Reflection on April 22, 1981

https://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/jp2tb60.htm

In the last reflection, I thought SJPII was saying photos cannot be art because of their lack of artistic change from the model. He seems to back off from that here and instead lumps art and photography together in that they can either be good or bad. What he seems to be trying to get at is the human body in any reproduction, must not be taken lightly or done without great care, it is not “merely aesthetic, nor morally indifferent.” The human body has meaning, as we have seen throughout these reflections, and therefore an image of this body in any type of format can and should have that same meaning.

We think of nakedness and shame as intertwined, and that is a result of the fall. But throughout the reflections on those, I never thought about the feeling you have undressing for the doctor. There is a feeling there, maybe some shame, some embarrassment, some horror, maybe pride. But I think everyone feels that, Christian or not. That imbedded feeling gives us an incline into the shame experienced by Adam and Eve. SJPII brings up the use of nakedness in concentration camps as a way to break down the prisoners. I think everyone can understand the humiliation there and what that means. Yet our world wants to turn around and exploit the nakedness of people to sell Hardee’s or cars or Superbowls, etc. The world, though not Christian, understands the feeling of shame, but seems to bury it deep so that they can try to satisfy its feelings. For all the freedom the world preaches and tells everyone not to bury your feelings and to fulfill all your urges, shame seems to be the feeling the world wants you to bury. As usual, God has given us shame to bring us to purity. The direction of the world goes counter to the direction of God.

I think you could easily say that the culture is not indifferent to “creating a climate favorable to chastity”. I think they are actively opposed to a climate of chastity. I cannot think of a single example of anything remotely promoted that in any way shape or form would bread a climate favorable to chastity. But it doesn’t take a minute to come up with a laundry list of things the world is doing to beat down and degrade the idea of chastity. Indifferent? I don’t think the world is indifferent on this one.