HaLeivi: “very profoundly about how we are different than the western culture in that we give inherent value to deed and externals.”
What are you talking about? Christianity along with all religions lehavdeel puts emphasis on deeds and externals. Have you ever walked into the Sistine Chapel? Most Christian organisations lehavdeel put more emphasis on deed than Judaism does. Judaism says talmud torah kneged kulam while other religions focus on acts of kindess and charity instead of prayer. That is why we say tzedaka is a lower form of giving then fasting and davening is. If you read Chovos Halevavos you will see that the ideal is to not be physical but most people in society need the psychical.
The nature of most people on a low or average spiritual madreiga is that they need the lofty spiritual to be accompanied by the lofty physical. That is why an “ugly” kohen cannot do the avodah. The average non-ideal person unfortunately needs an attractive kohen to do the avodah and not an ugly one to have respect for it.
Do not confuse the necessary with the ideal and spiritual-superficiality with physical-superficiality.