Beards on Men: Yea or Nay?
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_Anonymous
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Michelle, I think that was a very humble response on your part. Sometimes it is easy to snap back (as I sometimes do but am trying to improve). So God bless you sister.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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Thank you, Michelle, for your good wishes of God's blessing.
I just want to add one clarification, and then I'll get off the subject.
I have no desire to tell any other man that he ought to allow his beard to grow. Indeed, I would never on my own have brought the matter up in this forum. But since it was brought up, I felt I needed to share my own understanding.
All any of us can do, is to follow the Lord in accordance with the personal revelation He has given us in such matters.
Of one thing I am certain. God will do His very best for each person, and will work with each person according to the choices he or she makes..
I just want to add one clarification, and then I'll get off the subject.
I have no desire to tell any other man that he ought to allow his beard to grow. Indeed, I would never on my own have brought the matter up in this forum. But since it was brought up, I felt I needed to share my own understanding.
All any of us can do, is to follow the Lord in accordance with the personal revelation He has given us in such matters.
Of one thing I am certain. God will do His very best for each person, and will work with each person according to the choices he or she makes..
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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Reason:
Paidion
Avatar --- Age 45
"Not one soul will ever be redeemed from hell but by being saved from his sins, from the evil in him." --- George MacDonald
Avatar --- Age 45
"Not one soul will ever be redeemed from hell but by being saved from his sins, from the evil in him." --- George MacDonald
Paidon,
You said:
According to Paul, it is a gift of nature for a woman to have long hair, to let it grow. You advocate men wearing beards for the same reason. It would seem any trimming of the beard would entail not allowing it to grow and thus a trimmed beard would not comply with nature.
I mow my lawn each week. Cutting it down to the dirt is analagous to shaving a beard. Mowing it certainly would not be considered to be allowing it to grow, or become long (tall). I am trimming my lawn. Likewise, it would seem any trimming of a beard would be not allowing it to grow, unnatural, and thus wrong in your view of the matter. Certainly the trimmed beards commonly worn would not comply.
Interestingly the Taliban advocate 45 days in jail for shaving and seven lashes for trimming the beard.
You said:
In 1 Cor. 11:14-15 the Greek word translated "long hair" in the Greek word komao (Strong's 2983) from the root kome (Strong's 2984). According to Thayer komao means to let the hair grow, to have long hair.We may disagree with Paul, but he also gave conformity to nature as a reason a man should not allow his hair to grow long (like a woman's. This is possibly a reference to homosexuality), and that a woman ought to allow her hair to grow long, since it is according to nature. Her long hair was given to her (Who gave it to her?) as a shawl (literally, "a throw around").
According to Paul, it is a gift of nature for a woman to have long hair, to let it grow. You advocate men wearing beards for the same reason. It would seem any trimming of the beard would entail not allowing it to grow and thus a trimmed beard would not comply with nature.
I mow my lawn each week. Cutting it down to the dirt is analagous to shaving a beard. Mowing it certainly would not be considered to be allowing it to grow, or become long (tall). I am trimming my lawn. Likewise, it would seem any trimming of a beard would be not allowing it to grow, unnatural, and thus wrong in your view of the matter. Certainly the trimmed beards commonly worn would not comply.
Interestingly the Taliban advocate 45 days in jail for shaving and seven lashes for trimming the beard.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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Reason:
A Berean
I don't "advocate" anything. I was merely explaining why I allow my beard to grow.According to Paul, it is a gift of nature for a woman to have long hair, to let it grow. You advocate men wearing beards for the same reason. It would seem any trimming of the beard would entail not allowing it to grow and thus a trimmed beard would not comply with nature
Are you sure you fully understand Paul's argument from nature?
Paul stated:
"Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?"
Yet a man's hair will "naturally" grow long, if left to itself. In this case, by using the word "nature", it seems Paul was not referring to the way a man's hair will naturally grow if left alone, but to a man's sexual nature, and that it is a shame to allow his hair to grow long, and to appear effeminate, which would be against his sexual nature.
So it appears that sometimes it is right to go against "nature" on one hand in order to satisfy a more important aspect of nature as God intended it.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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Paidion
Avatar --- Age 45
"Not one soul will ever be redeemed from hell but by being saved from his sins, from the evil in him." --- George MacDonald
Avatar --- Age 45
"Not one soul will ever be redeemed from hell but by being saved from his sins, from the evil in him." --- George MacDonald
Hello! I wuz just using some common arguments for and against. My personal opinion will be withheld for now at least.Paidion wrote:Loaves, I did not find your "2nd rebuttal" at all convincing:
"Also, God gave us finger nails, and hair on our head, and we cut them, don’t we? Why then should we not shave our beard?"
The analogy does not hold. We cut our finger nails, but only the tips. We do not entirely remove the nails.
Most men cut the hair of their heads, but very few shave their heads.
Most men who allow their beards to grow, also trim their beards.
The second rebuttal was given to me by an Indian evangelist. He is "popular" among some of the Amish circles. Anyway, this Indian evangelist doesn't wear a beard, but of course the married Amish men do.
This Indian evangelist was approached by one of the Amish men who said: "Did God make a mistake in giving you hair on your chin, or did you make a mistake in shaving it off?”
This evangelist replied: “Did God make a mistake in giving you finger nails, or did you make a mistake in cutting them off?”
He said this mainly because some men cannot grow beards. Some Asiatic men, like Ekimos for example cannot grow beards. It's in their genes.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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Agape,
loaves
"And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves...And they did all eat, and were filled" (Mark 6:41-42)
loaves
"And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves...And they did all eat, and were filled" (Mark 6:41-42)
Paidion,
How long can a man's hair be before it is considered effeminate?
Likewise how short can a womans hair be before it is considered masculine?
Is it possible for a length to be determined without being legalistic? I don't see how.
I would seem to me that these things would be answered culturally would they not? In certain tribes, for instance, it is perfectly ok and considered feminine for a wowan to have a shaved head. Would we, in instructing them how to be disciples, encourage them to grow their hair? If so, how long?
It would also seem that in America, a man can have long hair and look plenty masculine.
So perhaps the real principle that the bible expresses is that we men should look like men and likewise for women. But that that is determined more by our culture than anything.
It would probably look a little feminine for a man to wear a tunic in America (at least more so than pants), yet in "bible times" or in the middle east, this would look fine.
This is not to say that we are to simply go along with the culture in it's many immodest fashions, by the way. All this is to be taken with modesty in mind.
How long can a man's hair be before it is considered effeminate?
Likewise how short can a womans hair be before it is considered masculine?
Is it possible for a length to be determined without being legalistic? I don't see how.
I would seem to me that these things would be answered culturally would they not? In certain tribes, for instance, it is perfectly ok and considered feminine for a wowan to have a shaved head. Would we, in instructing them how to be disciples, encourage them to grow their hair? If so, how long?
It would also seem that in America, a man can have long hair and look plenty masculine.
So perhaps the real principle that the bible expresses is that we men should look like men and likewise for women. But that that is determined more by our culture than anything.
It would probably look a little feminine for a man to wear a tunic in America (at least more so than pants), yet in "bible times" or in the middle east, this would look fine.
This is not to say that we are to simply go along with the culture in it's many immodest fashions, by the way. All this is to be taken with modesty in mind.
Last edited by _AlexRodriguez on Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason:
Reason:
Derek
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Psalm 20:7
Beard Ban.
I don't "wear" one because of my job. A "professional" appearance is required so I must conform to a banker/lawyer stereotype. I'm cool with it. I can grow a beard, it's what I call a Scottish beard since it is so many colors and textures it might as well be plaid.
I've often remarked that beards and facial hair are not mentioned in the New Testament. I do this when people mention that certain moral practices that don't carry over (in terms of mention) from the Old Testament to the New. Sure as shootin' though someone will come up with a spoiler verse for me. Or can they?
Hugh McBryde
I've often remarked that beards and facial hair are not mentioned in the New Testament. I do this when people mention that certain moral practices that don't carry over (in terms of mention) from the Old Testament to the New. Sure as shootin' though someone will come up with a spoiler verse for me. Or can they?
Hugh McBryde
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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hey hugh-
i found a possibility- but far from conclusive:
Rev. 1:14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow.
this suggests a beard to me because it says his head AND hair were white like wool. if it just said hair, i would assume head hair only. but since it says head AND hair, i jump to the conclusion that it means hair other than his head hair was also white. okay you greek scholars out there.. what is the proper translation of this verse?
TK
i found a possibility- but far from conclusive:
Rev. 1:14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow.
this suggests a beard to me because it says his head AND hair were white like wool. if it just said hair, i would assume head hair only. but since it says head AND hair, i jump to the conclusion that it means hair other than his head hair was also white. okay you greek scholars out there.. what is the proper translation of this verse?
TK
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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"Were not our hearts burning within us? (Lk 24:32)
