America's Turn Toward Paganism

As some of you may know, I had to write a paper on Paganism in reference to bodily mutilations this week for English. Here it is...

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“Paganism,” as defined by Merriam Webster’s Dictionary, means “to follow a polytheistic religion; one who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods; an irreligious or hedonistic person.” It has been said by many scholars and religious leaders alike that America has trended away from monotheism for a more self-satisfying polytheistic nature. We worship the gods of money, media, love, beauty, food, and self. We have set ourselves and our desires up on pedestals so high that most of our lives are spent trying to achieve perfection and satisfaction in vain. For many, it’s a difficult concept to grasp that everyone has been made to look different, so we flock to the local shopping mall to buy the latest trend of clothes in order to feel good about ourselves. The worship of God through individuality has been almost completely erased. However, it doesn’t stop at just clothing; no - we must push it farther. We must begin to make alterations of our bodies in order to achieve what the media says is visually attractive. It has become the so-called “norm” to see people with larger-than-life breast implants, tattoos, and gauges walking down the street. New York University psychology professor, Paul Vitz, states that “cosmetic mutilation—has now been able to enter into the mainstream culture only because of the revival of paganism and the eclipse of the once-dominant Judeo-Christian ethic.” Vitz's statement is true because of the justification given to body modifications in the media, the many outlets for creativity for "body art," and the common desire to control one's own body through alterations.

Not all media outlets come right out and say “Get bigger breasts and more men will want you” or “Nose rings make you sexy.” They can’t do that. However, they allow the age old phrase “actions speak louder than words” to come into full effect; they even use it to their advantage. For example, in Cosmopolitan this week there is an article depicting big-busted celebrities in their best looking bikinis encouraging women to emulate them by purchasing a bikini similar to their favorite celeb’s. Many women will pick up the magazine and read the article hoping to find something useful but will only to walk away feeling inadequate and ashamed of their small chest, cellulite, and trouble zone. The problem isn’t just that one article. The real trouble comes when we, as Americans, are being constantly bombarded by these false perceptions of beauty and decide to change ourselves based on these perceptions in order to become more attractive. The Bible states in the Book of Genesis that all people are made in God’s image; it also states that God is perfect in every way. Therefore, it could be concluded in a God-fearing culture that any alterations made to the body, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, would actually be tampering with perfection. Our sole purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever; He has written out our plan and has designed our bodies individually in order to be best prepared for what He has in store for us. When people start adding things like silicone implants or even tattoos and piercings, they start to alter the original design. If God wanted us to have those things, we would have been born that way. However, in a society where monotheism has been expelled, people will not view their bodies as Godly perfection.

Shows like “LA Ink and “Miami Ink” have glamorized tattoos and piercings. They show people like the gorgeous Kat Von Dee using her excellent gift of artistry to design and ink elaborate tattoos for celebrities and common folk alike. There is something almost magical about a celebrity getting a tattoo that makes people think it is okay to do the same. It leads back to the idea of polytheistic worship of people and feelings rather than desiring to serve one God with the bodies he has given us. Tattoo parlors, piercing pagodas, and plastic surgeons seem to line every corner of our streets. With the increased availability of these services to the public, the cheaper they become. With inexpensive services, more people will be willing to give body modifications a try. After people experiment with the more mild forms of tattoos, piercings, and plastic surgeries, they will want to try new things on their bodies. Things like skin braiding, coral horn implants, and branding have become increasingly popular in this case. With all of these options for modifications and alterations, people have endless abilities to change themselves into what they think is the best they can be.

Celebrities and popularity aside, the most important driving force behind the desire of a person to change is themselves. It is a proven psychological fact that people do not change unless they want to be changed and they desire to control their own bodies. Magazines, celebrities, and movies all contribute to the oppression of embracing true, natural beauty. They lead men and women to think poorly of themselves because they don’t look visually perfect. This, combined with the human desire to be attractive and feel wanted is a reprehensible recipe for disaster. We have to find a reason to look outside of ourselves and realize that beauty is simply a perception! Our souls mean much more than fading outer beauty; they are our only earthly constant – they will never change. Inner beauty is what needs to be focused on. When someone looks into the eyes of another, they can tell so much about that person because the soul is reflected in the eyes. When we live clean, follow good morals, and live for the right reasons, we have no need to look at ourselves and want to change the physical appearance. In the end everyone gets old and dies so what does outer beauty matter?

America’s nationwide desire for self-satisfaction is becoming an unavoidable epidemic. It barrages us at every corner from the moment we wake to when our heads hit the pillow at night. How long will the outlets we currently have for bodily mutilation last before people get bored and want to move on to the next new thing? When will the yearning to create a body that is physically attractive to other humans be thought of as frivolous? It is sad to stand by and watch people devalue themselves by participating in the revival of the worship of many gods through making altercations to their bodies. If we turned to God instead of humans for approval, Paganism would not even be an issue in America. We would be able to release one of the many strong grips Satan has on our society so we can begin the trek back to Christianity. It’s not impossible if we do it together and have faith for change. Greenwood sums it up best, “When we have looked on the pleasures of life, and they have vanished away; when we have looked on the works of nature, and perceived that they are changing; on the monuments of art and seen that they would not stand; on our friends, and they have fled while we were grazing; on ourselves and felt that we were fleeting as they; - We can look to the throne of God. The waves of eternity have been rushing past it; for change and decay cannot reach it.”