Geisha

When I first saw this video, I have to admit I was at first fascinated by what I saw. I was drawn into the seemingly secret and exotic world of the geisha (which probably reveals the narcissistic and perverse inclinations of my own heart). Historically, the geisha has a sorted past when it comes to offering sexual services to their clients. There has always been (and I imagine always will be) intense pressure from clients for geishas to sell sex. Though traditionally, geishas are considered performing artists, rather than courtesans (prostitutes), both are in the business of commodifying women.

Though typically sexual services are not the central focus of geishas as it is with courtesans, the bottom line is that geishas are trained in the art of seductive entertainment. The main purpose of their existence is to flirt with and massage the egos of their clients while they entertain them, which in many ways reveals humanity's brokenness. We (people) were made for so much more than to just use and be used by own another. Furthermore, the reason that geishas put on all the makeup is to removed any trace of individuality. If you really think this through, it's like the girls become living painted dolls for those who purchase their services. In many ways, what this does is strip away any sort of humanity from these women (in some instances teenage girls). The more I think through it, the more that my fascination begins to turn towards revulsion. I'm saddened and repulsed by the fact that the goal of all the geisha's training is to hollow them out and make them into these cloned porcelain dolls, frozen in time.

Thinking through this whole thing reminds me of an old Black Flag album called "Family Man" where some of Henry Rollins' spoken word is mixed in with some instrumentals. More specifically, it reminds me of the piece called "salt on a slug." Basically, Henry Rollins describes what happened when he poured salt on a slug. First, he was totally fascinated by the slug's writhing and oozing. But then, his "fascination turned to revulsion as the slug writhed and tossed." Eventually, he gets bored torturing the slug and leaves the slug to its writhing fate (death).

Will I let my growing repulsion isolate me away from the geisha world, uncompassionately leaving them to their fate, or will I let my repulsion fuel my passion to bring the light and hope of the Gospel into the geisha world: be it through prayer or actually face time ministry? But, I need to allow my perspective to change from being fascinated by the geisha world to being repulsed by this world. Because as long as I am captivated by this world, I will minimize the fetish deviancy of it, which will make it all the harder for me to see the underlying brokenness. I need to see the geisha world for what it is: a reflection of our fallen brokenness crying out for healing and redemption. A healing and redemption that can truly only be found in Jesus.