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Christian woman wins right to sunbathe nude

Discussion in '2006 Archive' started by Ben W, May 26, 2006.

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  1. Ben W

    Ben W Active Member
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    I am tipping that this lady does not belong to a Baptist church!


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    By Simon de Bruxelles
    A 55-year-old woman’s nakedness upset her neighbours but a court has given her its blessing
    A DISTRICT nurse who was arrested for sunbathing naked in her back garden was cleared yesterday of indecent exposure.

    Lynett Burgess, 55, was videotaped by her next-door neighbours, who complained to police that the garden of her cottage was not private enough for that kind of conduct.

    Miss Burgess, a nurse and occupational therapist who lives in the village of Llandyfriog, near Cardigan, West Wales, was arrested and charged with indecent exposure.

    The videotape made by Morien Jones, 34, who has three young children, was shown to magistrates in Cardigan, who were asked to decide whether Miss Burgess had caused offence by baring all last July.

    Mr Jones told the court: “I was renovating the back of my home with a local builder when Miss Burgess appeared in her garden. She walked back and forth completely naked and I went to get my video camera to record the incident. I have been extremely shaken by this. It has been very upsetting and worrying. I don’t want to bring up my children in such an environment.”

    Mr Jones and his wife, Nia, a teacher, whose children are aged 12, 10 and 4, said that they could clearly see into their neighbour’s back garden from their cottage.

    Maggie Hughes, for the prosecution, said that sunbathing nude, even in the privacy of one’s own garden, was not normal behaviour, adding: “A woman exposing her lower region could be grossly offensive to normal decent persons in society.”

    She asked Miss Burgess: “What kind of kick do you get from this behaviour?” Miss Burgess replied: “How dare you. I take exception to the word kick and find you prudish.”

    Miss Hughes: “I may be prudish but it’s not normal for people to sunbathe in the nude.”

    Miss Burgess: “You are prudish.”

    Trevor Emberton, chairman of Cardigan magistrates, told Miss Burgess: “You have admitted sunbathing naked from time to time and that this has become a normal pattern. We do not accept that you intended to cause harm or distress and, therefore, find you not guilty.”

    After the hearing, Miss Burgess, who has a 20-year-old daughter, said: “I’m glad to get this over and done with. I intend moving away from the area and getting on with my life and occupation.

    “I’ve lived more or less as a hermit since this blew up and I now want to put it behind me.”

    Miss Burgess, who has lived in the village for six years, said that she regularly sunbathed in a secluded area of her garden.

    “Sometimes I would wear a top and pants, sometimes I would go topless, sometimes nude. It depended on how hot it was.

    “Lots of people do it in places like Greece and Kos. I don’t find that there’s anything wrong with it.

    “How they were able to see me, I just don’t know. In court they said they could see me on all fours. It is not a position I would take for sunbathing.”

    Miss Burgess said that the court case had been an ordeal. “I have been very distressed about it. I thought I was going to prison. I am a Christian and go to church. It has been a horrific experience.”

    Mr Jones said: “We’re absolutely heartbroken by the result. This woman has been making our lives a misery.”

    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,200-2195989,00.html
     
    #1 Ben W, May 26, 2006
  2. mcdirector

    mcdirector Active Member

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    mmmmmm
     
    #2 mcdirector, May 26, 2006
  3. SpiritualMadMan

    SpiritualMadMan New Member

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    Let's claiming to be a 'Christian' and knowingly causing harm or distress to neighbors?

    Has anyone mentioned Privacy Fence?

    I wonder what would happen if the 'Public Court Approved Video' found it's way on the Internet?

    Would her pleas of innocence change?

    Would she suddenly become "Pruddish" herself?

    Thank God she's not my neighbor!

    SMM
     
    #3 SpiritualMadMan, May 26, 2006
  4. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    So the prosecution claimed that this woman got a kick out of sunbathing nude.

    I wonder how much of a kick that her complaining neighbor, Mr. Jones got out of videotaping her! :eek:
     
    #4 Scarlett O., May 26, 2006
  5. Magnetic Poles

    Magnetic Poles New Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    #5 Magnetic Poles, May 26, 2006
  6. SpiritualMadMan

    SpiritualMadMan New Member

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    Nevermind...
     
    #6 SpiritualMadMan, May 26, 2006
  7. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    SpiritualMadMan...

    I agree that this woman should not have been nude even in her own backyard, due to the fact that others could see her.

    Couldn't the offended neighbor have called the police and told them that there is a naked neighbor sunbathing within his line of vision and his children's vision?

    His videotaping her and the showing of that videotape in open court in front of a bunch of magristrates, presumably dominantly male magristrates, almost a full YEAR after she confessed to doing so...

    ...well, for me personally, those little bits of information just throws the mother of all monkeywrenches in it for me.

    Yes, she SHOULD have been found guilty of indecent exposure.

    No, the offended neighbor should NOT have been out there videotaping her.

    No, the videotape should NOT have been shown to a bunch of magistrates after she had confessed to it.

    Where the greater source of unethical behavior?

    A woman sunbathing nude?

    Or a man videotaping her and showing the videotape to a bunch of other men after she admitted to her behavior?

    They based their "not guilty" verdict on her testimony of WHY she did it after she confessed that she actually DID do it.

    Why was the videotape shown?
     
    #7 Scarlett O., May 26, 2006
  8. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    How does seeing a nude body harm a person? I think that many social problems would be abated if every person was required to be nude including fat old people.
     
    #8 billwald, May 26, 2006
  9. Magnetic Poles

    Magnetic Poles New Member

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    Bill, I also wonder about this. Culturally, we don't see people naked in most venues, but if we did, how does it harm us to view this part of God's handiwork. There is nothing "indecent" about the human form, male or female. It is culural to think that some parts of our anatomy are bad and should not be seen.
     
    #9 Magnetic Poles, May 26, 2006
  10. Hope of Glory

    Hope of Glory New Member

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    I don't know about this particular jurisdiction, but many places require proof, even if there's an admission of guilt.

    That's what the video tape is.

    Testimony is evidence, video is proof. We do it with Russian fishermen who flaunt the laws of commercial fishing. If we testify, they get a warning; if we video tape it, they get fines, suspensions of permits, etc.

    The video would have to have been shown as part of the evidence; it was proof that she was committing the actions, but was it proof that she had intent?
     
    #10 Hope of Glory, May 26, 2006
  11. KeeperOfMyHome

    KeeperOfMyHome New Member

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    Maybe because God told us to keep our bodies covered up!

    Julia
     
    #11 KeeperOfMyHome, May 26, 2006
  12. Diggin in da Word

    Diggin in da Word New Member

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    God clothed man for a reason. To cover his nakedness. Don't you think God knew what is best?
     
    #12 Diggin in da Word, May 26, 2006
  13. Magnetic Poles

    Magnetic Poles New Member

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    God provided the clothing in Genesis because the humans had guilt and shame. This was because they disobeyed God, not because their bodies were shameful.
     
    #13 Magnetic Poles, May 26, 2006
  14. bapmom

    bapmom New Member

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    and we still have guilt and shame and we still disobey God. We are still physically in our fallen state, even after salvation.

    We don't do everything in public. This does not mean/imply that those things are shameful, just that they are private. Just because our bodies are not shameful does not mean that everyone else needs to see all of it.
     
    #14 bapmom, May 26, 2006
  15. Diggin in da Word

    Diggin in da Word New Member

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    I am reminded of the story of David and Bathsheba. Bathsheba went out on her roof and was bathing naked. David, whose domicile was higher up than Bathsheba's, saw her nakedness and lusted after her. Well, you know the rest of the story.

    I think both were in the wrong. Bathsheba knew David was higher up than her and could see what took place on the rooftop. She should have put up proper shielding to block view from anyone who might glance that way. David was wrong in not turning away immediately after seeing Bathsheba. But, instead, he began to lust after that which was not his; which led to adultery, the death of her husband, and the death of a child.

    The woman sunbathing in her backyard should have made sure no one could see her
     
    #15 Diggin in da Word, May 26, 2006
  16. Magnetic Poles

    Magnetic Poles New Member

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    I think I will get naked and look in a mirror, then sue the mirror manufacturer for scaring me!
     
    #16 Magnetic Poles, May 26, 2006
  17. SpiritualMadMan

    SpiritualMadMan New Member

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    But, after it breaks, (from fright) how will you prove it was their mirror? :D

    Sorry Bro... But, you left your self wide open...
     
    #17 SpiritualMadMan, May 26, 2006
  18. Magnetic Poles

    Magnetic Poles New Member

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    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
    #18 Magnetic Poles, May 26, 2006
  19. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    The Bible doesn't say that Bathsheba was on her rooftop.

    It says that David was on HIS rooftop.

    Allow me to to quibble just one little point here. Bathsheba did not know that David could see her, because all of the men were off fighting. The Bible says that David sent all of the men off to battle and that he should have been with them, but he stayed home.

    Bathesheba's husband was far away and she probably assumed that David was, too.

    Perhaps she was inside and David was able to see from his vantage point through a window.

    The Bible does not intimate at ALL that Bathsheba was doing anything wrong or was in any way trying to tempt David.

    David was wrong in being in Jerusalem. That what the Bible says.

    Yes, he was wrong in not turning away, but his heart was already turned from being in the center of God's will because he was not where God told him to be.

    But you are right. It was all sorrowful and led to much tragedy.
     
    #19 Scarlett O., May 26, 2006
  20. Bob Farnaby

    Bob Farnaby Active Member
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    Back to the story .. She probably deservees a ravery medal for sunbathing nude in Wales ... or could plead insanity..

    Apart from that.. in her own garden, not inteding to cause offence ... not pushing herself infront of others... my opinion, its her business, leave her alone.

    Regards
    Bob
     
    #20 Bob Farnaby, May 26, 2006
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