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CheshireMuse -> RE: How Should We View & Understand Physical Beauty and Attractiveness? (8/8/2008 2:25:24 PM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: solomonsprayer
Hi Crosswalkers,
I have a multi-faceted question about how, as Christians, we ought to view and understand physical beauty and attractiveness. Scripture tells us that we are created in God's own image and that we are each special and loved by Him. Given that we are each unique individuals (personality-wise) and also have very different physical bodies (based on gender, race, genetics, etc.), how are we to view and understand the concept of physical beauty and attractiveness in a way that values each person equally for who they are, yet makes distinctions based on our own or our society's preferences for what is considered attractive?
For example, has the thought ever crossed your mind about whether it is wrong to consider one person physically unattractive and another person highly attractive/beautiful? Or if it is not wrong, do you ever feel bad about it? Have you ever felt bad about how another person looked?
Similarly, is there such a thing as a universal beauty standard? Does the Bible not mention beauty in such as way as to suggest that some women or men are more physically beautiful than others, thereby reinforcing (or simply explaining) a kind of qualitative hierarchy of physical attractiveness? (I vaguely recall a friend telling me he heard a Christian professor/theologian/pastor? talk about universal beauty and how people who are generally considered beautiful in one culture are also seen as beautiful in another and vice versa.....though I am not sure of the specifics of that statement and idea).
From another perspective, did God create physical beauty as something to be given to us as a gift or distinct attribute of ourselves in the same way He may have given some a greater degree of skill/ability in another area of life - say, for example, mathematical and scientific ability? ... and another person singing ability, etc. Can it be thought of that way?
I am not sure if I am conjuring up and articulating these various layers to the question accurately, but I hope there are enough rough thoughts/ideas and questions here to get a discussion going. Definitely feel free to add some of your own thoughts and questions.
[8D]
Scientifically speaking, there is a universal standard of beauty, on a basic level. It's called the Golden Ratio, and was "discovered" by Michelango. It basically says the the more symmetrical a person's features are, the more likely they are to be percieved as being attractive.
On a personal level, I've always found that outer beauty attracts, but inner beauty holds....
Example: Years ago I worked as the manager of a department store. I was on the cashier line one evening, talking to the head cashier when this woman came in. She was the most stunning person I'd ever seen in my life. So physically perfect, that everyone - men and women alike - stopped and stared at her when she walked in. Later, the gorgeous woman came to the registers. Up close, she was even more beautiful. Then she opened her mouth. She was haughty, loud, rude, sarcastic and had an overdeveloped sense of entitlement. As she spoke, the most amazing thing began to happen.... All of a sudden, that beauty began to dim, and by the time we got her out of the store, she was the ugliest woman I'd ever seen.
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