What is beauty?

by jonaja

A well intentioned woman, though her view on human suffering was disturbing.
"Sanal Edamaruku, President of Rationalist International, criticised the failure to give painkillers, writing that in her Homes for the Dying, one could "hear the screams of people having maggots tweezered from their open wounds without pain relief. On principle, strong painkillers were not administered even in severe cases. According to Mother Teresa's philosophy, it is 'the most beautiful gift for a person that he can participate in the sufferings of Christ'."[86][87][88]" (just from the Wikipedia).

I met with Mother Teresa just after she had won the Noble Peace Prize, a good many years ago now.
I was impressed at all the work she said they were doing, so I gave her a donation and felt it had gone to the right place.
After reading what you wrote, I looked into it....and it would seem that you are correct.
It would seem all that present's it's self as beauty, may not be the case.

No where have I ever taken the 'sufferings of others' as she seemed to feel it should be.e.g. ''along with Christ'.. she was not looking at it in a correct Biblical context!!
We only hear of the good things mainstream, not this strange attitude to dealing with those who suffer.
Thank you for alerting me to this.I am totally aghast! As I say I did look into it, after reading your reply and sadly it would seem true.
This is a powerful lesson, we also need to see even deeper, to what we may feel is true Beauty.

P.S....When I met with her, as I looked into her eyes,(and I haven't told people this) I was gripped with total fear, even thou she was a very tiny woman.

I really use to think?''what was that''my feeling'' as I did all about'' never did understand it.

You met her? Wow. I bet she was a really interesting woman. Very impressive in her way.

Not sure if I am impressed any more lol.

Wow. I am flabbergasted. I could imagine putting up with a bit of pain as penance, but to deny other people pain relief is pretty unbelievable, assuming she did deny them this option.

Like yo said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Science has, however, found that humans have an innate idea that symmetry is beautiful. We like things that are the same on both sides. This is is because it represents perfection, and the closer to perfection you are, the stronger your offspring will be.

by Bryony Harrison

Beauty is only skin deep. Handsome is as handsome does.

by grann

It is really hard to tell exactly. The notion of beauty has been changing over time. For example, while women with a plump body used to be considered attractive in the past, nowadays the image of beauty comes with a stick-thin figure.

by annep

Personally, I think the true beauty should come from inside.

Both inside and out.

Inside - charm and politeness.

Outside - your appearance - how you dress and look after yourself.

by Justine Crowley

It's totally subjective and varies wildly from place to place and era to era. In Mauretania being fat is seen as beautiful and women are force fed to fatten them up so they can find a husband. In ancient China tiny feet were the go and they bound and deformed little girls' feet. It's a pity beauty standards so often end up hurting women.

by Jennifer Muirhead

Beauty....is in the eye of the beholder!

by pinky

Beauty is a very individual thing as what one person finds beautiful, the next person may not.

by Finy