I found this article on the world’s fascination with zombies today.
It’s interesting. The writer makes many connections to pop culture, including Michael Jackson (both the video Thriller, and his later living decay, as he made frantic efforts to maintain a youthful exterior. Would that he had focused on the Eternal Life of his Soul, rather than a destined-to-be decayed body.
But, I also was thinking about the sad efforts of so many, trying to stave off aging – or, at least, the exterior signs of it.
Kristie Alley
She experienced the normal aging of many women. We tend to add weight as we transition to motherhood, and – for many – it is an ongoing battle to keep weight gain at bay as we age.
For celebrities, that is the most dreadful and cruel fate that is possible. Many disfigure themselves in Botox, liposuction, and plastic surgery, in a vain effort to pretend that they are somehow exempt from the aging process. To fail to put that effort at the forefront of every appearance will doom the celebrity to “deserved” ridicule from media and the public.
Why?
It’s a perfectly normal process. Those who ridicule the celebrities are also aging, and may do not have the flawless appearance that they damn the fat/aging/ill celebrities for not maintaining.
Here’s two pictures of Jane Fonda – one more or less ‘au natural’, and the one below it after extensive plastic surgery and ‘plumping’.
It’s not just women, men have destroyed their natural faces in a effort to keep up a facade of youth.
I have no problem with someone deciding to work to get rid of excess weight – it’s a hell of a stressor on the joints. I’ve known several who had the bariatric surgery to lose weight. The psychological problems and metabolic stress of that surgery can be huge. In some cases, it contributed to an early death.
Yet, few seem to put as much time and attention to improving the state of their soul.
We are fast approaching the point where Christians will be a distinct minority in most of the world. The established churches aren’t helping that outcome. Many point out that leaders of Christian churches seem to be in a competition to see who can stray the furthest from Christian doctrine. That goes double for the Catholic Church, allegedly led by Pope Francis.
In the past, the Church laity has risen to the need, and revitalized the Church – often over the leadership’s kicking and screaming. The need is there. More orthodox parts of the Church are experiencing less decay than those more in line with Francis’ Progressive ideals.
Does anyone else have some thoughts on this?
