Plastic Surgery

Unknown

Hi,
What is the Coptic Church's view on plastic surgery:
* women who get breast implants
* new noses
* New faces etc?

Let's say its because they were really ugly before??

I just saw this program on TV where these women undergo plastic surgery, and they show u the before and after.. now, i have to admit, before, they were really ugly. Not life threatening ugly, but the mirror could have truly broken and hurt someone had they been looking at it for too long.

Anyway, one contestant said :"I'm really glad about how I look, and yet its my inner beauty that radiates on my face, and that's what counts"

Well, if that's what counts, then why did u have plastic surgery??

Is any of this a sin???

THanks,

gregorytheSinner

my view towards this matter (and i reprsent only myself not hte entire Coptic Churches' view in general) is tht it is a sin:
-The first sin was the devil's thought of doing a better job than God and thus trying to be like him
i see this unnecessary proceduare as the exact equal to his sin, she htinks she's not hot enough and that God didn't do her face and body to what is the "norm" and so she decides to take action and re-create her face.

however this is very much diff. from burn victims who need plastic surgery to look semi-acceptable in society. 

It is sad to say but people in society today are judged according to looks, infact we subconciously do it, i mean we see it all the time, hott girl needs a penicl and 20 guys are ready to give her one, in comparison to an ugly guy needing a pencil and yet u can't find one person to lend him a silly little pencile.

In order for one to answer whether its wrong to get implants one must ask why?  Why would a woman get her breasts augmented.  Is it to satisfy her inner needs as a sexually provacative figure to the eyes of men who see her?  I mean is there nay reason why breast implants are necessary at all.  I mean big noses, and new faces are both understandable, a lady feels she's ugly and needs to be accepted by others in her social environment that includes both men and women.  But huge breasts? why? i mean who can truly appreciate them, other than guys who are looking for nothing but well you know.

just my view on it

Unknown

We had a similar discussion like this before, but it was about transsexuals, anyway we all concluded as a group that the #1 reason why people shouldn't have plastic surgery, or undergo surgerys for transsexuals is because, GOD CREATED US THAT WAY, whether we like it or not, we shouldn't change the way we look! I have some good websites here that kind of tell about Egypt and Plastic Surgery, sorry couldn't really find any views from the Coptic Church, but here they are:

UNICEF Calls on Egypt to End Female Genital Cutting: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/82335.php
Egypt Imposes Total Ban on Female Genital Cutting:  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/82335.php

Forever,
Coptic Servent

Unknown

Breast implantation in someone who had one amputated due to breast cancer- I don't think that is a sin. It depends, are they vain, or they just repairing?

ophadece

Dear all,
I agree with Doubting Thomas; some things are medical conditions, and we have to remedy them; like either long-sightedness, short-sightedness, partial hearing problems ... etc, and also the implants after breasts have been removed like Doubting Thomas said. The argument is we like the way we are made, but we treat the conditions related to our ailments. Some people claim that obesity is a problem, and is a medical condition, and so they argue that these surgeries should go ahead. From my point of view, there is nothing to be considered a sin, as I learnt from the church; there is proper conduct and improper conduct. Things which suit me, and things which suit me not, like St. Paul said. I would disagree 100% with those plastic surgeries, but what is the church's opinion in that? I would really like to hear them from other members' ponits of views.
God bless you all and pray for us a lot

Unknown

If someone burns their face then they will obviously need plastic surgery. If someone cut themselves... It is not a sin. Other forms of plastic surgery etc. breast implantation is a sin if there is no medical reason for it. It is usualy done to make people lust and fall into sin and there is no need for it unless it is medically required.
pray 4 me

copticcross3

Hair is a waste product therefore i see no vanity in having it cut off, it's a sort of personal hygene ,like cutting your nails.

since when can people be life-threateningly ugly? haha...there's no such thing.

If you look at these women's intentions with these surgeries...they are mainly things we as coptic orthodoxians try to avoid. They may start tearing up and say they have no self esteem, but really, by that they just mean they aren't getting asked out every night of the week, and that's not a worthy reason to change the way God created you.

I really think that everyone was originally created with beauty and is at least created presentable. we tend to mess that up, not God.Some people live up to their potential beauty and others don't. God did not create anyone obese,and  and he certainly didn't ruin that girl's vision causing her to wear uglyfying glasses, he created her with[most likely] fine eyes. On top of everything ,society is constantly raising the standard of what "ok" is and of course everyone wants to be better than ok...they want to be drop dead gorgeous, anorexic ,blue contact wearers, and if they're not then they're classified as "ugly , need serious surgery asap people" You didn't see anyone in the old days getting all these nonsense plastic surgeries, why now?

i'm not really sure if i'm on topic...or ever was ..but yeah...i'm done (:

Anglican

2  Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

The preacher was spot on. At least as far back as Clement of Alexandra (182-202 A.D.) the fathers pondered this question of vanity and often linked it with sexual incontinence. For example, in Book 3 Chapter 6 of the Stromata Clement writes:

46. The task of the law is to deliver us from a dissolute life and all disorderly ways. Its purpose is to lead us from unrighteousness to righteousness, so that it would have us self-con- trolled in marriage, in begetting children, and in general behavior.

In so far as plastic surgery of the type under consideration contributes to vanity and sexual incontinence, the Church has very firm views on it - and they are not favourable ones.

In Christ,

Anglian

ophadece

Dear Anglian,
Thank you very much. You cleared up to me what the Church's view on this. So it doesn't matter if the plastic surgery is for only $1, or more. The issue is about vanity and sexual incontinence; not for medical reasons, as Kirmich said...
God bless you all and pray for us a lot

Basant Tawfik

First of all, no body's ugly we are all God's creation. ;D God's creation is never ugly. ;D And wut is the point of having plastic surgery? ??? ur body is the temple of god. ;D U shouldn't think about the outside but the inside because that is where God stays. ;D :D

Unknown

I thought everything under the sun was vain- even wisdom? :P

Anglican

[quote author=Doubting Thomas link=topic=5963.msg79774#msg79774 date=1196306477]
I thought everything under the sun was vain- even wisdom? :P


Indeed, without God everything is vain, and what passes for wisdom is mere folly. With God - well that changes everything.

In Christ,

Anglian

Unknown

I don't think it's wrong to do plastic surgery if someone was born with a stange nose or a strange mouth shape. If it bothers that person that much why not (within limits). Not every one looks at their inner spiritual beauty and instead they only look at their body.
What's wrong is if someone is already ok looking with no problems at all having plastic surgery. We are the children of light and looks shouldn't affect us that much.
Pray 4 me

Basant Tawfik

Matthew 7:1-4

"judge not, that u be not judged.
for with what judgement u judge, u will be judged; and with the measure u use, it will be measured back to u.
And y do u look at the speck in ur brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in ur own eye?"