Physical Appearance

[Vort]

Probably so that you don't throw the whole set into an incinerator.

She thinks I will do something like that, or worse yet, laugh at her and think ill of her tastes. She could not be more wrong. Even if Twilight isn't "my thing", it's her thing, and I like how she is. Since it brings her such pleasure, I like it by default.

[Seminarysnoozer]

I have known some very pretty women and men who see theirs looks as a handicap in life. Why because everyone can see their looks but the person just gets lost in the process.

As to height I was a runt and wimp until I was almost 16 then I started to grow ended up being 6 foot 4 inches and 265 pounds and no fat. Now I am 6 foot 1 1/2 since I broke my back and weight 246 pounds and am bald. Do I look sexy have no clue really don't care as I am me and that is all I care about.

As to what we will look like in the next life I am waiting for someone to come back and fill me in on that one. No one has come back yet so it must be a fun place to be.

Now as to blessings in this life being tied to looks please show me that one in holy writ. I missed that in almost 50 years of studying the scriptures and I would really like you to point this out for me.

I know of blessings for health, of understanding and of answer to prayers but that one on looks and it being taken into the next life??

My uncle is 6' 11'' and has played professional basketball which he often describes as a blessing in his life. I have a cousin who is a model and has also described that as a blessing in her life. My grandfather was a professional boxer which put him in the right place to meet his wife and move to the United States from Mexico and all the associated opportunities and blessings without going into detail, thus his physical build and body type became a blessing for me and all his posterity. That same grandfather was in WWII and because of his physique in a small way, hearing the stories, I think he kept himself alive where many of his group did not survive.

I agree with not being able to categorize or stratify "beauty" or "blessings" from appearance in any consistent way, that is why this thread I don't think, is about trying to do that. It is more about why we think there is any value in carrying appearance into the next life. I read people saying that they think they will, but there is no reasonable explanation for why we maintain our current appearance in the next life, if anything, to me, there is more suggestion we won't. The concern posed by the OP exists because there is that belief in the first place, that we maintain our current appearance, why? What is the possible purpose for that? ... there is none.

[Seminarysnoozer]

I think our bodies will be at physical perfection and that we will be without deformities and such. We will be healthy and fit. We will be, by all biological definitions, perfect.

As for size and color, I think genes have already determined it.

To say that our earthly, carnal, corrupted, mutated genes are carried into the next life is saying a lot. If you say, well, all the imperfections in the genes will be cleaned up, I would agree with that. It will be cleaned up all the way back to the original set, Adam and Eve.

And if they were cleaned up all the way, then we would not look like we do now in terms of hair color, etc. as you are suggesting. I have no idea what Adam and Eve looked like while in the Garden or how far off we are now, in other words, how far the body fell with the Fall, but it definitely changed enough to require a Savior. The reversal of that Fall is what the resurrection entails. Resurrection is not the reversal of the aging process. ... in my opinion.

[slamjet]

She thinks I will do something like that, or worse yet, laugh at her and think ill of her tastes. She could not be more wrong. Even if Twilight isn't "my thing", it's her thing, and I like how she is. Since it brings her such pleasure, I like it by default.

I almost shed a tear, I must be getting soft

[slamjet]

If I end up looking like I looked when I was 23, then I'm in good shape. However, please don't relegate me to my 43 year old self for eternity, please?

[Backroads]

For what's its worth, I'm not a big Twilight fan. In fact, I've been known to mock it, though I do try to refrain from hurting anyone's feelings.

[Vort]

Speaking of physical appearance...

[bytor2112]

I am guessing that if we obtain celestial glory....we will be incredible to behold. As for physical imperfections, I would venture a guess that cellulite, hip rolls, jelly belly, love handles, saddle bags, crooked teeth, skin blemishes, acne, etc...will not be a part of our existence. Why would they...if some of these things can be cured and treated in this life, surely a perfected body will not suffer from the frailties of a body quickened by blood.

My friend is really hung up on physical beauty and judges all women by the world's standard of beauty. I told him that he was probably going to be greatly shocked like the movie, Shallow Hal.......

[pam]

Speaking of physical appearance...

Amazing story. Just amazing what modern medicine can do these days.

[Seminarysnoozer]

As for size and color, I think genes have already determined it.

I'm going to go with a Twilight comparison for this...

In Twilight, the vampires technically looked just like they had as mortals. Same hair color, features, what not. Yet as vampires they were all drop-dead (pun intended) gorgeous.

I enjoy thinking it might be the same deal.

Sorry to put you on the spot, because a lot of people feel the same way but since you said it ...

Why is it that you enjoy the idea that you will maintain some features from this life?

I think it is important to point out that that idea is not part of our gospel, at least I don't see it anywhere pointed out that specifically, that we maintain our genetic make up. (I could be wrong, but haven't found it)

[Backroads]

Sorry to put you on the spot, because a lot of people feel the same way but since you said it ...

Why is it that you enjoy the idea that you will maintain some features from this life?

I think it is important to point out that that idea is not part of our gospel, at least I don't see it anywhere pointed out that specifically, that we maintain our genetic make up. (I could be wrong, but haven't found it)

Am I on the spot because I brough up Twilight?

Well, in answer to your question, I guess when I hear about our bodies being resurrected into perfection, I assume it's the exact same body. While I imagine God is perfectly capable of creating for us all new bodies, it just seems easier and more sensible to work with what we have. While I can see our genetics being much improved, why bother going with all new genes?

[Seminarysnoozer]

Am I on the spot because I brough up Twilight?

Well, in answer to your question, I guess when I hear about our bodies being resurrected into perfection, I assume it's the exact same body. While I imagine God is perfectly capable of creating for us all new bodies, it just seems easier and more sensible to work with what we have. While I can see our genetics being much improved, why bother going with all new genes?

Haha, no, I've never seen the movies.

Thanks for your response. I would imagine, taking into account the 100 billion people who have ever lived in the world (or whatever number it is) that most of the bodies that need resurrection are completely gone, they are dust. I don't think the majority of people will have much to work with.

Is there some perceived benefit of maintaining genetics in the next life, other than convenience for God (if that were really the case)?

They don't have to be 'all new genes' He already made them in Adam and Eve. The work has already been done in that respect.

[Backroads]

Yes, but even if there bodies are dust, they are still their bodies. God created all things spiritually before physically, and I do believe that physical body is ours for eternity.

With all we know of our bodies being resurrected and spiritual/physical creation, why would you think we would wind up in some completely different form?

[Seminarysnoozer]

Yes, but even if there bodies are dust, they are still their bodies. God created all things spiritually before physically, and I do believe that physical body is ours for eternity.

With all we know of our bodies being resurrected and spiritual/physical creation, why would you think we would wind up in some completely different form?

Pretty much everything we have in this life is temporary, this is a temporary existence from which we are given 'stewardship' over certain things to see if we can be worthy enough to take care of bigger things. Stewardship does not mean ownership and that includes our bodies. We, of course, are promised a resurrected body after going through this life, that becomes ours.

We know that people who have more obvious deforming characteristics such as being born without arms or having trisomy 21 etc., will have their bodies made whole. Wouldn't you say that a Trisomy 18 baby probably wouldn't look the same in the next life? The support to my argument would be to ask, which one of us doesn't have a corrupted body that would need correction?

If you read my posts in this thread I have outlined my basic reasons for thinking that we won't maintain specific characteristics but the form will continue, the part that allows us to be described as being in the image of God. The 'image' of God is not a certain hair color, height, weight, skin color etc. otherwise only certain people would be in the image of God. So, one could maintain the 'image of God' in the resurrected body and be a different height, weight, skin color, shape of the face etc. without changing that fact.

To me, being created spiritually does not include the exact dimensions of the features we find in ourselves right now. If that were the case, what did the third look like that followed Satan, a blob? Satan himself had no specific appearance? And, again, all those that end up with very deformed bodies here looked like that before they came? If you say 'no', then it is possible that we all looked like a perfect image of a body before we came here which may be totally different than the specific way we look now. We spent, I believe, a lot more time in our pre-earthly form than our earthly form by far, and into the future this time will seem like a little blip of time if that.

I think the idea that we look the same as we did here, just improved, is one of those things that sounds comfortable to us but has no basis or reason or has been described in the gospel but many take it for being likely.

Edited June 13, 2011 by Seminarysnoozer

[Peanutterrier2009]

Yes, we will be beautiful. But, by what standards? Not by the standards we currently understand. We will know what is to be fully content with our forms and others will see us for the beautiful creatures that God made us. We are promissed absolute happiness and unsurpassed joy. I have never heard of anything to be ugly in heaven. Mortal beauty is so fleeting. I have recently been connecting with old high school friends. Some of these people were drop dead gorgeous and now; well, lets just say, I'm not looking too bad after all. The point is, beauty is hard to quantify. We will be perfect and this would suggests that none of us will be fat or skinney as niehter of these are perfect states. Legs will be straight and teeth will be like wise. The imperfection you see in your body today will be righted. Thus, we will all be beautiful as the human body, in it's perfected form is, in fact, beautiful.

[FanOf31]

This brings up an interesting few thoughts in my brain. The way I see it, beauty shall be seen on the inside when we are resurrected, NOT on the outside. It's about the big picture and not about vain items when you truly humble your ego and see this. Satan brainwashes us and chooses what we think is beautiful. It reminds me of that Dr. Seus book about the sneeches (I think that's what they were called lol) who had a star and others who did not. What if that's how we looked? You would think completely different about what was attractive. It's all in your head as you have grown up in our society. Just take a look at other cultures such as indigenous people who have a completely different idea of beauty. My 2nd thought, is this: I was lucky enough to be born with ears that stick out. My real mom asked if I wanted an otoplasty to "correct" them and I did say yes as kids of course made fun of me in school up to that point (I was the sneech with no star). My step mom said no way and I lived with her and had no choice as my step mom and Dad would have been required to pay for half of the surgery and my mom the other half. I went through nonstop suffering for this physical feature my whole life, yet at the same time have become quite strong but it was never easy. I am now in a position to pay for the surgery myself to get the otoplasty and think I will just go ahead and get this surgery just to boost my self confidence while still on earth. People truly judge me for this and it's wrong but unfortunately that's the world for you. I don't want to miss any oppurtunity for anything as I'm taking life serious now. I have wondered if when I'm resurrected, will my ears go back to how they were?? I think they probably would as looks have no true effect on the big picture. What do y'all think? And do you think I'm vain for wanting this surgery? I will also have this surgery done for my kids if their ears are this way only for the fact I don't want to see them suffer the way I did, NOT because I think they are ugly! Opinions?

Edited June 16, 2011 by FanOf31

[Seminarysnoozer]

This brings up an interesting few thoughts in my brain. The way I see it, beauty shall be seen on the inside when we are resurrected, NOT on the outside. It's about the big picture and not about vain items when you truly humble your ego and see this. Satan brainwashes us and chooses what we think is beautiful. It reminds me of that Dr. Seus book about the sneeches (I think that's what they were called lol) who had a star and others who did not. What if that's how we looked? You would think completely different about what was attractive. It's all in your head as you have grown up in our society. Just take a look at other cultures such as indigenous people who have a completely different idea of beauty. My 2nd thought, is this: I was lucky enough to be born with ears that stick out. My real mom asked if I wanted an otoplasty to "correct" them and I did say yes as kids of course made fun of me in school up to that point (I was the sneech with no star). My step mom said no way and I lived with her and had no choice as my step mom and Dad would have been required to pay for half of the surgery and my mom the other half. I went through nonstop suffering for this physical feature my whole life, yet at the same time have become quite strong but it was never easy. I am now in a position to pay for the surgery myself to get the otoplasty and think I will just go ahead and get this surgery just to boost my self confidence while still on earth. People truly judge me for this and it's wrong but unfortunately that's the world for you. I don't want to miss any oppurtunity for anything as I'm taking life serious now. I have wondered if when I'm resurrected, will my ears go back to how they were?? I think they probably would as looks have no true effect on the big picture. What do y'all think? And do you think I'm vain for wanting this surgery? I will also have this surgery done for my kids if their ears are this way only for the fact I don't want to see them suffer the way I did, NOT because I think they are ugly! Opinions?

If that first sentence is true, then nobody would care if we all looked exactly the same in the next life either, as the outside wouldn't matter. Ask most people on this forum and they are appalled at the idea that we could all look the same, so the outside really does matter to them.

We can't have it both ways, either the outside matters and therefore we should maintain our current appearance in the next life or the outside doesn't matter and so all looking the same would not be a problem.

[Peanutterrier2009]

You bring up some vaild points. I too, believe that our inner beauty far out wieghs the outer. That having been said, I think God does have an eye for beauty. Just look around. I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. When the sun shines here, in weatern Washington, it is nothing less than glorious. I have never been a, "beautiful" person, niether inside nor out. In fact, I'm quite frumppy by current standards. I and God have been working on this but, I have a long way to go. Just as some are more beautiful on the outside, so too are some more beautiful on the inside. I think most of us, however, fall somewhere in the middle. Just as our inner flaws must be perfected, so too, will those outer flaws. When we think about our Lord, directly after His resurrection, people failed recognize Him at first. I don't think this is because, He greatly chaged but, His body was in it's perfected form.

As for surgically ultering our exterior. It's a very personal matter. I suspect, it is much like anything else; as long as it is within reason and doesn't lead to some idea that, all our flaws can be fixed with a litlle aid from a surgeon.

[Seminarysnoozer]

You bring up some vaild points. I too, believe that our inner beauty far out wieghs the outer. That having been said, I think God does have an eye for beauty. Just look around. I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. When the sun shines here, in weatern Washington, it is nothing less than glorious. I have never been a, "beautiful" person, niether inside nor out. In fact, I'm quite frumppy by current standards. I and God have been working on this but, I have a long way to go. Just as some are more beautiful on the outside, so too are some more beautiful on the inside. I think most of us, however, fall somewhere in the middle. Just as our inner flaws must be perfected, so too, will those outer flaws. When we think about our Lord, directly after His resurrection, people failed recognize Him at first. I don't think this is because, He greatly chaged but, His body was in it's perfected form.

As for surgically ultering our exterior. It's a very personal matter. I suspect, it is much like anything else; as long as it is within reason and doesn't lead to some idea that, all our flaws can be fixed with a litlle aid from a surgeon.

If you think this is beautiful (which is great) .... you haven't seen nuthin yet. The Kingdoms of glory far surpass any earthly beauty. Even the lowest is beyond full description. .... I think this will apply to our physical appearance too, we look back at our current appearance and say, I can't believe I wanted to hold onto that.

I remember driving a 1976 Ford Pinto coup to High School thinking I was pretty cool. I don't know if I would feel "cool" driving that thing now, haha.

I don't think our bodies and everything around is not beautiful but in comparison I think we will realize that it is silly to hold onto things of this world.

[apexviper13]

If someone makes fun of you for your looks just remind them that everyone is made in the image of God and God doesn't make mistakes. Since we're in God's image and people make fun of others for how they look who are they really insulting?

[apexviper13]

That makes sense but its also hard to understand right now. I just struggle in understanding why some were blessed with beauty...they get the best of both worlds. It just seems so unfair. For example, am I always to be short? Why can't I be taller? Why are some blessed with the ideal both in this life and the next?

Short? The average height for a guy in today's society is like 5'6". If you're at least that then you're not short. I've been told by decent looking girls I'm ugly and then I've been told by even prettier girls that I look great. In other words, it depends on the person.

[FanOf31]

If that first sentence is true, then nobody would care if we all looked exactly the same in the next life either, as the outside wouldn't matter. Ask most people on this forum and they are appalled at the idea that we could all look the same, so the outside really does matter to them.

We can't have it both ways, either the outside matters and therefore we should maintain our current appearance in the next life or the outside doesn't matter and so all looking the same would not be a problem.

We can all look different and unique while not being more beautiful than one another.

[FanOf31]

If you think this is beautiful (which is great) .... you haven't seen nuthin yet. The Kingdoms of glory far surpass any earthly beauty. Even the lowest is beyond full description. .... I think this will apply to our physical appearance too, we look back at our current appearance and say, I can't believe I wanted to hold onto that.

I remember driving a 1976 Ford Pinto coup to High School thinking I was pretty cool. I don't know if I would feel "cool" driving that thing now, haha.

I don't think our bodies and everything around is not beautiful but in comparison I think we will realize that it is silly to hold onto things of this world.

I believe our bodies will have a 0-3% body fat and we'll be super ripped, but not humungous ripped like Jay Cutler, but somewhere in between. I know we'll all look different.

[Seminarysnoozer]

We can all look different and unique while not being more beautiful than one another.

Maybe we could, I don't know but why? What is the value of uniqueness especially in a group of people that are all trying to be like God in every way?

Is there a reason for uniqueness in the next life?

Why would one person be taller than another for example? You might say, 'it doesn't matter'. Well then, if it doesn't matter then probably one person wouldn't be taller than another. There would be no reason for variability.

At least in this world one could make an argument for variability, for survival. Certain traits do better in certain circumstances. There will be none of that in the next life. If I need X amount of melanin in my skin that is what I am going to have, just like everyone else, etc.

This is what I am saying, there is a desire to hold onto 'differences' and 'uniqueness' but there is no reason to, I think that comes from the same place that somebody calls someone else beautiful in this world. If there is no categorization of beauty, then there also is no need to have external uniqueness.

[FanOf31]

Maybe we could, I don't know but why? What is the value of uniqueness especially in a group of people that are all trying to be like God in every way?

Is there a reason for uniqueness in the next life?

Why would one person be taller than another for example? You might say, 'it doesn't matter'. Well then, if it doesn't matter then probably one person wouldn't be taller than another. There would be no reason for variability.

At least in this world one could make an argument for variability, for survival. Certain traits do better in certain circumstances. There will be none of that in the next life. If I need X amount of melanin in my skin that is what I am going to have, just like everyone else, etc.

This is what I am saying, there is a desire to hold onto 'differences' and 'uniqueness' but there is no reason to, I think that comes from the same place that somebody calls someone else beautiful in this world. If there is no categorization of beauty, then there also is no need to have external uniqueness.

The uniqueness gives us something special so we can differentiate eachother from one another. Being exactly the same would be very dull and boring. Uniqueness is complex and just the way God chose to do things. You might have to ask him why he chose to do it this way.