Plastic surgery is a sin or not. Plastic surgery is a grave sin. About the intervention of medicine and cosmetology

Records found: 6

Hello, father, I have the following question: is it a sin to have plastic surgery to correct congenital asymmetries? I've been complexing my entire adult life because of this. Thanks in advance.

Natalia

Natalia! Correcting a birth defect is not a sin. Another thing is plastic surgery in order to become more attractive, to attract the attention of the opposite sex, and in general an unreasonable change in your body simply because "I want it that way." Of course, before the operation, it would be good to consult with the priest from whom you are confessing and take a blessing.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

Good afternoon! My problem may seem far-fetched. I understand that the people who write to you have much more serious problems or troubles. I am 38 years old. After the third birth, severe deformation of the abdominal wall, folds. Several times they asked if I was pregnant. There is a strong temptation to get plastic surgery. The operation is serious and expensive. As with any surgery, there are many health risks. I work, communicate with many people. It doesn't matter how you look. I understand that life would be much more comfortable without this defect. If not to dissemble, of course, I would like the figure to become more beautiful. Is such an operation wrong? I know that the church does not approve of plastic surgery. But it can be another 20-30 years (how many the Lord will let go) of a "pregnant" woman, constantly trying to hide her stomach, is not easy. In my case, exercise and diet will not help. I am not overweight. Or is it better to be calm? The Lord gave children, a good husband. For the sake of such happiness, many would part with the shape of the abdomen. Sorry for the non-serious question.

Anna

Dear Anna, I do not consider your question "far-fetched". In general, there are no taboo topics for discussion. I have not met a church ban on cosmetic surgery. It does not exist, just as there is no mortal sin in it. I see another problem: is this operation not an attempt to solve internal problems in the family, through external attractiveness? If there are problems, then "plastic" will not fix them. What does your husband think about this issue? Maybe everything suits him and you should calm down? If he loves you, but agrees to support your efforts, then I see no obstacles to the operation. Just think about whether the game is worth the candle. Nature will still take its toll: not one thing, so another will be.

Archpriest Maxim Khyzhiy

Hello. I want to understand what the blessing is. For example, I approached the priest and asked for a blessing. What does it give? If help is in some business, then people do not always say "bless for this and that." After all, the priest must know what he blesses. Just as an example: let's say a person wants to have plastic surgery to remove a serious birth defect. And he says to the priest: bless, without naming what. Or maybe name it. A congenital defect in a person - maybe this is the will of the Lord, the cross of a person from Him. If the priest blessed that you can do the operation, then God Himself allows it? It doesn't concern me. But how to find out the will of God to remove, for example, a birth defect? Already two questions. I think you understand my misunderstandings. Please give me an answer. Thank you.

Alexander

When we take a blessing from a priest “just because”, we mean that this blessing, on the one hand, on our daily affairs, on the other hand, on the main business of our life – the salvation of the soul. As for your specific question, I think you should not be embarrassed, you need to take a blessing from the priest for the operation (in this case, a special prayer is read).

Deacon Elijah Kokin

Good afternoon. Once at school, I was accidentally hit very hard in the face. After that, I noticed significant changes in my appearance. I thought about doing rhinoplasty. I must admit that if I decide to do this, it will be only after a serious conversation with the priest and his blessing. But still I would like to know the opinion of the Orthodox Church about plastic surgery.

Olga

Good afternoon, Olga.
You are right that you are going to discuss your problem with the priest in person. Such issues are resolved in the church individually.
Help God.

Priest Sergiy Osipov

Hello! My question is about plastic surgery. I have lop-earedness, I'm terribly embarrassed about it, I just can't overcome it in myself. Because of this, I can’t put my hair in a ponytail, I generally suffer in the summer, it’s hot. A son was born, he inherited my ears, but he is a boy... This is very important for me. Is it possible to do such an operation, although I am terribly afraid of this. Thank you!

Plastic surgery is a grave sin

PLASTIC OPERATION - SEVERE GREX. HOW HERESIES APPEAR - 2

The Lord God, when He created man, gave him everything he needed. Everything
necessary to live, everything necessary to be saved, everything
necessary to praise Him (2 Pet. 1:3). But despite this, many
did not become closer to God, but on the contrary, they turned away from Him, choosing their own
one's own life according to one's own will, and not a life for God, and another
image than God's. Although it would seem: God offers you a reward.
Take it! And when people turned away from God, they entered into an alliance with those who had
similar thoughts by apostates (Rev. 17:13), created beasts
creatures who began to lead their lives according to the arbitrariness of their hearts,
which people themselves arranged for God. Thus arose heresies, which with all
increasing corruption of humanity as the incarnation
anti-Christian way of life of people, began to arise from everything,
everywhere and rise up to God. The heresy that has arisen in the world is
an indicator of the diseased state of the human body and
where people's lives lead according to their own arbitrariness, and not according to the will of God.

When operations appeared with the development of medicine, they were used
naturally: to protect the body from deadly and dangerous
diseases, that is, from the death of the human body. It's not a sin, it's not
brings harm to no one. But when people's lives reached complete arbitrariness, then
and from this heresies began to arise. And one of the incarnations
anti-Christian lifestyle of people became plastic surgery,
which began to be called upon to correct the human body in the same way as his life:
a life that people have chosen for themselves contrary to what was offered by God;
plastic surgeries that are a mockery of the Body of Christ.

"Don't you know that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit living in you,
which do you have from God, and you are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19). That's when people
spoiled and began to live according to their own arbitrariness, then having entered with
apostates of the Covenant of God, they underwent an even greater change
themselves and subjected to change all their lives; not only all life conceived
God, but they didn’t even get to their body.

Any sin is a sin outside the body, and such a sin as plastic surgery
for the sake of changing the shape of the body - this is a direct sin against God and an insult
the Cross of the Lord, by which, among other things, people are sealed on the day of redemption
(Eph. 4:30). How the Jews mocked the body of the Savior, put on a crown,
They beat Him, whipped Him, poked Him with stakes, pierced Him with a spear, and
today's plastic surgeons and self-performing plastic surgeries
people repeat the same thing as God-hating Jews, over and over again
crucifying Christ for nothing. And although they do it not quite consciously, but
it is an indicator of where life leads according to its own will, and not according to
the will of God. I hope they turn to the truth and come to God, and,
taking a staff and a rod, they will go along the path.

"But Christ died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for
Savior who died for them" (2 Corinthians 5:15). He was crucified for us and our
sins. Does plastic surgery fit with the words "Keep away from
all evil. May the God of peace Himself sanctify you in all its fullness, and your spirit,
and the soul and body in all integrity may be preserved without blemish in the shelter
of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)?

The vices here are precisely the fruits of the arbitrariness of people, such as
plastic surgery, from which heresies are born; not wrong
body shape, not long legs and not desirable genitals.

The perfect and blameless God cannot create a man from Himself flawed.
Since the birth of all people, He has endowed equal. And God wants us
changed internally, not externally, transformed the soul, not the body.

All of the above include such sins as masochism,
transvestites, piercings, tattoos, ultimate wrestling, extreme, boxing,
stunt work and other mockery of a non-own body, exposure to His
dangers and play with the life of the soul. Sins such as piercings, tattoos,
stuntmen and extreme sports (boxing, wrestling) that
exhibited for the sake of the show - this is also a mockery of the body
Savior, and meaningless competition in sports is just a cover
to create evil.

Well, there can be only one parting word for those who have committed such sins:
repent with communion in the Church, believe in the Gospel, be crucified with
Christ and follow Him by taking up your cross.

Look for God. Who does not seek God and His will, set forth in the writings of the saints
fathers, he will forever be shrouded in sins, and how difficult it is for him to be saved!

The sadder, the better?

It seems to me that not only non-church people, “from the outside,” but even permanently regular Orthodox parishioners have developed a familiar cliché: Orthodoxy is an endless Great Lent. Dark clothes, the longer and more spacious - the more pious. A boring scarf, coupled with shoes without a heel. And an extinct, downcast look on the "naked" face. And what is sinful in the fact that a woman, for example, is beautifully and tastefully dressed, that she has a stylish hairstyle, light makeup? It's such a natural female desire - to be beautiful. If a woman likes her reflection in the mirror, she is in a great mood, such a woman does not know how to lose heart. But in Orthodoxy, as far as I know, despondency is considered a sin.

And so our life, a vale of tears, usually does not indulge us with gingerbread, and it seems to me that it's great if a woman finds an additional source of positive in her appearance.

About the intervention of medicine and cosmetology

Well, and, of course, how to ask about beauty and not ask about its very important modern aspect?

It is known that in recent years, medical cosmetology has made an unprecedented breakthrough. It is unlikely, of course, that an Orthodox woman will go under the knife of a plastic surgeon in order to increase her breast size. But what about such cases when some non-standard facial feature makes its owner an unhappy notorious creature. What's wrong with a woman fixing a big nose or protruding ears? If this will allow a woman to see the world in iridescent colors, then why not?

Our world looks completely different than it was two thousand years ago. Today's woman is a person who has the right to live a full life. She no longer sits at home rattling pans for a long time - she makes a successful career in the world of men, earns and feeds her family on an equal basis or instead of a man. And often she conquers the heights of the profession among people who are alien to the illusory, in their opinion, Christian ideals. In my opinion, it is right that such a woman does not turn into a colorless mouse, looking bright and young.

In addition, it has long been understood and accepted in the Orthodox world that the achievements of scientific progress have no direct relation to demonic intrigues. Can the Orthodox, having accepted the computer, the Internet and mobile phones, accept, for example, hardware cosmetology? Is it bad that a woman wears the “young” image of God for as long as possible? Why wear wrinkles when you can get rid of them?

So, how does the Church consider the concept of female beauty? Is there any framework in Orthodoxy that regulates how a modern Orthodox woman can “upgrade” her appearance? Or does the Church, in the old fashioned way, allow only what "God has given"?

Priest Mikhail Vorobyov.“The world was dying, and my wife was dressing up…”

But women here are starting to fight for their rights! It turns out that getting another woman to wear a headscarf in church can be very difficult. And if you look closely, you can see a kind of stubborn struggle with tradition, which is manifested in the fact that some lady, with ostentatious relief, like a red-hot frying pan, pulls off her scarf as soon as she leaves God's temple, and in what kind of toy hats , our parishioners do not decorate their lovely hairstyles with narrow scarves and ribbons. Just don't wear the hated headscarf!

I am reading the memoirs of a ninety-year-old parishioner of one of the Moscow churches. An interesting story about the 30s of the past century, about the persecution of the Church, about repressions, executions, camps ... And then this elderly lady, who had seen a lot and endured a lot, stipulates in a special way that the parishioners of the church to which she then went were intelligent people, and all the women stood at the services in hats, and by no means in common people's headscarves. Well, what do you say to that? It only remains to recall the Byzantine proverb from the time of the fall of the Empire: "The world was dying, and my wife was dressing up ...".

Note that the apostles Peter and Paul speak of the notorious “braiding of hair” in literally the same words. These were people of different temperament, upbringing and culture, who had complex relationships and spoke ironically in relation to each other; while the apostle Paul was a convinced bachelor, and Peter had a wife and inevitable mother-in-law. The only thing in which their opinions literally coincide (1 Pet. 3, 1-4; 1 Tim. 2, 9-10) is the attitude towards women, who, having barely entered the Christian world, were already trying to take a dominant position in it, remaking him “for himself”, according to his own, pagan, ideas. It was not for nothing that the supreme apostles spoke of “women drowning in sins, led by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (cf.: 2 Tim. 3, 6–7).

Repeating "packs and packs", that twice two equals four, is a boring and thankless task. Of course, Orthodoxy is not one continuous Great Lent; there is Christmas and Easter with the luxury of a table, there is a wonderful Transfiguration with “good air and an abundance of fruits of the earth”, there are Christmas time, and Maslenitsa with troikas and bells, so juicy described in classical Russian literature ... but you never know what we have!

And, of course, an Orthodox woman should not be a slovenly dressed "in dark and spacious." On the contrary, in the old days, however, not so distant, there was the concept of “kobedneshny dress”, that is, a special, festive dress in which it was not a shame to go to mass. And if someone has a different impression, then, relatively speaking, “the sociology of a coarse-haired coat” applies here (Heinrich Böll has such a story). Who basically filled our churches before the CPSU perished? Elderly women, pensioners, widows are the poorest people who have never had expensive and beautiful clothes at all. Remember those salaries and those pensions…. Remember what our light industry produced and what you could buy in Soviet stores!

It is impossible not to agree with the author of the article that the rich inner content of a person does not exclude concern for external beauty. And in relation to everyday life, the Christian view of things coincides with the already trivial thought of the great Russian poet: “You can be a sensible person and think about the beauty of nails ...”.

The trouble is that a brilliant external form can hide the squalor of the inner content. And it is not difficult to notice a simple pattern: the poorer the inner world, the more defiantly richer a person tries to decorate himself from the outside.

Everything is very simple: when a woman, resorting to cosmetics or plastic surgery, changes her face beyond recognition, this means that she simply does not have any inner face, no “hidden heart of a person” (1 Pet. 3, 4). And then the external beauty, devoid of a spiritual basis, turns into a corpse of beauty. This is how our contemporary philosopher Alexander Sekatsky defined the concept of glamor that is now on everyone's lips.

From here, the answer to the question becomes clear: how and to what extent can a modern Orthodox woman “upgrade” her appearance? That and to such an extent, so as not to lose your own face! Both moderate cosmetics and some necessary plastic surgery (for example, removal of birthmarks) are probably appropriate. But the desire to “wear the“ young image of God ”for as long as possible with the help of surgery is an illusion. Some of the Roman emperors tried to keep young lovers fresh by castration - a kind of plastic surgery of that time. However, after a few years, disappointment awaited them: the youthful eunuch, despite the smoothness of the skin and the high voice, turned out to be unpleasantly unlike his own prototype. In the same way, another elderly actress, having retained a chiseled waist and a toned face, completely loses her former attractiveness and charm. It is impossible to enter the same river twice, and beauty, like Bulgakov's sturgeon, does not have a second freshness.

However, unlike sturgeon, true beauty - the one in which the breath of the spirit is felt - does not lose its freshness. Even in the most outrageous old age! And for anyone who has visited our Orthodox churches, not as a tourist or as a host, it is impossible not to agree with the wonderful observation of the St. Petersburg poet Elena Schwartz:

“Here is an old woman, a church dormouse,
Collects candle stubs.
And this old woman is the Temple of Solomon!
And even more beautiful ... And he is nobody's ... "

Various plastic surgeries are becoming more and more popular in the world, including in Belarus. An itinerant priest from Poland, Father Krzysztof Zapala, tells how the Catholic Church treats surgical changes in appearance.

If the operation does not harm health - which is God's gift, then it is not a sin. Non-acceptance of oneself, the desire to change one's body is not a sin, but an internal problem of a person. Changes in the body are not always beneficial to a person. God created him the way he is, and the Church says that one must accept oneself.

The church does not oppose people changing the shape of their ears, nose or tightening their skin, again, if this does not affect their health. But often such operations do not remove the problem. Especially if a person in his life relies on his body, he believes that his beauty is above all. But the body is not eternal, it quickly ages. Yes, on the last day the Lord will resurrect our bodies, but in the first place it is necessary to put not the body, but the soul. It is important who a person is, who he is, what his values ​​are, what his spirituality is. It is necessary first of all to develop your spirituality through faith with the help of prayer and the Word of God.

Today the world offers to accept only those who are beautiful, while imposing standards and norms of beauty on us. In fact, everyone is beautiful. And that's why it's important to accept yourself.

If the main thing is the beauty of the body, why are there so many divorces among beautiful young spouses? Why do beautiful rich people commit suicide? Because the body alone does not saturate, does not bring happiness. As Saint John Paul II said: to be, not to have.

We also give an excerpt from the popular book of the famous Catholic priest Xavier Knotz “Sex. Unknown about the known”, in which he, among other things, talks about plastic surgery.

“One of the most popular procedures that gives hope to return a beautiful figure in the shortest possible time is liposuction - the removal of body fat. Contrary to appearances, this is a very dangerous operation that can lead, among other things, to death. Botox injections that smooth out wrinkles look like an innocent procedure. However, Botox is a poison, a strong toxin that can cause irreversible muscle paralysis.

In the traditional sense, taking care of the body is taking care of how it looks: an appropriate diet, fashionable clothes, elegant make-up, a beautiful hairstyle, smart jewelry. All these methods are reasonable care for the beauty of the body.

Catholic morality also allows surgical intervention in the human body to correct its pathological and deformed parts, given that such deformations can negatively affect the development of a person or prevent him from participating in public life. Body modification should not be confused with medical treatment. Modification aims to model a healthy body, and treatment - the return of health lost for any reason.

Therefore, we admire and welcome plastic surgery operations that are already possible today, such as regeneration of the tongue with the help of the thigh muscles, restoration of the lower jaw using the tibia. The creation of silicone artificial breasts for women who have lost their breasts is an essential element in restoring their health. And an increase in a healthy female breast is a modification that has nothing to do with treatment.