"BEAUTY AND THE BEAST"

This title of Walt Disney’s 2017 film is a paradox – how can one dare associate beauty with a beastly appearance? My emotional taste-buds revolts at the idea. My perception of beauty is positive and that should not be polluted. But what is so beautiful about beauty?

As an emotion, beauty is often defined as a feeling or experience that arises in response to aesthetic stimuli - stimuli as art, music, literature and nature. These stimuli produce a sense of pleasure and appreciation. Such responses are referred to as beauty in the study of Aesthetics, a branch of Philosophy.

But not all expressions of art are considered to be beautiful. Works of beauty embody a sense of harmony or balance. There is proportion or symmetry. Our brains seem to be wired  to recognize and appreciate evenness and structure. When such structures are recognized, a response labelled beauty, emerges.

Beauty is also a response to excellence. As one compares artistic expressions, one is convinced that this particular expression is a cut above the rest. It is superior. It sounds better than others. The colors provide a better blend. The lighting enhances the production. It is a work of distinction. This is sheer brilliance. In essence, it is beautiful.

In response to grandeur, vastness or even vast power, we sometimes exclaim, Wow! The magnitude of the object in view is sublime. The view evokes a sense of awe, wonder and transcendence. That’s exactly how I felt when I flew into Vermont some years ago. It was Spring and it seemed as though we were about to land in a botanical garden. I was overwhelmed with the sublimity. My words were few, but powerful – awesome, impeccable and beautiful.

Agreed, others sharing my flight experience, may respond differently. Their response may be characterized by a mixture of sadness and beauty. This state of melancholy often arises from experiences of longing or nostalgia. This state of yearning or the fleeting nature of beauty may be caused by homesickness or wistful thinking.

In essence, beauty is inherently subjective. It is experienced and perceived differently by persons based on their unique perspectives and cultural backgrounds. That is understandable because beauty is a response. A response from the observer. When the artist assumes the posture of the observer, he or she can also conclude that the product he produced is an object of beauty. The product is considered to be beautiful because it evoked feelings of pleasure, delight, awe or wonder.

However, artists can design products that can evoke provocative outcomes. Some outcomes can be distressing. Some can even be seductive or possess alluring or tempting qualities. Such works of art are devoid of transcendence. They lack the capacity to evoke awe and reverence. Such works of art often evoke sensuality or sexual pleasure. Hence, artists should be held accountable for the perversion of beauty.

Unfortunately, Christians support this perversion of beauty when we wear clothing designed to provoke sensuousness, rather than elegance. Whereas sensuousness affects and relates to the physical senses, elegance pleases the mind with grace or taste. Elegance evokes aesthetic pleasure and admiration. The cultured mind receives these messages and concludes – beautiful.

The Bible contains numerous references to beauty, both in the natural world and in the context of human creativity and expression. In Psalm 19, the psalmist declares that the skies proclaim the display of God’s glory. Other passages praise the beauty of landscapes, flora, and fauna, emphasizing the harmony and order inherent in God’s creation.  

In Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”, a bright beautiful and independent young woman was taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she looks beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realizes the kind heart of the true Prince within. In truth, she saw beauty within the beast.

The Bible emphasizes the importance of inner beauty and spiritual qualities that reflect God's character. This includes virtues such as love, kindness, compassion, humility, and integrity, which are considered more enduring and valuable than outward appearance. In one of his general epistles, Peter advises, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewellery or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight" (1 Peter 3:3-4).

Ultimately, the Bible teaches that the highest form of beauty is found in the glory of God himself. The beauty of God's holiness, majesty, and love surpasses all earthly beauty and serves as the ultimate source of inspiration and admiration for believers. The psalmist summarizes it beautifully - "One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple" (Psalm 27:4).