Friday, July 13, 2007 at 1:01am
Body image and American idolatry
Column: God Said What?
The human body is amazing. Truly, it is one of God's most precious gifts to us. And it should be treated that way.
In the last few decades, a portion of American culture has reminded us of this. We have reaped the benefits of a better understanding of how to take care of our bodies and how to nurture them for a longer life. Since our bodies are indeed temples of the Holy Spirit, this is a good thing.
The other side to this coin, however, is that we also take it to the extreme. We, especially the young and the well-heeled, tend to obsess about body image and health. When we don't look like the people on TV or in the movies, we quickly assume that something is wrong with us. Or when our spouses and loved ones don't live up to the Hollywood standard, we demean them. We don't use a critical eye to discern between what's really healthy and beautiful and what is marketed to us as such.
This cultural obsession also affects how we interact with each other outside our personal lives. We have little love for those we encounter throughout the day who aren't attractive. Whether they are overweight, disproportional, pimple-riddled, ugly, dirty or even smelly, we don't want to associate with them. We think that they're not the same as us.
This is a growing sin in our culture: the idolization of health and body image. It's in our media and entertainment. It's a factor in our relationships and friendships. And it even colors the way in which we view strangers, the marginalized and the impoverished.
Maybe you're thinking, "Kevin, you're crazy. Doesn't a theology student have something better to do write about? Aren't there more important kinds of sin to point out like war, murder, abortion, racism or environmental damage?"
Not this week. Because the daily reality of sin and evil is banal. Sin is most easily found in the small preferences and choices that are repeated millions of times by millions of people. They differ from other choices because they have the effect of dehumanizing many of our sisters and brothers. That is, taking away their claim to be equally made in God's image. The cataclysmic types of sin, such as war, murder and the like, are the result of what's already happening on a small scale. By the time sin manifests on a large scale, it's too late. As Yeats wrote, "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world. ... "
So let's be honest. In our culture, we think that if someone's flabby, they should go to the gym. If their teeth aren't white and straight, they need to see the dentist, if not a surgeon. If someone is fat or obese, we don't want to see them — unless they change or perhaps go to fat camp or the lipo-clinic. That's why we have TV shows like "The Biggest Loser," "Nip/Tuck" and "Shaq's Big Challenge." And how many times have you heard it said that the poor don't have it so bad, because unlike other places there are very few skinny poor people in America? Please.
We should admit that we who govern our lives with health and beauty are worshiping an idol. We place these ideals ahead of God and God's revelation in Jesus. We are focused on our own self-aggrandizement and then shun those who don't do the same. This is how our idolatry has a human cost.
We forget that most people are normal. They are not models and they are not rich. And we conveniently forget that it takes money and free time to follow Hollywood or Madison Avenue. Doing this is something that is most easily pursued by the leisured and the affluent. If you're raising three kids and working one or more jobs, you probably don't have the luxury of extra time and energy to do it.
As I've written before, our culture doesn't understand beauty. We don't get that beauty isn't an end in itself but is for the purpose of reflecting God's beauty. In this way, it is providing life to others. Its purpose is love of God and love of neighbor.
I'm not writing this to say that there aren't serious health problems that come from obesity and neglect of the body. Of course, there are. My point here is to highlight a real problem in our culture. This may seem trivial, but believe me, our culture is getting less and less forgiving about health and beauty. Just ask any young woman on a high school or college campus. Or talk to those who work at eating disorder clinics. Or look at the rising numbers of those getting cosmetic surgery.
There is a real human cost to our idolatry. And I am as complicit as anyone else in this cultural sin. This is what happens when we don't take a critical eye to the difference between what truly is healthful living and human beauty and what is marketed to us as such in order to make a buck.
It doesn't have to be this way. But until we change our hearts, minds and lifestyles, this sin will be here among us. And so will its costs.
— — —
Kevin Considine is a graduate student at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Recently he was married to a most wonderful woman who keeps him in line and reads his columns to see if they make sense. He and his wife live on the South Side of Chicago. He welcomes comments, feedback or fits of anger and can be reached at {email considkp@yahoo.com}considkp@yahoo.com{/email}. © copyright 2007 by Kevin Considine.
In the last few decades, a portion of American culture has reminded us of this. We have reaped the benefits of a better understanding of how to take care of our bodies and how to nurture them for a longer life. Since our bodies are indeed temples of the Holy Spirit, this is a good thing.
The other side to this coin, however, is that we also take it to the extreme. We, especially the young and the well-heeled, tend to obsess about body image and health. When we don't look like the people on TV or in the movies, we quickly assume that something is wrong with us. Or when our spouses and loved ones don't live up to the Hollywood standard, we demean them. We don't use a critical eye to discern between what's really healthy and beautiful and what is marketed to us as such.
This cultural obsession also affects how we interact with each other outside our personal lives. We have little love for those we encounter throughout the day who aren't attractive. Whether they are overweight, disproportional, pimple-riddled, ugly, dirty or even smelly, we don't want to associate with them. We think that they're not the same as us.
This is a growing sin in our culture: the idolization of health and body image. It's in our media and entertainment. It's a factor in our relationships and friendships. And it even colors the way in which we view strangers, the marginalized and the impoverished.
Maybe you're thinking, "Kevin, you're crazy. Doesn't a theology student have something better to do write about? Aren't there more important kinds of sin to point out like war, murder, abortion, racism or environmental damage?"
Not this week. Because the daily reality of sin and evil is banal. Sin is most easily found in the small preferences and choices that are repeated millions of times by millions of people. They differ from other choices because they have the effect of dehumanizing many of our sisters and brothers. That is, taking away their claim to be equally made in God's image. The cataclysmic types of sin, such as war, murder and the like, are the result of what's already happening on a small scale. By the time sin manifests on a large scale, it's too late. As Yeats wrote, "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world. ... "
So let's be honest. In our culture, we think that if someone's flabby, they should go to the gym. If their teeth aren't white and straight, they need to see the dentist, if not a surgeon. If someone is fat or obese, we don't want to see them — unless they change or perhaps go to fat camp or the lipo-clinic. That's why we have TV shows like "The Biggest Loser," "Nip/Tuck" and "Shaq's Big Challenge." And how many times have you heard it said that the poor don't have it so bad, because unlike other places there are very few skinny poor people in America? Please.
We should admit that we who govern our lives with health and beauty are worshiping an idol. We place these ideals ahead of God and God's revelation in Jesus. We are focused on our own self-aggrandizement and then shun those who don't do the same. This is how our idolatry has a human cost.
We forget that most people are normal. They are not models and they are not rich. And we conveniently forget that it takes money and free time to follow Hollywood or Madison Avenue. Doing this is something that is most easily pursued by the leisured and the affluent. If you're raising three kids and working one or more jobs, you probably don't have the luxury of extra time and energy to do it.
As I've written before, our culture doesn't understand beauty. We don't get that beauty isn't an end in itself but is for the purpose of reflecting God's beauty. In this way, it is providing life to others. Its purpose is love of God and love of neighbor.
I'm not writing this to say that there aren't serious health problems that come from obesity and neglect of the body. Of course, there are. My point here is to highlight a real problem in our culture. This may seem trivial, but believe me, our culture is getting less and less forgiving about health and beauty. Just ask any young woman on a high school or college campus. Or talk to those who work at eating disorder clinics. Or look at the rising numbers of those getting cosmetic surgery.
There is a real human cost to our idolatry. And I am as complicit as anyone else in this cultural sin. This is what happens when we don't take a critical eye to the difference between what truly is healthful living and human beauty and what is marketed to us as such in order to make a buck.
It doesn't have to be this way. But until we change our hearts, minds and lifestyles, this sin will be here among us. And so will its costs.
— — —
Kevin Considine is a graduate student at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Recently he was married to a most wonderful woman who keeps him in line and reads his columns to see if they make sense. He and his wife live on the South Side of Chicago. He welcomes comments, feedback or fits of anger and can be reached at {email considkp@yahoo.com}considkp@yahoo.com{/email}. © copyright 2007 by Kevin Considine.