Eolake Stobblehouse
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Letters To DOMAI

Dear DOMAI

I grew up in a very religious, loving home with two parents and two other siblings. From the earliest time that I could remember, my mother, a talented artist who drew and painted for her own pleasure, would have pieces of her work hanging on the walls of our home. Included with the art work, would be nude figure studies done in both charcoal and oil. These pieces of art seemed as natural hanging on the wall as other works that she had done depicting landscapes and the like, and neither me nor my siblings or father made a big deal or even seemed to notice at all. That was, until I knew that we were going to have company over. Before they arrived, I would go around the house and take down any piece that depicted any kind of nudity. Being nine years old at the time, I guess I was I was embarrassed and didn't want anyone to know that we had "nudies" hanging on the wall, despite the fact that I was comfortable with it around my own family. My parents by the way, thought that this was odd and when we look back now, we all have a good laugh at how silly I was.

I have often looked back and have tried to figure out why I acted as such and to this day, I can't come up with a good explanation. 

Now that I am married with a family of my own, I have tried to teach my children that there is nothing wrong with nudity and the human body and that we were formed in God's likeness and image. One night, about a month ago, I had epiphany as I was explaining to my wife why artists have depicted the human form whether it be in drawings, sculpture, photography, paintings or engravings on a cave wall.

Being religious and devout Christians, my wife and I believe that God created this earth and all things on it. From beautiful sunsets, to breathtaking landscapes, the ocean and the majestic power that it displays in it's waves, the universe and the billions of other planets that are out there, the amazing creatures that crawl, walk, run, swim or fly on this earth, we believe that these are all of God's creations. My wife and I also agreed that God's greatest creation by far, has been man. Therefore, why would we not want to honor and celebrate His greatest creation? If we found shame with the human body and were embarrassed by the sight of it, would we not also be finding shame and embarrassment in God and what he created? Knowing that God is good and that no evil can come from him, I have to believe that if we find fault or shame in viewing the human body, than we are the ones who are evil.

In explaining this to my wife, it made perfect sense as to why man has observed and celebrated the human form from the earliest of times. After all, man is God's greatest creation and we should not be ashamed nor embarrassed by our bodies, but rather, should honor and celebrate this wonderful gift that we have been given.

Jo

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