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Dear Friends
Are you fit, healthy and vigorous ? Gentlemen, have you got a flat stomach with muscles like a six-pack ? Ladies, ….. well anyway, how’s the cellulite ? It seems to me that the health and vitality phobia is running a close second to the obsession with political correctness in mass media of today. Those with Sky TV will know that there are several channels, both British and American, which are devoted to diet, exercise, nutrition, body-building, good health and, of course, physical vanity. In addition, there is a whole industry which markets eating regimes, physical work-outs and fitness aids. There is also a substantial fashion industry which offers us garments to best display our hard won prowess. Apart from television this theme is thrust before us in every magazine we look at, all the newspapers rely upon it for regular copy and the bill-boards join the chorus.
On the face of it this is a good thing. Our bodies are wonderful assemblies which God gave us to crown his work of creation. This means that we have a Christian duty to keep the machine well maintained so that we may serve each other more effectively and serve God thereby. The commercial angle, however, is more about persuading us to conform to very stereotypical ideas of maleness and femaleness, and to make us feel guilty and inadequate if we don’t follow these models. We know, however, that the adonis appearance does not necessarily entail good health or virility. In the same way the slowing down that comes with advancing years does not mean that such people are neglecting sensible regimes of diet and exercise.
What I think we are presented with, apart from the obvious good sense of a healthy lifestyle, is a real fear of ageing and of death. We are all aware of that other great modern industry, cosmetic surgery. Beyond this, in the not too far distant future, will come organ replacement. We are seeing the beginnings of this already. Soon will appear whole banks of available spare parts grown perhaps on and in animals so that our weary bits and pieces can be swapped
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