to add to the previous thread regaurding beards i have a similar issue with long hair. i wanted so long to grow it out but of course couldn't. there is, however a scripture that baffled me, 1Co 11:14 "does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him; but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her?" what do you guys make out of this scripture? nature tells me that its natural for both men and women to have long hair. the scripture goes on to say that you shouldn't let customs interfere with this rule. how does that work? it had to be the custom of some civilization to start allowing only women to have long hair and not men. its unnatural for anyone to have short hair. there aren't certain breeds or sexes of peoples that only grow short hair like some breeds of short haired dogs or cats.
whats the deal with long hair
by aoxo 10 Replies latest jw friends
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free2beme
I can tell you, from a outside the Witness religion perspective. That long hair on men is not something that is looked down upon, only in that faith and is more common then you think. As a society, men with long hair are not that common, because of this. The idea of long hair though, is a matter of the time in history. When the Beatles had their hair length in the 60's, it was considered long and by today's standards it would be considered groomed and okay in length. Then you go back to Bible times, and realize that their was not Barbers in the sense we know today and you see in the art of the days that men often has shoulder length or longer hair. So to say "all long hair is wrong" in a religion, really needs more information, how long is too long? Personally, I have some friends with long hair and each one will freely tell you, that they get some looks from older people a lot and are treated like they are doing something wrong from time to time. So they tend to stay in social crowds that are more accepting and realize that not all, are.
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SPAZnik
Grow it out and see how you feel. :) My semi in/out bro recently grew a goatee and shaved his head. It looks great on him. Of course he feels like a rebel who might stumble someone. So I'm all "if ya ask me, it's ridiculous to worry that someone might trip over a few extra millimeters of hair on your face. When have you ever heard someone say "brother xyz stumbled me by wearing a beard"". :) This issue bugged me when I was in. It's ridiculous. However, now that I'm out, I kinda like that they have that rule cuz it helps me avoid the fanatics. All a bunch of power games. People, hey.
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Confucious
From my perspective both in and out the Watchtower:
In:
When I was in, I had a buzz cut. Then I cut it too short and the C.O. had a fit and I was told to grow it out.
I basically told the elders, "Dude. I'm ASIAN."
If you know anything about Asian hair, it's not like Black person's hair and it's not like White person's hair.
It's basically much like a white person's hair except for it's much more course.
Even most hair stylist can't get it right, because if it's cut "medium" length it "sticks out."
So eventually the C.O. comes to me (and I kid you not)... and says well look... "The Society has a picture of this of this Asian man in the Live Forever book."
And I didn't say anything at the time. But I wanted to say, "Yeah... and he looks like a DORK."
If you have an old Live Forever book, look in it. It's the picture (not a drawing, and actual photograph) of an Asian man sitting in a chair reading.
THAT is what I'm taking about. Asian hair cut like a White man looks DORK-ified.
So then the elder's backtracked and said, "Hey that I just had to cut the back of my hair."
Which, by the way, is another Asian "sensibility" problem.
Generally, Asian hair has a tendency to grown further down the back of the neck. Hard to explain, but the hairline in the backof the head is lower.
Anyway, I ended up "White-person-a-fied" my hair to appease everyone.
Out:
Since then, I decided to wear my hair that befit's my race.
Asian men in my opinion look good with their hair one of two ways. Either very short. Or very long.
Origionally I grew my hair longer out of statement in the congregation. Basically, while I was still going to meetings, I started growing my hair long to say, "Hey. It's the inside the counts not the outside."
Now I really like wearing my hair long.
In understand what you're saying about the scripture, but it is all relative.
My hair is long compared to most guys today, but I have it cut just about at shoulder's length.
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Pioneer Spit...oh, i mean Spirit
A problem occurs with the King James translation, where that verse says that if a man has long hair it's a sin for him, much heavier than a dishonor.
Ever hear of someone losing cong privileges over a dishonor? Do you see how handy it is to have all these other bibles around when we need to use them to banish someone who is otherwise good?
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AgentSmith
I cannot wear long hair. I would be in the average-white-guy hair area. Too short and it goes bezerk, too long and I resemble a Page-Boy with curls!
At one stage my skin was very sensitive and I could not shave regularly. The elder's cornered me on this and I explained the situation. 'It won't be for ever' I said. Still trying to play by the rules, I was. It was being treated, but as some of you guys will know, If you attempt shaving while your skin is like this, you will bleed for hours. Look like a twit with bits of tissue paper decorating your face. By then the problem has got worse, making the next shave torture. AND NO AFTER SHAVE! A Coyote had nothing on my howls in pain.
This one elder goes off and buys me medicated shaving cream, unidentifiable stuff. Tells me he wants me to see a clean shaven face next time. So, what could a rational, logical lad do under these circumstances. Stopped going to the meetings for a few weeks while the real medication does it's job.
They think they are so kind and loving. However, in reality they are blinded by the rules that they feel they need to enforce!
who said....'Just try and walk a mile in the other man's shoes' or something like that?
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Tuesday
I lost my privileges for having long hair. I was collar length at the time, which if the front and the sides weren't the same length I would've been fine to do anything basically. That was my question "what constitutes long?" It's basically up to your elder's discretion, I remember at the time there was a big deal in the congregation about the teenagers in the hall drinking alot and dating, so when I was asked to cut my hair I started rubbing my eye and said "Oh man there's something in my eye, I don't know maybe it's a splinter".
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luna2
They like these rules. They are easy to enforce and take a stand on. Its not like having to counsel somebody on depression (which they are not trained for) or, even worse, a physical or mental illness where the person might need actual help or something beyond handing out shaving cream or platitudes. With hair they can just go up to whoever it is and "lovingly" tell them to either cut it shorter, grow it longer or shave their face cuz Jah likes his sales force to look a certain way.
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greendawn
There is nothing wrong biblically with growing long hair to the contrary Jesus is usually depicted with long hair since he was a Nazirite. In this sense long hair just means subjection to a superior spiritual authority but the JWs with their legalistic mentality they get scandalised by so many innocent things.
Num 6:1-8
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Confucious
Tuesday... nice response.