Body Worlds

[smswife]

For those who are familiar with the Body Worlds exhibit, is there a moral problem with seeing this? What about taking children?

For those not familiar, it is a traveling exhibit with different “themes” moving to various museums throughout the US and the rest of the world using actual human and animal bodies and body parts preserved in plastic. It is ostensibly mostly educational in nature.

Some complete human bodies are used. My understanding is that they were freely donated.

Is this an acceptable treatment of human remains?

Thanks

 

[Lead_Me_Home]

I saw nothing wrong with it when I visited an exhibit. The embryos were not from abortions but from miscarriages. You must be respectful of the bodies and persons they belonged to though. This is the same concept as a doctor doing an autopsy of a cadaver in-order to learn. There is no moral problem with respectfully studying and learning from the human body.

 

[Orleans_Attny]

I saw nothing wrong with it when I visited an exhibit. The embryos were not from abortions but from miscarriages. You must be respectful of the bodies and persons they belonged to though. This is the same concept as a doctor doing an autopsy of a cadaver in-order to learn. There is no moral problem with respectfully studying and learning from the human body.

I agree. I don’t see anything wrong with the exhibit.

Pax,
OA

 

[tee_eff_em]

I saw nothing wrong with it when I visited an exhibit. The embryos were not from abortions but from miscarriages. You must be respectful of the bodies and persons they belonged to though. This is the same concept as a doctor doing an autopsy of a cadaver in-order to learn. There is no moral problem with respectfully studying and learning from the human body.

That is my understanding as well.

NB There *have *been questions raised about the source of the specimens comprising some of these exhibits, which might be something for the OP to look into. (It is also my understanding that there are several of these traveling displays – You cannot know that because one city’s was judged to be morally acceptable that another’s is also)

Here is a previous thread on the topic: [thread=199206]BODIES…The Exhibition?[/thread]

tee

 

[saskatoon]

I loved seeing Body Worlds! I don’t see anything wrong with the exhibit and think older children should see it with their parents, but young children might get scared seeing some of the displays and have nightmares. I thought it was amazing what was on display (hearts, lungs, ear drums, etc…) and how they were able to pose the bodies so you could see how muscles and bones work together. To me, this proves there is a God (not that I ever doubted). There is no way a blob of water or whatever evolution tries to teach, that could have made such an intricate machine as the body. Gunther VonHagens is the one that Body Worlds is with. He has stated repeatedly that the bodies were freely donated to him and his work. There are other body exhibits by other people, but VonHagens is the best. Plus he is the one that developed the plastic substance he uses to preserve the bodies. If you can see the exhibit, do it! It is facinating and time and money well spent.

 

[kalel76]

I knew of a priest who objected to these displays and his opinion were that they were disrespectful to the human remains and that the human body (even in death) should be treated reverently and not mutilated for show.

I don’t know if I agree with him though. I see these displays as no different than an Egyptian mummy being on display. As far as I know the priest did not object to mummies, but somehow he objected to this. Is there a statute of limitations that I don’t know about?

 

[TLM08]

For those who are familiar with the Body Worlds exhibit, is there a moral problem with seeing this? What about taking children?

For those not familiar, it is a traveling exhibit with different “themes” moving to various museums throughout the US and the rest of the world using actual human and animal bodies and body parts preserved in plastic. It is ostensibly mostly educational in nature.

Some complete human bodies are used. My understanding is that they were freely donated.

Is this an acceptable treatment of human remains?

Thanks

The church doesn’t seem to have a problem with this. After all, if you go to St. Peter’s in Drogheda Ireland, you can see the head of Oliver Plunkett, former Archbishop of Armagh in a glass box trimmed in gold, complete with jewels, candles and kneelers!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Plunkett

 

[Maria65]

I just find the idea of these exhibits really creepy. I imagine how I would feel if one of the bodies on display were one of my family members. I wouldn’t want people gawking at their remains.

 

[Gerard_Nadal]

**I hate to be the party pooper on this thread, but I’m a biologist and I have lots of moral and ethical problems with this exhibit. First, there is significant concern that many of these bodies originated in China, which casts a pall over the claims of voluntary donation. The human rights abuses in China with their political prisoners: the executions and slave labor are staggering.

Second. As was mentioned above, yes, some saints are displayed in glass sarcophagi for purposes of prayerful intercession and veneration, which is different from the PT Barnum nature of the Bodies Exhibit.

Third. Those who donate their bodies to medical schools for educational purposes actually have them used to great end. They are also treated with great respect. Medical students that would commit desecratory acts are severely sanctioned. There is little probative value in these exhibits. Powerful computer programs now exist that can demonstrate all that this exhibit shows. Even if the consent of each subject were legitimate, the exhibit, outside of a graduate school-level environment does not rise to the level of benefit to humanity to warrant such treatment of the human body in death.

Fourth. Given all of the above, I am most concerned about the commodification of the human body before birth, during adult life, and after death. Exhibits such as this dull our sensibilities in this regard. While fascinating to behold, it comes at a price.**

 

[TLM08]

** Second. As was mentioned above, yes, some saints are displayed in glass sarcophagi for purposes of prayerful intercession and veneration, which is different from the PT Barnum nature of the Bodies Exhibit. **

I understand the whole idea of asking the saints in Heaven to pray for us. But why is it necessary to kneel before this severed head and pray? I am not saying that this is idolatry, but it sure has the appearance of it.

 

[Marsha_Adams]

The church doesn’t seem to have a problem with this. After all, if you go to St. Peter’s in Drogheda Ireland, you can see the head of Oliver Plunkett, former Archbishop of Armagh in a glass box trimmed in gold, complete with jewels, candles and kneelers!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Plunkett

Oliver Plunkett is being venerated. His head is treated as a holy relic.

Are the bodies in Body Worlds being venerated? Are they being respected as holy relics? I don’t think body parts for entertainment is a valid use. Now the miscarried embryos at the the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry show the development of babies in the womb and no one who sees them can walk away saying that fetus’ aren’t human beings entitled to life. But I am not so sure that Body Worlds has the same beneficial result as that.

 

[Maria65]

**I hate to be the party pooper on this thread, but I’m a biologist and I have lots of moral and ethical problems with this exhibit. First, there is significant concern that many of these bodies originated in China, which casts a pall over the claims of voluntary donation. The human rights abuses in China with their political prisoners: the executions and slave labor are staggering.

Second. As was mentioned above, yes, some saints are displayed in glass sarcophagi for purposes of prayerful intercession and veneration, which is different from the PT Barnum nature of the Bodies Exhibit.

Third. Those who donate their bodies to medical schools for educational purposes actually have them used to great end. They are also treated with great respect. Medical students that would commit desecratory acts are severely sanctioned. There is little probative value in these exhibits. Powerful computer programs now exist that can demonstrate all that this exhibit shows. Even if the consent of each subject were legitimate, the exhibit, outside of a graduate school-level environment does not rise to the level of benefit to humanity to warrant such treatment of the human body in death.

Fourth. Given all of the above, I am most concerned about the commodification of the human body before birth, during adult life, and after death. Exhibits such as this dull our sensibilities in this regard. While fascinating to behold, it comes at a price.**

:clapping:

 

[Gerard_Nadal]

I understand the whole idea of asking the saints in Heaven to pray for us. But why is it necessary to kneel before this severed head and pray? I am not saying that this is idolatry, but it sure has the appearance of it.

Because it saves money on statues.

Seriously, The bodies of saints have been used for a variety of purposes that aid the living in piety and devotion in working out our salvation. Bones of martyrs are embedded in altar stones. Relics are used in intercessory prayer. They are reminders to us of God’s love. They also serve to remind us of our own mortality and that there have been those among us who have led sanctified lives.

No sane or informed Catholic engages in idolatry, which is worshipping a false God. We do not worship the head (or body). They are more potent reminders to us, than are statues, of the one whose intercession we seek.

 

[praise_Jesus_1]

A lot of supporters point to the scientific benefit of these exhibits. It should be noted however that Gunther of the “Body Worlds” exhibits started these as an art exhibit. It appears that marketing them as a science exhibit has allowed these exhibits to reach more places and earn more money.

For myself I find the “entertainment” aspect thrown into these exhibits: the archer, basketball player, chess players, guy riding the horse with his brain in his hand… etc to be disturbing.

 

[Tosk]

What about something like the Sedlec Ossuary in the Czech Republic kostnice.cz/ ? They have the bones of around 70,000 people to decorate and furnish the chapel. I don’t think there is anything objectively wrong with displaying the bodies of the deceased for educational or artistic purposes as long as proper respect is shown. The main thing that I would worry about, and the main reason I stay away from body works is that a lot of the bodies in the display might be from involuntary victims.

 

[smswife]

Thanks to all who answered my question, and especially for the link to the other thread. I did search this topic before posting but hadn’t found it.

The question is moot for my family at this point as my DH and children have already viewed the Body Worlds exhibit at our local science museum.

My children, age 7 and 9, attend a homeschool science class at the museum. During one of the classes, the teacher (who is very good) took the class (along with the parents) to the exhibit and used it to teach about the human body. (We knew about this ahead of time.)

I had planned on NOT having our family view this exhibit for many of the reasons previous posters had mentioned (disrespect for the human body, voyeurism/sensationalism, lack of a true educational need, perhaps too disturbing for them at their ages, etc.). We found out just a few days ahead of time about the planned class and had to decide quickly so the teacher could secure space for us.

On the other hand, this was being viewed in the context of an actual science class by a teacher we trust. We didn’t contribute anything “extra” financially as it was included in the monthly cost of the lessons. My DH was with them to help explain, etc. as necessary. We did pray for the souls of those who donated their bodies for this display.

So what do you think? Did we do the right thing?

By the way, I am a medical professional who participated in anatomy classes in school on human cadavers. Those bodies were treated respectfully and a religious service was held at the end of the class.

Thanks

 

[TLM08]

What about something like the Sedlec Ossuary in the Czech Republic kostnice.cz/ ? They have the bones of around 70,000 people to decorate and furnish the chapel. I don’t think there is anything objectively wrong with displaying the bodies of the deceased for educational or artistic purposes as long as proper respect is shown. The main thing that I would worry about, and the main reason I stay away from body works is that a lot of the bodies in the display might be from involuntary victims.

I “googled” this chapel. I’m sorry, but it looks nothing short of satanic.

 

[JimG]

A number of Catholic bishops have issued statements expressing serious concern about these exhibits. The bishop of Covington, KY, forbade Catholic schools from arranging filed trips to such exhibits, as did Bishop Finn of K.C. Mo, and Bishop Naumann of K.C. KS, in a joint statement.

Also see this article from Zenit news.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Excellent post! Please also read the bishops’ statements on these types of exhibits.

**I hate to be the party pooper on this thread, but I’m a biologist and I have lots of moral and ethical problems with this exhibit. First, there is significant concern that many of these bodies originated in China, which casts a pall over the claims of voluntary donation. The human rights abuses in China with their political prisoners: the executions and slave labor are staggering.

Second. As was mentioned above, yes, some saints are displayed in glass sarcophagi for purposes of prayerful intercession and veneration, which is different from the PT Barnum nature of the Bodies Exhibit.

Third. Those who donate their bodies to medical schools for educational purposes actually have them used to great end. They are also treated with great respect. Medical students that would commit desecratory acts are severely sanctioned. There is little probative value in these exhibits. Powerful computer programs now exist that can demonstrate all that this exhibit shows. Even if the consent of each subject were legitimate, the exhibit, outside of a graduate school-level environment does not rise to the level of benefit to humanity to warrant such treatment of the human body in death.

Fourth. Given all of the above, I am most concerned about the commodification of the human body before birth, during adult life, and after death. Exhibits such as this dull our sensibilities in this regard. While fascinating to behold, it comes at a price.**

 

[Lethe]

I’m not a Catholic, but I do not like the idea of the exhibit at all.

Did these people donate their bodies specifically to the exhibit or just carried a donor card or something? It is one thing to give up your body to save another’s life (either directly through transplant or indirectly through med student learning how to save lives,) but it is another thing to have it displayed to people who are just interested.

Some of the donors also may not have wanted their bodies to be donated in the specific circumstances (is there not a pregnant woman in the exhibit? It seems very wrong to dissect and display someone who has died so tragically, with child… And I assume the foetus didnt agree to donation…)

Besides which, I dunno… it seems to cheapen these people’s lives a bit. They should be in happy memories, not have their dead bodies paraded.