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February 22, 2007 |
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Death on Display |
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I casually observed the commercial as it
flashed across the TV screen and glimpsed the image of a young child
looking intently at what appeared to be a plastic model of a human body
with inner workings exposed. Later I would learn that this was no
representation but rather an actual human body!
I was contacted by a concerned Christian regarding this exhibit and the fact that it is being presented in schools as having educational merit under the guise of science. http://www.natureandscience.org/bodyworlds/educators_resources.asp. Another Christian saw no problem with people donating their bodies for such a purpose. How could the Christian community be so desensitized to something so revolting? Obviously the public has been sold a bill of goods and not informed as to the darkness surrounding this presentation. It should be no surprise that the general public would not be aware, but the Body of Christ is supposed to have discernment.You may have heard of BODYWORLDS, the traveling exhibition that displays hundreds of human bodies in various poses. Their skin has been stripped away, leaving only bone and sinew. Their remains have been preserved by Plastination, a method perfected by Gunther von Hagens who takes these displays of bodies and body parts around the world and is currently bringing his sideshow to various U.S. cities. Aaron Ginsburg of http://dignityinboston.googlepages.com/ writes "This exhibit has a veneer of science, or even pseudo-science about it…. This so-called scientific purpose cannot hide the fact of an unmerciful assault on the dignity of the dead….The exhibit contains a lot of lightly veiled propaganda to justify itself and to convince people to donate their bodies to the cause. The exhibit is more about show business and about money, than about science."Von Hagens describes the method of Plastination on his BODYWORLDS site www.bodyworlds.com "The deceased body is embalmed with a formalin injection to the arteries, which smaller specimens are immersed in formalin. After dissection, all bodily fluids and soluble fat in the specimens are then extracted and replaced through vacuum-forced impregnation with reactive resins and elastomers such a silicone rubber and epoxy. His promotional literature goes on to say, "after posing of the specimens for optimal teaching value, they are cured with light, heat or certain gases. The resulting specimens or plastinates assume rigidity and permanence."He acknowledges that his work is controversial but states, "I myself am not controversial, but my exhibitions are, because I am asking viewers to transcend their fundamental beliefs and convictions about our joint and inescapable fate." Von Hagens sees himself on a global mission to end the elitism of the medical profession which, he believes, has denied the lay public access to a better understanding of their own bodies….Quote: "There are obviously aesthetic elements to what I am doing but I am chiefly a scientist who wants to enlighten people by means of aesthetic shock rather than cruelty shock." …bodies are….dismembered and reassembled in ways that remind one of the cubist and surrealist works." A physician comments on the National Public Radio blog: "I am a physician and having gone through gross anatomy, I am familiar with the human body. In school we had to learn anatomy to become qualified physicians, but we treated the bodies with utmost respect and at the end of the course, there was a memorial service during which the families, faculty and students attended. The students showed respect and gratitude for the family’s contribution to medical education. For someone not in the medical field, there should be no claim that the display is educational. Having a display of human cadavers in this way is really sickening. I find it tasteless, disrespectful and morbid. Sick in the head!" http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5635667Comments from a Seattle Physician (Excerpts): January 5, 2007 "As a physician, I oppose this exhibit (I have not been to it, but have seen plenty of photos of it in the press). While there is undoubtedly some educational value to the audience to see the wonders of the human body, the bizarre nature of the cadavers' poses transforms the viewer into a voyeur. What could possibly be the scientific or educational purpose of displaying the corpse of a small child riding on the shoulders of the corpse of an adult, as if having an outing at the park? In my opinion, the display crosses the line from informative exhibit to pornography or freak show. I would feel this way even if all the bodies were freely donated with informed consent. (But I doubt any of us would consent to having our own body displayed post-mortem in this perverse manner.)" http://dignityinboston.googlepages.com/commentsIt is one thing to donate one’s organs so another can live, and donate one’s body to science for purposes of medical training to educate future doctors, but it is quite another to have one’s body disfigured and put on display for profit and shock value. "….The question raised in a firestorm of public debate about "BODYWORLDS" concerns whether the human corpse is a cast-off hulk to be handled like a felled tree and sawed into slabs, sticks and other odd shapes, or is a kind of temple of the soul to be treated with dignity and respect even when unoccupied." http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_25_17/ai_76402692Von Hagens founded a private company, the Von Hagens Dalian Plastination Ltd., based in Dalian, China, which currently employs a staff of 250. It is repulsive to contemplate exactly what these workers do for much less than minimum wage in the U.S. They painstakingly peel off the skin, scrape fat away from muscle, and suck out body fluids before pumping in the plastic solution. Apparently von Hagens has toned down his promotional techniques for the U.S. tour. There are various reports about how he touted his show in Europe. For instance, in Berlin he put several of his cadavers on a public bus, including the corpse of a pregnant woman with fetus exposed. He also reportedly propped several of the corpses up in a local snack bar. This would certainly make his motivations less than honorable. He is obviously cunning enough to know that such antics would not gain him favor in the U.S. Examples of specimens: (displays will vary according to location.):"There will be the Horseman, a raider with his skull chopped in two and his body flayed to show the underlying musculature. He sits with his brain in one hand and a whip in the other astride the posed and flayed cadaver of a horse, frozen forever in its leap. There will be another figure chopped up and vertically expanded so that his body resembles a sashimied totem pole or a Salvador Dali painting in which the sliced body looks like a chest of drawers. There will be the erect, flayed cadaver of a man holding his own skin aloft as though it was a precious trophy." http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,669775,00.htmlJournalist Herman Goodden describes the exhibits: "One body is cut up as if it were a chest of drawers, some of which are pulled open. Another body seems to explode outward with a hundred different parts dangling in the air on bits of nylon fishing line. Yet another is diagonally sliced a dozen times and then stretched apart so the viewer can peer in on either side of each slice. One exhibit is called an "Angel" because flayed skin from the back and shoulders is bunched together into a crude approximation of wings. In instances such as these, a prurient sort of sensationalism clearly trumped any educational benefits. Just what great scientific facts or insights are revealed in exploitative displays like these? Dr. von Hagens even signed each one of these posed cadavers as if they were his own pieces of art." http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Hey+Dr.+von+Hagens--these+are+human+beings+you're+messing+with-a0144402203Exhibit visitors can even buy "souvenirs" of their visit. T-shirts are available (in both adult and children sizes) with pictures of bodies or body parts. One can choose the "Lung", "Hand Slice" or "Foot Slice" mouse pad. And then there are the "Blood Vessel" magnets for the refrigerator. This perverse monstrosity still has some ground to cover this year. Be aware it may be headed to your area either this year or in the future. Phoenix and Dallas until May 28th Chicago until April 29th Montreal, May 10-Sept. 16th Portland, June 7th – Oct 7th Charlotte, June 13-Oct. 21st BODYWORLDS claim that "to date more than 20 million people throughout the world have visited the BODYWORLDS exhibits. They have hence become the most successful special exhibitions of all time." http://www.bodyworlds.com/en/exhibitions/past_exhibitions.htmlShouldn’t we be asking what kind of message this is sending to our young people who are trotted through this chamber of horrors by their teachers with the blessing of their parents? Evidently, the general consensus is that the financial, educational and scientific benefits outweigh any costs. "It is surprising that an American public embraces von Hagens’ plastination project. Cadaver shows require the kind of things condemned, often by religion, as disrespect, desecration, or defilement of the dead." http://dignityinboston.googlepages.com/When the Church has lost it savor and is no longer salt and light, society becomes more and more depraved. When Christians lose all discernment and partake in the things of the world, we all suffer. How many Christian parents are allowing their children to go on field trips to view this ghoulish spectacle ? When Christians have reached the point of accepting the display of human beings for profit in a downright demonic sideshow, one can only wonder what next? This is not to say that all believers have fallen prey to this pragmatic deception, but where is the outcry especially when it involves impressionable children?The body is a miraculous creation of God. For the Christian, there will be a glorified body when we leave this earth, free from infirmity. Christ compares His Church to a body. Therefore, the body is worthy of our respect both in life and in death. Then there Is the question as to the origin of the "specimens". Van Hagen insists that the bodies come from legitimate Chinese donors. Given the clandestine nature of the Chinese government and their disregard for human life, it would not be too big a leap to wonder if some of these humans could be political dissidents or even Christians who either died in prison or were executed. Of course this is a case of the fox guarding the henhouse as there is no verifiable paper trail because he insists upon anonymity of the individuals out of respect for their privacy. What a cleverly devised smoke screen! "Facing questions, von Hagens assures American host museums that the anonymous donors of his "Plastinates" gave their informed consent and that he has documents on file in China to prove it. But clearly von Hagens didn’t obtain informed consent from all of his exhibits. Children’s goodies are included in his show. The notion of "informed consent" does not extend to youngsters incapable of independent judgment, and how could an adult give consent on behalf of a living child? An exhibit called "The Family" consists of a man, woman and child. These individuals were never a family in real life. So where did the child come from and who consented on its behalf?" http://dignityinboston.googlepages.com/Are we witnessing not only the dead on display but also the death of discernment and the birth of desensitization in the Church? ♥♥♥ |
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What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19
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Sherry Neese: The only child of an alcoholic father and abusive, mentally-ill mother who disowned her, Sherry received Christ through a radio broadcast as a child. He has been faithful to sustain her through many challenges in her walk of faith. She is a wife, mother and “Mimi” to her grandchildren. She is active in foreign missions and evangelism and has a special heart for those who are emotionally hurting, especially children. The Lord has given her a burden for the Church in these last days, to expose error and speak the truth in love to all with an ear to hear.
Sherry Neese can be reached at Truth_and_grace@yahoo.com |
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