Epifany On Values

I copied this from another website because it is profound.

Matthew 22 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Now what does that mean?  When asked that, everyone barfs up the Sunday School answer and never really thinks about it.  The Churches only teach the first two ideas:  Love God.  Love your neighbor.  That isn't what Jesus said, however.  Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself."  There are two teachings there. The one everyone teaches while ignoring the second.  Can you figure it out?  In order to love your neighbor, you must first love yourself.  I've never heard of a Church that teaches you to love yourself - and you must.  It is extremely important to exercise loving kindness towards yourself.  How can you do that if you think that your body is a sin?  

In the Bible nakedness is mentioned throughout.  It is never called a sin, but it is suggested that Adam feel shame of his nakedness following the deceit by Eve.  There are many observances of that but in fact nakedness is openly accepted by God as is evidenced by the following examples.
1 Samuel 19:24

He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

2 Samuel 6:20

When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

So the source of many issues in our society is the unnatural restrictions we allow society to place on our values, using religious values as support.  Indecent exposure has no grounding and this overly prudish way of being does not allow freedom of expression to exist.  When you confine a needed outlet it causes that energy to be released another way and that may not be healthy long term. 

We need to reexamine our outlook in many areas.