Body Quote by Eliza Farnham
“Our own theological Church, as we know, has scorned and vilified the body till it has seemed almost a reproach and a shame to have one, yet at the same time has credited it with power to drag the soul to perdition.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Women’s Bodies and the Soul, 1849
Society condemns the body as sinful yet also fears its spiritual power, revealing a contradictory view of physicality.
In simple terms: People both shame and fear the body’s influence.
Key Takeaway
Question and challenge body shaming.
Themes
body image
religion
morality
gender
spirituality
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
activist
When to use this quote
- personal health
- spiritual practice
- social activism
- education
Key Concepts
feminist theory
theology
Questions to Reflect On
- What beliefs shape your view of the body?
- How can we honor the body without fear?
A Different Perspective
The body can also be a source of empowerment, not just danger.
![“Since the early days, [the church] has thrown itself violently against every effort to liberate the body and mind of man. It has been, at all times and everywhere, the habitual and incorrigible defender of bad governments, bad laws, bad social theories, bad institutions. It was, for centuries, an…” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a51/h-l-mencken-245_all-time_since-the-early-days-the-church-has-thro_2325142.jpg)
![“I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests with ZERO-G [a charter-flight service in Arlington, Va., that uses modified Boeing 727s to simulate weightlessness], which went great.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa1/richard-branson-256_adventure_i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-repl_903.jpg)
