A recent article in The Washington Times discusses the latest edict from the Vatican. The Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Culture, a religious body that explores issues in contemporary culture criticizes cosmetic surgery as a “burqa made of flesh.” Wow, that’s quite the description!
First things first. I haven’t read the document released by the Council and from what I can tell, the Pope hasn’t necessarily “signed off” on this view of the Council. For all I know, this isn’t his area of concern. But here’s what the Vatican Council is saying.
Women who get cosmetic surgery are betraying their true self. Accordingly, women should let their body age and accept what the progression of time brings about. There’s also a suggestion in the document that cosmetic surgery leads to other vices such as eating disorders, depression and body dysmorphic disorder.
Does it? I guess my question is, does cosmetic surgery lead to those pathologies or is there an underlying psychological disorder that leads to all of the above, including eating disorders and cosmetic surgery?
Lastly, is it only an abomination for women to get elective cosmetic surgery? There was no mention that it was wrong for men but the document was focused on “Women’s Cultures: Equality and Difference.” So maybe we have to wait on the Council to issue an edict regarding men and cosmetic surgery.
Regardless of what the Council says and what the Pope thinks of their decision, Pope Francis is clearly a trailblazer on so many cultural, political and religious issues facing the world. In other words, he’s still “the man” in my book!
