Expert: Vincent M. Wales - 2/22/2008

Question
I have been an atheist for about ten years now. This question may sound a little silly, but why do humans wear clothes? Why does it matter if we are naked or not? The reason I ask is this: one of my Christian friends pointed out the story of Adam and Eve, and how they were naked before they sinned in the garden. After they sinned they were ashamed of their nakedness and made clothing. Now, this is the reason humans wear clothing according to the Bible and Christians, but what is an atheists reason? Since there is no God or universal moral law built inside of humans, why do we feel somewhat "ashamed" of our nakedness? What would the atheists reasoning be?

Answer
In case you hadn't noticed, we humans have become fairly hairless over the past few million years.  Without clothing, we get a tad chilly in the winter.  Clothing is protection from the elements... a sort of mobile home for the body.

As to why we feel "shame" at nudity, it's because it's been beaten into us by thousands of years of religious brainwashing.  Look at any child young enough to be immune to such claptrap.  They're little exhibitionists!  Kids love running around naked and think absolutely nothing of it.  And why should they?

Justin, the next time one of your Christian friends pulls that whole Adam and Eve sinning crap on you, try this:  Ask them why, if nudity was nothing to be ashamed of BEFORE eating from the tree of knowledge, why was it shameful AFTER?  This implies that being nude was WRONG, somehow.  We just didn't know it until we ate from the tree.  But clearly, God didn't care that we were nude (that's how we were allegedly created, after all) BEFORE we ate.  Why would he care, afterward?  

This whole argument is so boneheadedly stupid that I can't believe anyone with a brain even buys it.  But then... consider what the Adam and Eve story is REALLY about.  What was the sin?  Gaining KNOWLEDGE.  

How sad is that?