by miss marigold
I've observed a negative stigma associated with plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures here in America. Still, the public in general seems fascinated with it - how many times have you seen an online article about Ashlee Simpson's nose job, John Kerry's botox procedure, and Star Jones' liposuction? A lot of the articles come off as speculative, but they still have negative overtones. Then there are the TV shows like Dr. 90210 or 10 Years Younger, which follow regular people as they get touched up.
In some countries, like South Korea, plastic surgery's pretty normal. A lot of girls get the double eyelid sugery or nose jobs. I'm not from South Korea, but I grew up near it and people in my area seem to be pretty open about it too.
While I haven't considered plastic surgery/cosmetic procedures for myself, I'm wondering how the Christian community feels about them. Keep in mind that I'm not talking about plastic surgery for people who really need it (burn victims, people with cleft palates or injuries, etc.) Most Christians I know disapprove of plastic surgery because it seems really vain to pay so much money to alter your physical appearance; not only that, but it undermines how God created you to look like.
How do you feel about plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures? Have you ever thought about getting it?
Comments (31)
I think plastic surgery is dumb. The only way I see it acceptable is if a woman gets her breasts reduced because of increasing back pain. The media brainwashes us with what we should think is beautiful. It even starts when girls play with Barbies. To them, the way Barbie looks is what they think they should look like. Magazines like Cosmo and Metropolitan airbrush their models, or only show images of "models." To be beautiful, you have to be skinny and have blonde hair, blah blah blah. We have to focus on people to love themselves no matter what they look like. Spread a "Love Yourself" campaign.
Cosmetic surgery is certainly justified some of the time.
You mention, for instance, a situation where a person was a burn victim, or the victim of a carwreck. Theologically, we would not be opposed to skin grafts and reconstructive surgery.
So if you agree with that, the question is why the accident of someone's genetics should be different from a car accident?
Other things can factor in, of course, such as vanity or stewardship of resources. But if a person is convinced that they do not look as they are supposed to, I can see a case being made for cosmetic surgery.
-ND
@laytexduckie@xanga - Dang it. You always beat me.
Here's another question to think about. How is plastic surgery different from make up?
@sirnickdon - Bahahaha. It's alright. I have no life. =P
I think a few nips or tucks here and there isn't necessarily a bad thing. There are probably better ways to spend our money, and I certainly don't see a point to major cosmetic surgery all over your body, but if a little bit of lipo or a nose tweak is going to make you feel better about yourself, it might be worth the investment.
i used to think about it a lot, but then i realized that God created us beautifully. I personally believe its like a slap in the face for him if we undergo surgery to change our physical apperance. We should work on being beautiful on the inside, and it seriosuly will shine through. I dont think God wants us going around trying to be beautiful by the worlds standards.
@moonjp@xanga - Maybe because plastic surgery is permanent, while make-up isn't? I'm not sure, though - just throwing in some a suggestion.
To Miss Marigold - I personally do not agree with plastic surgery, but I do not want to impose that opinion on others. Speaking of having one done after an accident, etc., I was reading a magazine article yesterday of this Pakistani woman, who is 40 years of age and blind as well as scarred for life after her husband threw acid on her when he was in a rage. I saw her photo, and I almost cried right then and there, because she looked like the human-shaped coffin that the Egyptians had. Yes, like a COFFIN, and not like a woman. I felt so sorry for her and so outraged at her husband. Her skin was thick and hard, pock-marked, while her eyes were just red holes. It was horrendous.
I was just thinking... would she have been able to have surgery done? I don't think so, not when she's so poor and is not highly-educated. I was just thinking that while plastic surgery may not be strictly "wrong", it is not entirely necessary. Thankfully that woman has her children to take care of her.
Of course it goes against how God made us... but it doesn't make it bad.
This is such a great question. I do think it is an undercutting of who God has created us physically. I think that as a Christian, if one is abiding in Christ then I think it becomes a matter of doing what he would have you do in this situation. I think it becomes a matter of are you really ok in the body that you have been given...
I have had cosmetic surgery. Not because I was vain or because I thought I was ugly, but because I had a mild form of skin cancer and I had to have the tumor removed. Unfortunately, it was on my face. I woke up feeling like crap and wondered why anyone would go through that if they didn't have to. I don't like the idea of doing it just for cosmetic reasons, but I do realize that it's because of the ones we consider "vain" who get it done just to look good that people like me who do it for other reasons can have good, experienced doctors to work with. I do not believe God, however you wish to perceive him, meant for me to get skin cancer, particularly not at 24, so I highly doubt he'd mind that I had the damage fixed.
I had breast reduction surgery a couple of years ago. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. Not only was I having severe back pain, but I felt that men and especially Christians treated me badly or with unwanted attention. I thought women were jealous of me, that I was unmodest even in a t-shirt, and men only liked me because of my chest. I felt ugly and dirty all the time, and going shopping for bras and shirts left me in tears.
Now, by most peoples logic, God made me with those big boobs. My logic goes something like this. After the fall of Adam and Eve, our bodies were no longer made perfect. In God's image does not mean we are physically perfect. God also gave us some very talented people called surgeons who have been blessed with the knowledge of how to correct certain problems. Be this a heart surgery or something cosmetic. If a person if having serious self esteem issues based around their body, then I think that it is their right to choose plastic surgery. One side note on this is, plastic surgery should not be used due to laziness or vanity. If your stomach needs to be flatter, do more sit ups. If you have wrinkles and you are 60, it is probably time to let nature take its course.
Plastic Surgery isn't for everyone, but it was for me. I am thankful for it every day, and always recommend it to women who voice similar problems as mine. I love to shop now, and have a good self esteem. Thank God for surgeons.
I don't really have anything against it. I think that it can absolutely be taken too far, when the person feels that their worth is tied up in their appearance. For me, if I could afford it, I would repare some of the damage that I've done to my body that wasn't God's fault. (like a tummy tuck, after I lose the weight)
I think it's often unnecessary and reflects an unhealthy attitude. However, I'd be cautious about making blanket statements. In a sense, exercising or going on a diet is changing the way you look.
Plus, will the comments you make about some people apply to all people who get plastic surgery? Do you have legitimate reasons for making exceptions for burn victims, cancer survivors, cleft lips, and whatever else. Where do you draw the line?
I believe that it really depends on your motive. Are you just trying to "perfect" a certain part of your body? To who's standard? the worlds? someone else;s? Hollywoods? Or are you needing some type of reconstructive surgery due to an illnes, accident or something else (like SWAurora@xanga ) so that you can function well?
God knows your heart and He knows why you're doing what you're doing. Vanity is a sin, and that should be kept in mind. I totally agree with @laytexduckie@xanga - about the way our society views "perfection". We have a very tough job raising daughters these days to see beauty as something different than the world views it!!
@nicolevw@xanga - What really matters is that you let them know that true beauty is from inside. In order to have them believe that, they need to have high self esteem abut themselves.
Sometimes you need to have cosmetic surgery for medical reasons, such as, if you have the cleft palate, or a major accident.
But, just for entertainment reasons, I dont think that I need plastic surgery. I'm thankful for the way that God made me.
the risk to do plastic surgery is high... it dangerous
When it comes to plastic surgery, I understand that need to do it in order to be physically perfect. I know that sometimes, when i look in a mirror, I am not satisfied, and I may even recoil at my reflection. I believe that because many times, i place my identity in what I look like, the kind of person I am, and in how "good" i am in all aspects of life, even in achieving beauty. So i understand why people have plastic surgery; that need to be "good" and acceptable can be a strongly driving force and a deep ache that never seems to go away.
However, I also know that even when i look revolting to myself and believe myself to be unacceptable, I am still embraced in that inescapable Love of God. Although this is something that is still hard for me to accept fully, it keeps my heart from being consumed by that need to be accepted by other people. My identity is slowly being shaped and molded to reflect Christ. I am loved and accepted beyond imagination and reckoning, even when i truly was unacceptable in my utter depravity. Someone was willing to die for me because He loved me, and so I can learn to look past what I look like, toward the Cross, and toward the person Christ desires me to be, not anyone else.
True Christians believe God is perfect. True Christians also believe God created every person and every thing. That said, if we have plastic surgery to change our features, we are saying God made a mistake in how He created us.
@VersaGratis@xanga - Yeah, I understand one's permanent, but can the motive not be similar. Anyway, I'm not real adamant for it.. if anything I'm more against plastic surgery. Yet, how is people who put a lot of make up any different..are they not trying to make themselves prettier? likewise with those who may get surgery? By the way, I'm not against make up either.
More or less, I'm against it. In Korea, I would save over 50% of Korean girls get some kind of cosmetic surgery.
For a real mind trip on this subject, watch the old Twilight Zone episode "Eye of the Beholder." I won't say any more in case some of you haven't seen it-- for those who have, you know what I'm talking about.
Like you said, I think there is definitely a place for plastic surgery to repair the body after an accident. And someone brought up the need to have a breast reduction because of the pain she was in. I think these are all valid reasons to have surgery. But what about the woman who has to have a mastectomy for breast cancer and wants implants so she looks like she used to. Or someone who has lost a bunch of weight and needs to remove the excess skin that remains from such a weight loss? They could continue to live without those surgeries. Even though those can seem vain, are they not enough to warrant the use of plastic surgery?
I do believe that God made us beautiful...scripture says we are "fearfully and wonderfully made," but I do think, that at times, plastic surgery can be necessary. However, liposuction to remove 5 pounds of extra weight, or dozens of face lifts are often completely unnecessary surgeries that I don't think are necessary.
I don't have the guts. I am even scare of going to the dentist. Cosmetic surgery is out the picture. XD
too scary dont need it
I heard rich girls in Korea , their 16th birthday gift is a boob job? / nose job ? where as over here if your rich your birthday gift is probably a nice car