyone's idea of beauty is slightly different.

This. So much, this. Man, I can't say this enough.

Self-esteem is just a word. I think what's important is the principle: seeing yourself for who God created you to be. God created you, and God does not make mistakes.

This thread makes me sad because of the bagging on "ugly" people (what does that even mean?), and it also cracks me up because of the nudity comments. I had never looked at nudity this way, to be honest. You guys expand my horizons every day.

[TopazRaven]

As an ugly person this thread is rather disheartning in some areas and highly amusing and encouraging in others. I'm kind of going to mirror what some other people said here though. Just because you think someone looks ugly or unattractive doesn't mean someone else does and it definitly doesn't mean God does. Not to mention I'm all for the inner beauty bit. I can walk up to any of my friends and say, "you're beautiful" without even having to acknowlegde what they look like because it is their heart, their personailty and who they are that I find beautiful.

Meanwhile, I'm not against nudity as long as it is used in an artistic way and not meant to be like porn or something. Needless to say...I can't look at male nudity. Not because it makes me lustful, it really doesn't. I just get so embarrased. xD

[Shao Feng-Li]

Good, because it was supposed to. :p

I'm being mostly facetious here. Obviously I'm not advocating everyone should be nudists. That wouldn't work for a variety of reasons. Plus, it gets cold in winter. But I stand behind what I said. God created humans naked and said "It is good." God even got angry when he saw Adam and Eve wearing clothes. They had covered up the beauty he gave them.

Nudity is a wonderful thing, and again, is the epitome of beauty. However, like many beautiful things in the world, sin has twisted it. Nudity is still beautiful, but often times that beauty is abused.

Also, people acting like nudity is shameful or ugly only further serves to harm the truth of God.

And that's why I don't wear pants!

God also made them clothes. Put your pants on

Mostly in response to the OP- I think I mostly agree. I don't know much about those programs you're talking about, but I do know that my esteem and confidence is in Christ. Why should I ever have any confidence in myself?

Certainly though, we are fine just the way God makes us, yet it's not a bad thing to better yourself. We should take care of the body God gave us with good hygiene, diet, exercise, etc.

[Yuki-Anne]

God also made them clothes. Put your pants on

I don't know about you, but my pants were made in Egypt.

I'm going to double-check this fact when I go to the bathroom right after I finish this post.

[PrincessZelda]

I don't know about you, but my pants were made in Egypt.

I'm going to double-check this fact when I go to the bathroom right after I finish this post.

Egypt? Whoa...


Also, I just wondered where my pants were made right after reading this, and I went to look at the tag and... I remembered I wasn't wearing pants!

[Yuki-Anne]

^pantsless win

[Rusty Claymore]

God created humans naked and said "It is good." God even got angry when he saw Adam and Eve wearing clothes. They had covered up the beauty he gave them.

...I'd quote what really happend but I don't feel like fighting off people who don't wear pants.

[Maledicte]

As an ugly person

Not true, doll! (((((hugs)))))

[Nate]

...I'd quote what really happend but I don't feel like fighting off people who don't wear pants.

That IS what really happened! XD Okay, so maybe "sewing fig leaves together and making coverings for themselves" doesn't technically qualify as "clothing" but it's close enough, it was covering their nakedness!

And then yeah God made them proper clothes out of animal skins after cursing them.

And okay, technically God wasn't mad at them for wearing clothes but it was the first thing He noticed 'cuz He was all "Who told you that you were naked?" and then...I want to say "realized" but how does an omniscient being "realize" anything? XD ANYWAY then He went on to say they'd eaten the fruit they weren't supposed to. But it was obvious God didn't want them to wear clothes when He created them. Clothing only became necessary after sin happened. There's no sin before the fall, so nudity was what God wanted and it was "good." :p MY LOGIC IS IRREFUTABLE!

[TopazRaven]

Not true, doll! (((((hugs)))))

Aw, ain't you sweet. Thanks. xD *Hugs back.*

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Everybody has beauty within them. Whether or not I consider someone beautiful (whether it's the content of their soul or their physical attractiveness) is relative and subjective. But everyone still holds intrinsic beauty within them.

Self-worth is important. So important. I think it's the one most important factor when it comes to healthy friendships, relationships, and especially marriages. Loving yourself means you see your own worth. You are fair, respectable, and patient with yourself.

[Rusty Claymore]

and then...I want to say "realized" but how does an omniscient being "realize" anything?

God's all, "Curse you for wearing clothes!" *Kicks them out of the garden* "Hey, wait, isn't that a forbidden fruit core?" XP Sorry, that would just make an awsome comic strip. XD

Anyways, as any good Barista would know, Self-esteam is the itallian term for turning on the steam arm when it's pointed at you. XP