Ever since I was a kid I never felt comfortable in public with my shirt off even to go swimming. I still to this day don't go in the water (baths and showers being the exception) without a shirt on mostly because of a birth defect that makes me feel self conscience and also due to the fact the an overweight, out of shape white guy walking on the beach isn't a pretty sight to see. "Look mommy, a walking Manatee!"
So, I just wanted to know if any other men keep their shirts on when going into the water. If I were maybe 20 years younger, 30 lbs lighter and had a perfect form... well nobody's perfect.

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Tom Mitchell
Opp, AL
Member of First Presbyterian Church PCA Florala, AL

Open profaneness is the broad dirty way which leads to hell
--but trusting in religious duties is a sure way, though a cleaner way to hell. ~ Thomas Brooks
www.myspace.com/tom_mitchell1960
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=607055102

I usually wear a rash guard when I go swimming. I have my kids where them too not so much for modesty sake but for protection from the sun.

__________________
Rich
Northern VA
OPC

WebsiteMaven - Web Hosting Reviews, Guides, and Advice to build and promote your web site.
SoliDeoGloria.com - A Community for Reformed Thought and Discussion

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Is this my only chance to see fully immersed presbyterians ?
Sorry, hard to resist I will behave myself now

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Anthony D'Arienzo
Sunday School Teacher
Hope Reformed Baptist Church:
Medford, N.Y.

I always swim without a shirt. I wouldn't feel comfortable any other way.

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Rev. Daniel Kok
Pastor of Grace Reformed Church (URCNA)
Leduc, Alberta CANADA
Church Blog

"there is no creature, either in heaven or on earth, who loves us more than Jesus Christ"
Belgic Confession, Article 26

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Their heads are sticking out. That ain't a babdism sir!!!

Back to the OP, yes, I always wear a t-shirt and swimming shorts (not speedos) on the beach/in the sea/ in the little pool in the back garden.

I feel more comfortable that way, and feel more modest. Not that there is anything attractive to hide, mind.

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Jonathan Hunt

Preaching Elder
Cheltenham Evangelical Free Church (Confessionally Based)
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence.
-- Thomas Elsworth

Good one.

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Tom Mitchell
Opp, AL
Member of First Presbyterian Church PCA Florala, AL

Open profaneness is the broad dirty way which leads to hell
--but trusting in religious duties is a sure way, though a cleaner way to hell. ~ Thomas Brooks
www.myspace.com/tom_mitchell1960
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=607055102

If I were configured like the Lt. Col. with the gaggle of gorgeous kids, proud bare-chestedness would be my preference, despite some REALLY bad sunburns when I was 153 lbs following high school. Afterall, shouldn't we proclaim our gratitude for what God has created? (Rich you be the man!).

However, when even your family would likely mistake you for Moby Dick, there would seem to be little percentage in grossing out young women and frightening young children at the beach/pool side. When the nurse complimented me on my 60 lbs weight loss during the first 8 wks of my diet, she said that the ketosis diet works amazingly well with me. I retorted that it has nothing to do with that. The thought of standing on a scale and dropping one's drawers 2x weekly for a pretty young nurse to give me my B-12 shot in the derriere is enough to shame anyone into serious weight loss. There may be a few things more ghastly than a pale white b*** the size of Rhode Island, I just can't think of them right now.

So yes, for reasons of vanity, public safety, fear of permanently scarring the pysches of young children, and because I have already had one skin cancer removed . . . the shirt stays on!!!

BTW - after two weeks of enforced weight stabilization (i.e. they make sure you DON'T lose), I began my next ten week weight program today. Please pray that I can lose another 60 lbs (goal = 120 total).

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Dennis E. McFadden, Ex Mainline Baptist (in Remission)
Atherton Baptist Homes, CEO
First Baptist Church of Alhambra, Member, Transformation Ministries (CA)

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So it is true that the top of the head is all that matters!!!

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Benjamin P. Glaser
Pittsburgh, PA
Fairmount ARP Church
Student of Theology
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary
My Blog

"Nothing is sweet to me without the enjoyment of Christ in it." -- Thomas Brooks

I really dont swim. But the shirt stays on most of the time in public (99.9%) as i have a large scar from surgery from when i was born. I feel uncomfortable to be honest. Glad i am not the only one

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Brian E
Attending Christ Reformed Baptist Church
Milwaukee, WI

"my only chance to see fully immersed presbyterians"

You guys slay me!

BTW - their hair is wet, so they did go under at some point...

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Kevin
Far East
Deacon, Int'l Church

Rich looks like Tom Cruise would if he were of normal stature.

I never take my shirt off, but it's a cultural thing. I recently found this photo of my grandfather, how taught me beekeeping, but that was in another time.

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Tim Vaughan, 48 years old, member PCA church but currently attending EV Free church. San Luis Obispo County, California.

But how do you know? Maybe they're 'coming up from the water'?

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Todd K. Pedlar
member, First Congregational Church, (CCCC) Cresco, IA
http://semperubi.rtrc.net

"Many men, after a long conversion, see more of the workings of sin in their hearts than ever they did before or at their first conversion. Now, such men have not an increase of sin, but an increase of illumination and light" (Christopher Love)


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True -

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For the sake of the Name,

John Hill
Faith Community - Woodstock, Ga
Adopted. Husband for 12 years. Father of 5 children.
http://faithcommunitychurch.org- My home church
Rocky Top, you'll always be, home sweet home to me.

Working with bees with no shirt.

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For the sake of the Name,

John Hill
Faith Community - Woodstock, Ga
Adopted. Husband for 12 years. Father of 5 children.
http://faithcommunitychurch.org- My home church
Rocky Top, you'll always be, home sweet home to me.

Grandaddy's a big boy, Tim. When you say the word "beekeeper", it doesn't usually give an image of a man who could beat you senseless with a wet noodle.

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Kevin
Far East
Deacon, Int'l Church

I sometimes swim with a shirt, but only to cover my tattoos.

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Andrew DeShazo, Deacon, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN
"All of us stumble in many ways, but if anyone is never at fault in what he says, then he is mature, able to control his whole body."(James 3:2)

I tried his method once, when I got a call from the Fire Department about a swarm of bees in a school storage yard. Gramps said that bees are calmer when they don't smell fabric, so I went, took off my shirt, and...

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Tim Vaughan, 48 years old, member PCA church but currently attending EV Free church. San Luis Obispo County, California.

maybe we could go back to this,



Note how the woman is dressed to swim

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Erick Bohndorf, Covenant Baptist Church, KS
http://qayaqtraveler.blogspot.com/
The question for us today is, will we be like the majority of Israel and continue to look in fear at the giants in the land and urge our fellow Christians to be "realistic," or will we be like Joshua and Caleb and faithfully follow our king, trusting to fulfill every one of his promises completely?

TimV:

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Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

I wish some people would have your consideration before seeking to don their speedos at the beach.

__________________
Steve Kellam
Ruling Elder
Redeemer ARP Church (Blacksburg, VA)
Husband to Holly and father to Bethany, Susannah, and Charlotte (and one on the way!)
“Prayer is as natural an expression of faith as breathing is of life” -- Jonathan Edwards

Tim, I'm deathly allergic to bee stings - that photo will give me nightmares for weeks.

Thanks, buddy.

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Kevin
Far East
Deacon, Int'l Church

I wear a t-shirt when swimming, although I didn't always. I'm also self-conscious about a birth defect, but I think I do it more for decency. Plus it's quicker to wear a shirt than put on sunscreen.

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Scott Roper
Member, Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA): "A bunch of hippie Calvinists"
Winston-Salem, NC