By Joshua McElwee VATICAN CITY, March 4 (Reuters) - Jesus will still love you as you age, even if you have a few wrinkles on your face, according to a Vatican document issued on Wednesday. In a new
Vatican Issues Warning on Cosmetic Surgery and Body Image Ideals
Vatican Document Addresses Cosmetic Surgery and Body Image
By Joshua McElwee
Overview of the Vatican's Statement
VATICAN CITY, March 4 (Reuters) - Jesus will still love you as you age, even if you have a few wrinkles on your face, according to a Vatican document issued on Wednesday.
In a new text approved by Pope Leo, a top Vatican commission warned the world's 1.4 billion Catholics against using cosmetic surgery, saying it can lead to a "cult of the body" and an unrealistic search for a perfect figure.
Concerns About the "Cult of the Body"
"Advances in cosmetic surgery … offer tools that significantly change the relationship with one's corporeality," said the document.
"A widespread 'cult of the body' follows, tending toward a frantic search for a perfect figure, always fit, young, and beautiful."
The Church's Teachings on Body Image
The Catholic Church teaches that the human body is made in the image of God. While the Church does not prohibit cosmetic surgery, it says Catholics should not pursue procedures merely to suit their vanity.
Details from the International Theological Commission
The new warning came in a document from the Vatican's International Theological Commission, which advises the pope on doctrinal questions facing the Church.
Broader Reflections on Technology and Humanity
The commission warned against cosmetic surgery as part of a long reflection on procedures using technology to advance humanity.
It also warned against a future where artificial intelligence "risks escaping the control of human reason" and where humans might choose to have mechanical implants in order to become akin to "cyborgs."
Risks of Changing the Body to Fit Trends
Cosmetic surgery can lead to an attitude of changing your body "according to the tastes of the moment," the text warned.
"A curious situation arises: the ideal body is exalted ... while the real body is not truly loved, since it is a source of limits, fatigue, aging," it said.
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee, editing by Alvise Armellini, Aidan Lewis)
