Men's Hair Length

[Galloglasses' Alt]

I think we need to differentiate Long hair vs Shoulder Length hair. long hair meaning, a very long head of hair that roughly reaches down your back to a certain length. Shoulder length meaning it reaches, erm, to your shoulders. (Which Jesus had), this can also be seen in Celtic Culture on the far side of europe, were men had, on average, shoulder length hair and such, (altough there are cases when the men cut their hair to almost Roman standards), while women tended to have longer hair. Altough the entire matter is absolutely frivilous in the long span of things, but it does give a breath of fresh air to have such an unusual topic.

No Madam V, the translation or interpretation of that passage is not in error, its part of a wider passage speaking allegorically, and using men's hair length to prove a point. And to a certain degree its true when you take the vast majority of cultures in the world were men having long hair, (as in the standards I pointed above), where usually frowned . With possible exception of asian culture, some of which encouraged men to grow lonaboutg hair as to tie it up in a sort of bun. (My apologies I can't remember the proper name for them)

[missionseeker]

[quote name='picchick' post='1769753' date='Feb 2 2009, 01:17 PM']I really don't think that God is going to judge you going to heaven or not based on how you wear your hair. I think He has bigger fish to fry.

Fish to fry...GET IT? Lent![/quote]

[Saint Therese]

I think dude should get perms.

[Tinkerlina]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1768793' date='Feb 1 2009, 06:43 PM']If my husband's hair gets more than a couple of inches long, it sticks straight up and takes on mad scientist look. That's not a good look for a well know schizophrenic. I make sure he keeps it short. I think it is a personal decision. It depends on what looks good for your type of hair, and your station in life.[/quote]

I think the mad scientist look is cool! -Katie

[Guest nvzbl]

i shave mine with clippers every other day.

[Socrates]

The length of men's hair has varied considerably in different times and places.
I was reading one priest's reply somewhere that while ancient Jewish men's hair could be long by modern standards, women's hair was longer - usually [i]very[/i] long (to the waist or so). He said that was what St. Paul was referring to - what would be considered effeminately long hair, and this would be understood in the context of the time.

The issue isn't so much long hair that is condemned per se as an effeminate appearance - men grooming in a way considered appropriate to women.

[Aloysius]

I believe the point of St. Paul's advice here is that men are not to have womanly hair and that women are not to have manly hair. In our culture, long hair is ok as long as it's not shiney and sprinkled with sparkles... you know the type of hair that makes you wonder if a guy is a guy or a girl sometimes? that's the type of hair you're not supposed to have; probably would go along with not wearing girly makeup and stuff..

[Tinkerlina]

[quote name='Aloysius' post='1770385' date='Feb 2 2009, 11:42 PM']I believe the point of St. Paul's advice here is that men are not to have womanly hair and that women are not to have manly hair. In our culture, long hair is ok as long as it's not shiney and sprinkled with sparkles... you know the type of hair that makes you wonder if a guy is a guy or a girl sometimes? that's the type of hair you're not supposed to have; probably would go along with not wearing girly makeup and stuff..[/quote]

Hey, I like guys with pretty hair! -Katie

[Jesus_lol]

i normally have long hair once or twice a year. i rarely cut it, bout every 6 months. i gets nice long and curly.

of course at that time, i feel compelled to cut it, for any past that point and i could become an occasion of sin for all the ladies dazzled by the brilliant hair.


it's true



mostly just because it gets so long and annoying!

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='Madame Vengier' post='1769663' date='Feb 2 2009, 07:53 AM']Clearly, something is missing in the translation, or there is an error in interpretation, because we know as fact that in Jesus' day, men wore long hair and He himself wore long hair. So clearly, there is something off with the translation of that passage.[/quote]
Also there were scriptural injunctions against the Nazarites cutting their hair or beards.

The Christian monastic tradition (especially in the East) has always encouraged (if not enforced) the wearing of long hair (normally shoulder length) among the monks.

[Apotheoun]

As far as St. Paul's comments are concerned, the terms he uses are not specific. Does St. Paul consider shoulder length hair, and hair covering the forehead, which was commonly worn by men in biblical times "long"? I doubt it, since as a Rabbi he would have had to wear his hair that long (especially in covering his forehead).

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='Apotheoun' post='1770847' date='Feb 3 2009, 07:49 AM']As far as St. Paul's comments are concerned, the terms he uses are not specific. Does St. Paul consider shoulder length hair, and hair covering the forehead, which was commonly worn by men in biblical times "long"? I doubt it, since as a Rabbi he would have had to wear his hair that long (especially in covering his forehead).[/quote]
Didn't Paul himself took a Nazarite vow (Acts 18:18)? Or is that referring to something else?

[Wolf]

Yes, he did.

I've just recently cut my hair, and it will always be short now. That was the right move for me. Not saying it's right for everyone, of course.

[puellapaschalis]

I used to have hair down to my knees.

[Zoecool13]

For hair length, let your wife decide. If you don't have a wife, and it's not already long, then let your girlfriend decide. If you don't have a girlfriend, then figure out what hair style will help you gain a girlfriend.

J/K.

In all honesty, as someone who has had both, and always preferred long hair, it's a choice you gotta make and be comfortable with. I didn't do it for any reason other then i liked it. Probably never would've gotten it cut if I didn't get in trouble and my dad had threatened if i didn't get it cut he was going too.

The nice thing about long hair, is that it takes a long time to get there. If one day you're looking in the mirror, and not liking what you see staring back at you, you can get it cut.

On a side note, and strictly my opinion based on my experience. Long hair did draw me quite a bit of attention. If I was doing it for a stance on my faith, or feeling closer to religion, then it could've quickly became something that at least to outsiders appeared as a prideful thing of me to do. That's not good either as we are not told to be like the man in temple beating our breast so all can see in the temple.

Just my 2 cents, hope it helps.