The new couples took turns introducing themselves and they all echoed Bob's sentiments in looking for more to believe in than just a daily routine of work and television. The other couples, who were members of Reverend Dick and Sister Katherine's congregation longer, reinforced all that their spiritual leader said. Tired of walking their paths alone, tired of looking for the reason for their existence, and disappointed when not finding the answers that gave them a reason to be more spiritual, they all wanted more. Not satisfied with what they had, hungry for more, they all wanted to experience something new and something that could them get excited about living life again. They all wanted something that they could accept and believe in to take deep within their minds and their bodies in a physical, emotional, and spiritual way.
A day spent communicating one's feelings, the atmosphere was calmly relaxing. Just before breaking for lunch, the reverend addressed the group. Awe inspiring, it was a moving moment, when the reverend stood to speak. Except for the sound of the birds that came through the screened windows of the cabin, everyone was quiet waiting to hear the holy words and the words of wisdom of their spiritual leader.
"Well, now that everyone knows everyone's name and a little more about one another, I'd like to take our little group to the next level," said the Reverend standing and looking from person to person.
He started removing his clothes as he continued talking. Sister Katherine stood and started removing her clothes as well. Were these not holy people, what they were doing by undressing would have been shocking and disconcerting, at the very least.
"Reverend, what are you doing?" Sister Diane looked to her best friend, Sister Debbie and they both laughed an uncomfortable laugh at what they, no doubt, would happen next.
"What am I doing? I'm glad you asked, Sister Diane. I'm doing an exercise in faith in me and in ourselves, there is little to hide, when we stand naked in front of our fellow man and woman," he said smiling at Crystal, "and in front of God," he said looking to his wife, while removing his shirt, his pants, his underwear, and his socks, until he was standing before the group as naked as was his wife was soon about to be.
Crystal, Connie, Debbie and Diane stared at Reverend Dick's dick, while John, Vinnie, Walter, and Peter watched, as Sister Katherine removed her bra to expose her abundant breasts and removed her panties to show her bushy pussy. Already knowing what to expect, Raymond, Tiffany, Bob, and Mandy, having attended a religious retreat before, were next to stand and strip. Looking from one naked person to another, it was obvious that the four other couples, new to the atypical retreat didn't know where to look first. Then, John nodded to his wife, Crystal, and they both stood to remove their clothes, too. Not wanting to be out of step with the rest of the group, no doubt, next to stand and strip naked were Vinnie and Connie.
Only Debbie and Diane, self-conscious, no doubt, in front of the other women who possessed better bodies, hesitated in removing their clothes. Perhaps because of their obese bodies, they were reluctant to remove their clothes. Yet, encouraged and accepted, instead of being pressured and ridiculed, by the group to get naked, they were made to feel comfortable and as one in the eyes of the Lord and in the company group of worshipers. They finally stood and stripped, too, after their husbands, Walter and Peter, stood and stripped naked, also.
"Now that we are the way we came into this world, Glory be to God," said Reverend Dick. "Please join hands and pray. Dear Lord, bless this group of sinners. Allow us to use this week for insight and clarity to guide us down the chosen paths we all must take to get to the same place, Heaven. Amen."
"Amen," said the group in unison.
Now, all seven couples stood naked before God or, if God wasn't there, before one another. A non-sexual but liberating experience, after a while, everyone forgot they were naked. Now with nothing, literally, to hide, exposing oneself was, indeed, a freeing experience. Without doubt, their nakedness allowed them to bond closer by allowing them to say whatever was on their mind in the same way that removing their clothes allowed them not to feel self-conscious about their bodies. Now that the issue of them being naked was no longer an issue, now that their sexuality was out of the way of their worshiping God and loving their neighbor, they were free of all that interfered with who they really were inside. When they cooked, they donned an apron and when they sat, they placed a small towel to sit upon. For the most of their week, they were naked in front of one another and in front of God.
Even if they wanted to don clothes, those who wanted to swim in the lake or walk the forest or just hang out in the cottage were free to do whatever they so wanted. It was a relaxing day. It wasn't until that evening, after supper, when the real religious and a deeper, meaningful experience began.
"I've placed the men's names in this box," said the Reverend to the women. "If you pick the name of your husband, you may replace their name and draw again. Every evening we will draw names, until we have experienced everyone in a Biblical sense. For us to all live in a spiritual way, it's important that we commune with all in every humanly way possible. For us to truly know one another, just as we are not connected spiritually, we must get closer to one another physically and emotionally to experience the true essence of who we are as human beings."
The Reverend looked around the room, looking longer at the new attendees, especially Crystal. It was obvious by his leers that he was enamored with Crystal and was hoping to fill her with his excitement for life, love, and religion. As if she was his chosen one, he wanted to personally show her the way. In all the years he's had this religious retreat, he's never had a couple reject his preaching and leave, and it was no different this year. Everyone excepted his gospel as their word and as their way to salvation. Sister Diane was the only worshipper to voice her protest.
"It's one thing for me to get naked in front of everyone, but I've never slept with anyone other than my husband," said Sister Debbie looking from Reverend Dick's dick to all the other men's dicks. "I'm nervous. I'm not sure if I can do this," she said turning red and folding her arms across her exposed breasts. A good sign that her nipples were erect, either she was cold or excited. What some may have mistaken as horniness, she looked hotly uncomfortable by the nudity.
"Unless you want it to be," said Sister Katherine with assurance, "this is not a sexual experience but a religious one. Just because you are naked and behind closed doors with a man, who is not your husband, doesn't mean you are obligated to have sex with him. No means no. Further, we don't refer to sharing ourselves with one another behind closed doors as sex, but as love for our fellow human beings and our physical expression to become closer emotionally and spiritually."
"I see," said Sister Debbie. "So, I don't have to give whoever's name that I draw from the box a hand job or a blowjob, while he fucks me silly with his big, hairy cock, and sucks my tits."
"Certainly, that's one way to graphically say it, but we more believe that what we do at this religious retreat is a way for us to bond with one another. By showing our love for one another physically and emotionally is our way of translating our spiritual love for one another. It's more than just a description of body parts and sexual acts. As I said before, you don't have to share your body with another. You could talk, meditate, give or receive a massage, pray, sleep, as well as make love. To us, whatever you do is all the same. Yet, if you want to experience the body, as well as the spirit of another, that is totally up to you and will never be discussed by any of us. If you feel the spirit move you, then you do what comes natural. You can do any and all of those things. The important thing is to reflect, relax, and rejoice."
"I see," said Sister Debbie. "I'm sorry, it all sounds like a crock of shit to me but, I don't want to be a party pooper, so I'll pick first," she said drawing Reverend Dick's name, of all people.
Crystal was next and drew Vinnie. Tiffany drew Walter. Amanda drew John. Connie picked Peter. Katherine picked Bob. Diane, last to take a name, picked Raymond. With all the couples matched up with new spiritual partners, they went through the rest of their evening uneventfully.
Then, promptly at 10pm, they all retired to separate bedrooms with their drawn partners. New to the religious retreat experience, Crystal and Vinnie spent a couple of hours sitting in bed talking, before he kissed her. She didn't resist his kiss and even kissed him back. Then, as if horny teenagers at a prom, their hands explored one another's body, before Crystal took Vinnie in her mouth. Once hard enough, locked in a lover's embrace, they experienced one another as one, while making love. It was a beautiful thing.