“Eros is part of God’s very Heart: the Almighty awaits the ‘yes’ of his creatures as a young bridegroom that of his bride.” -Pope Benedict XVI
After posting a photo of myself with the above quote, a Catholic male acquaintance of mine told me if I am turning men on, then it's not Catholic. This irked me. “Am I really responsible for how men react to seeing photos of me?”, I thought. Especially if the photos are not actually revealing anything and are intended to be artistic? How can a sculpture or painting of a woman's naked torso be art and yet a photo of mine is too tempting and therefore I should be ashamed?
I do not want to feel ashamed, nor do I think God originally intended us to be ashamed by our bodies. Our bodies reveal the mystery of God's love. Eros isn't separate from Christianity, it's essential to it, and a symbol of how we ourselves enter into marital union with God with unimagined intimacy. I took the photo down because I don't want my intentions to be misconstrued, but I really feel that our bodies are a gift and show God's love. I'm not showing myself for men's lust, I'm unashamed and I want to share the Eros that God feels for us.
However, not all who look “see”, and I should protect my body, not because the naked body is bad, but because it is so good. Because of man’s fallen nature, my body has the propensity to lose its sacred nature in being seen as a something instead of a someone. So, it’s not that it would be my fault for causing a man to sin, but I would be putting it out there, sadly, on display, to be used by those who do not see. Even if my intention is to be seen with the same Eros God has for us. Then the sacred would be profaned. My awareness of man’s propensity to twist the divine makes it my responsibility to keep my modesty and uphold my dignity by veiling my body. I understand now.
It’s something I wrestle with since I enjoy the beauty of erotic art and literature. I also have spent most of my life overweight (plus, father wounds…yadda yadda), so when I take photos that are attractive physically, I want to show them and I’m proud of my work and discipline I’ve put into my body recomposition. I know not everyone gets to see too much, though. That is for Christ and the one who shares a marriage bed with me.
This video of Christopher West answers my question, precisely.
#tob #theologyofthebody #sacredart #pornography #nakedness #art #shame #dignity #christopherwest #jpii
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