beauty
Here's a paper I wrote last year; read it tell me your opinion
Beauty- when heard by most of society the first thought that enters the mind is the outward appearance of a person; but what does beauty mean to the Christian and what should it mean? What is the truth behind a woman’s beauty, is it only skin deep? Three Christian authors share three different views on a woman’s beauty and things that are connected to it.
Most women, Christian or non-Christian wear cosmetics and style their hair in order to enhance their appearance. Every woman has a desire to become more beautiful in appearance. In the eyes of Herbert Armstrong, it is a SIN for a woman to enhance herself by wearing makeup. “Whether the painting emphasis is on the eyes, cheeks, or lips, it is all the same so far as the principle of SIN is concerned.”[1] To change the appearance of the face by adding makeup is to falsify the face and so DECIEVE others. Herbert believes it is a sin because the custom of using paint to the face originated from harlotry and was used to lure and seduce men into lust. “Only bad woman use it,” were the words of Herbert’s mother. Herbert’s mother was seen as a highly virtuous woman.
Joyce Landorf chooses to disagree with Herbert’s theory of makeup. She believes women ought to make themselves look beautiful. She has noticed that if four women were gathered and one was Christian and the other three were non-Christian; the Christian was easily determined by her way of appearance. She was usually the one who wore no makeup, had her hair up in a tight bun, and unattractive clothing (take note that Joyce wrote this in the seventy’s and times have changed since then).
When God created man he created him with visual attributes; when He created woman He created her beautiful for a reason. “It is true that God beholds our inner beauty, inner motives, inner thoughts and dreams, but man has no where else to look but on the outwards appearance!”[2] A woman’s body is God’s beautiful creation and the beholder of that body should take care of her body, as she should. This does not mean that every woman should like look like a super model in order to be beautiful on the outside; that is a lie and deception from the enemy.
When Joyce wrote her book, the women in her church were very religious and felt they had to look spiritual in order to be spiritual. What they failed to realize is that maybe if they were spiritual they would look spiritual; they were not allowing the light of Jesus from within them to shine forth and determine if they were in close relationship with Jesus or not. They tried to look spiritual by not wearing makeup or doing their hair. “They continued to put the cart before the horse.”[3]
Joyce not only believes in the outer beauty of a woman but most importantly she believes in the inner beauty of her. Joyce once came across a woman who was stunning in appearance, but once words of hate, scorn and disrespect left the woman’s mouth she was no longer as beautiful. “If a woman’s soul is without cultivation, without taste, without refinement, without sweetness of a happy mind, not all the mysteries of art can ever make her face beautiful… I find no art which can atone for an unpolished mind and an unlovely heart.”[4] Once a woman finds her life in Christ she cannot help but radiate beauty from within; “but one who, because of Christ’s inner glow radiating from her heart to her face, is beautiful, all in her own special way.”[5]
At a very young age, Leslie Ludy had a great desire to become beautiful. She was still unaware of what it truly meant to be beautiful.
“Staring into the bathroom mirror one morning at my stringy hair and crooked teeth, I decided that the only remedy was a makeover, which I skilfully applied after digging in my mom’s makeup drawer. However, that was the end of my makeup escapades for the time being, but I held out hope that one day I would grow into a dazzling beauty.”[6]
Almost every female can relate to Leslie’s story in some way or another.
When Leslie got to be a bit older she thought the only way she could become a beautiful princess was to find a prince to sweep her off her feet. She searched until she ended in much regret and heartbreak because of guys she thought would be her prince. One day she did find her prince, Jesus Christ, and he made her into the beautiful princess she had always dreamed of. She decided to make a life-long choice; “I was filled with a passionate desire to be completely set apart for Him¾ not just to carry the title of being his princess, but to think, act, speak, and live like His princess everyday of my life.”[7]
A woman’s beauty is shaped both by her inward and outward appearances. Society screams at young women to look like super models, while Jesus Christ looks at their hearts and sees his image and declares them beautiful. A woman must understand that she is beautiful the way she is, the way God made her. However this does not give women permission to treat their bodies like trash. Women should look good for the men they love, but not in order to seduce them but rather to love them. A women’s goal ought to be to draw closer to Christ and be shaped by His heart.
Beauty- when heard by most of society the first thought that enters the mind is the outward appearance of a person; but what does beauty mean to the Christian and what should it mean? What is the truth behind a woman’s beauty, is it only skin deep? Three Christian authors share three different views on a woman’s beauty and things that are connected to it.
Most women, Christian or non-Christian wear cosmetics and style their hair in order to enhance their appearance. Every woman has a desire to become more beautiful in appearance. In the eyes of Herbert Armstrong, it is a SIN for a woman to enhance herself by wearing makeup. “Whether the painting emphasis is on the eyes, cheeks, or lips, it is all the same so far as the principle of SIN is concerned.”[1] To change the appearance of the face by adding makeup is to falsify the face and so DECIEVE others. Herbert believes it is a sin because the custom of using paint to the face originated from harlotry and was used to lure and seduce men into lust. “Only bad woman use it,” were the words of Herbert’s mother. Herbert’s mother was seen as a highly virtuous woman.
Joyce Landorf chooses to disagree with Herbert’s theory of makeup. She believes women ought to make themselves look beautiful. She has noticed that if four women were gathered and one was Christian and the other three were non-Christian; the Christian was easily determined by her way of appearance. She was usually the one who wore no makeup, had her hair up in a tight bun, and unattractive clothing (take note that Joyce wrote this in the seventy’s and times have changed since then).
When God created man he created him with visual attributes; when He created woman He created her beautiful for a reason. “It is true that God beholds our inner beauty, inner motives, inner thoughts and dreams, but man has no where else to look but on the outwards appearance!”[2] A woman’s body is God’s beautiful creation and the beholder of that body should take care of her body, as she should. This does not mean that every woman should like look like a super model in order to be beautiful on the outside; that is a lie and deception from the enemy.
When Joyce wrote her book, the women in her church were very religious and felt they had to look spiritual in order to be spiritual. What they failed to realize is that maybe if they were spiritual they would look spiritual; they were not allowing the light of Jesus from within them to shine forth and determine if they were in close relationship with Jesus or not. They tried to look spiritual by not wearing makeup or doing their hair. “They continued to put the cart before the horse.”[3]
Joyce not only believes in the outer beauty of a woman but most importantly she believes in the inner beauty of her. Joyce once came across a woman who was stunning in appearance, but once words of hate, scorn and disrespect left the woman’s mouth she was no longer as beautiful. “If a woman’s soul is without cultivation, without taste, without refinement, without sweetness of a happy mind, not all the mysteries of art can ever make her face beautiful… I find no art which can atone for an unpolished mind and an unlovely heart.”[4] Once a woman finds her life in Christ she cannot help but radiate beauty from within; “but one who, because of Christ’s inner glow radiating from her heart to her face, is beautiful, all in her own special way.”[5]
At a very young age, Leslie Ludy had a great desire to become beautiful. She was still unaware of what it truly meant to be beautiful.
“Staring into the bathroom mirror one morning at my stringy hair and crooked teeth, I decided that the only remedy was a makeover, which I skilfully applied after digging in my mom’s makeup drawer. However, that was the end of my makeup escapades for the time being, but I held out hope that one day I would grow into a dazzling beauty.”[6]
Almost every female can relate to Leslie’s story in some way or another.
When Leslie got to be a bit older she thought the only way she could become a beautiful princess was to find a prince to sweep her off her feet. She searched until she ended in much regret and heartbreak because of guys she thought would be her prince. One day she did find her prince, Jesus Christ, and he made her into the beautiful princess she had always dreamed of. She decided to make a life-long choice; “I was filled with a passionate desire to be completely set apart for Him¾ not just to carry the title of being his princess, but to think, act, speak, and live like His princess everyday of my life.”[7]
A woman’s beauty is shaped both by her inward and outward appearances. Society screams at young women to look like super models, while Jesus Christ looks at their hearts and sees his image and declares them beautiful. A woman must understand that she is beautiful the way she is, the way God made her. However this does not give women permission to treat their bodies like trash. Women should look good for the men they love, but not in order to seduce them but rather to love them. A women’s goal ought to be to draw closer to Christ and be shaped by His heart.
posted by ms.renee at 2:25 PM
5 Comments:
i remember this paper! i love ur writing! miss u! luv u
I hope you don't mind if I comment. I stumbled across this post when I was reading Shanda's. I found it very ironic how it echoed my heart and how I have been struggling lately. Thank you for the interesting paper, beauty is such a scary topic some days. It encouraged me greatly.
anna
Beauty. Good thoughts, I appreciate the different perspectives.
Such a good biog. topic! I have thought long and hard about beauty. I being a man do not know what its like finding a balance between showing inner beauty and not showing enough concern for physical beauty. I do know however my opinion. I think first of its important to take care of your body (it is a temple is it not) The truth is though, I almost only see beauty in a person after I get to know them at least a little bit. I see pretty girls but being pretty does not make them beautiful. In fact usually I totally do not notice make up. I think a little eye liner can bring out the eyes and that is kinda pretty, but over all if I find a girl beautiful they can be where a sweat suit, have no make up on, have just ran through the bush for three hours and I will still think they are ravishing. Maybe that's love though. But the two have a lot in common for me, I see beauty in those I love. I think make up to a lot of people is a way of covering up insecurities as well as clothes for that matter. But there is no magic in the make up and in the end you have to learn to be happy with your self. Its something I have had to deal with and am still dealing with. I am not very confident about my looks but I look the way I do for a reason and I can't really fix them past a point so I guess I work on inner beauty... which I would advise everybody to do.
One love Renee you all ways tackle great subjects you have a beautiful mind and Heart
B~ron
Such a good blog topic! I have thought long and hard about beauty. I being a man do not know what its like finding a balance between showing inner beauty and not showing enough concern for physical beauty. I do know however my opinion. I think first of its important to take care of your body (it is a temple is it not) The truth is though, I almost only see beauty in a person after I get to know them at least a little bit. I see pretty girls but being pretty does not make them beautiful. In fact usually I totally do not notice make up. I think a little eye liner can bring out the eyes and that is kinda pretty, but over all if I find a girl beautiful they can be where a sweat suit, have no make up on, have just ran through the bush for three hours and I will still think they are ravishing. Maybe that's love though. But the two have a lot in common for me, I see beauty in those I love. I think make up to a lot of people is a way of covering up insecurities as well as clothes for that matter. But there is no magic in the make up and in the end you have to learn to be happy with your self. Its something I have had to deal with and am still dealing with. I am not very confident about my looks but I look the way I do for a reason and I can't really fix them past a point so I guess I work on inner beauty... which I would advise everybody to do.
One love Renee you all ways tackle great subjects you have a beautiful mind and Heart
B~ron
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