And poets appeared from under logs? Stepped out of voids unrelated to the society they lived in? And people popularized the songs that they didn't like or relate to in any way?

For an average person, it's wishful thinking that the only consideration is what a person looks like. In real life, you not only need to live with the person, you have to build a life with them. So in an individual case, personality, skills, whatever else a person brings to the table is at least as important as a societal evaluation of their physical beauty.

I'm not saying that beauty isn't valued. Just that it isn't valued above all else.

Also, at least in some situations,

Because of the scarcity of women on the frontier and the wealth they could bring to a marriage, widows were in demand as brides.

[link] People might not write ballads about that, but it's what happened.

For an average person, it's wishful thinking that the only consideration is what a person looks like...

Right. The wish is for... beauty. It's the ideal.

Unless my Christian teaching of it was unusual the Christian understanding seems to be that she was less lovely.

As far as I can tell, the only place Rachel's beauty is mentioned, or Leah's: "Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older one was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had weak eyes; Rachel was shapely and beautiful."

Rereading the part where Jacob first sees Rachel, it's him who waters the flock, not her. There's a whole lot of discussion about who will take the stone off the top of the well, and when, but I really don't get what's going on there.

I think ita and I are primarily arguing degrees. I'm saying "beauty mattered most". She seems to be saying "but beauty represents other things" and I'm saying "to some degree, but it is largely valued only for its self".

Anyone around who'd like to take a look at a website and give some opinions on layout, appeal, professionalism, etc.? My brother's fiancee's site - [link]

ETA: she does runway/fashion make-up. Some really neat stuff, actually.

Um, don't worry about critiquing the text...

Thanks!

Um, don't worry about critiquing the text...

Heh. The only thing that gave me pause was that the links to get around seemed to be in an odd place -- not right at the top or bottom.

Those ladies sure are pretty....

Looks great, except for the blinking text.

Looks great, except for the blinking text.

I had to go back and check, too -- it's just in the icon-looking box on the front page.