Are we commanded to cut our hair or not?

[Floatingaxe]

I believe it has to do with the mixing of genders. It is a shame when a man looks like a woman (in dress, hair etc.) and vice versa with a woman who looks like a man.

Well, you don't see that generally in the churches today. such types do not grace our doorsteps, do they? Those types don't want God! We have other criteria that govern our behaviour: Spirit-filled living.

Paul speaks to the problems of the churches of that day, with people, men and women coming out of the paganism which worshipped sex gods and goddesses. It involved all manner of perversion, and as people were steeped in it, the churches were having to deal with it. It was all new, folks!

Thank God we have been taught well down through the ages, and we have God's word available to us. While there still exist perverse people today, they are largely on the outside of the church.

[apothanein kerdos]

Look, I'll be blunt. Those who say long hair is against the Bible - you're wrong. 100% inaccurate. Wrong. Incorrect. Ignoring history. Refusing to use proper exegetical tools. Opposite of true.

I'll gladly sit there and say that, because it is true - there is NOTHING wrong with a man having long hair. Again, it is completely cultural. It was used as a differentiation between sexes, which relies on the culture. A Roman would have thought a Spartan effeminate because they (the men) grew their hair to their shoulders and then tied them up (ponytail) for battle. Any Greek, however, would have feared a man with such a hair, because it would have cried "warrior" to the average Greek.

An American would look on a Goth or Vandal and see long braided hair on both the men and women. The men's hair would obviously be thicker and dirtier, thus providing for a distinction between male and female. Though we might be offended by it, to their culture it wouldn't have meant a thing.

To apply this arbitrarily is to enter into the wrongness of the issue. My hair goes below my ears right now....is that wrong? Up until the 1900's, such a hair style was even allowed in the US Army. Is it wrong now? Is it sinful? Can anyone give me the scriptural specifications for how short my hair has to be? Or, conversely, how long a woman's hair has to be? Does this mean women have to forgo chemo-therapy because it will make them go bald?

Look, if you apply this scripture in a literal format, then you're wrong. End of story.

Okay as long as we are being blunt I will be blunt also. I am saying that the Bible does in fact teach in the book of 1 Corinthians 11 that it is a "shame" for a man to have long hair. And those who ignore it are 100% wrong to do so to write off the teachings found in the word based on something one found in history does not make the word of God null and void.

The word never says that it is sinful and wrong what it says is that it is a shame there is a big difference in something being forbidden because it is sinful or wrong to engage in the practice of something and for something to be considered to be a shame is it not? All right then what is the difference and why did God want this to be in his word?

Well you said it all in your history lesson to us AK as it was used as a differentiation between the sexes. The word of God is very plain that God does not want the men to be effeminate and he don't want the women to be masculine it's that simple.

God does not approve of men looking like women or taking on their characteristics and acting girly so to speak in anyway for that is to go against their very nature that God created them to be which in this case it is a male so they should not go against their own male nature and take on the attributes of a woman in any way. And the same with the women they should not go against their nature and take on the attributes of a male for to do so is to go against who God created them to be which was a woman.

In the church if there was ever a place where they ought to be differences between the sexes surely it is among Christian people we ought to be able to tell Tom from Sally and Sue from Mark and I think it is a shame if I walked up to Tom and found out it was really Sally or vice versa.

As far as your hair goes AK that is your business in my opinion it is all your decision whether you want to be a shame in the eyes of God or not that is the decision all males are faced with in the church all women are faced with other decisions and they'll have to make them also. But it is a shame in the church not to have these differentiations between the sexes it's one thing in the world but entirely another in the church body.

The word long as I said before means to "flop" so if your hair isn't flopping I'd say it's short and if a woman's hair isn't at least flopping then I'd say it's to short.

I would like to reinterate that the issue of hair is not about it being sinful or wrong but about it being a shame and to the reason why it is a shame.

OC

No where in there did you ever tell me what the specifications are for hair. How short does it have to be, scripturally, before it is no longer a shame? Either answer this, or admit you are wrong.

[apothanein kerdos]

Look, I'll be blunt. Those who say long hair is against the Bible - you're wrong. 100% inaccurate. Wrong. Incorrect. Ignoring history. Refusing to use proper exegetical tools. Opposite of true.

I'll gladly sit there and say that, because it is true - there is NOTHING wrong with a man having long hair. Again, it is completely cultural. It was used as a differentiation between sexes, which relies on the culture. A Roman would have thought a Spartan effeminate because they (the men) grew their hair to their shoulders and then tied them up (ponytail) for battle. Any Greek, however, would have feared a man with such a hair, because it would have cried "warrior" to the average Greek.

An American would look on a Goth or Vandal and see long braided hair on both the men and women. The men's hair would obviously be thicker and dirtier, thus providing for a distinction between male and female. Though we might be offended by it, to their culture it wouldn't have meant a thing.

To apply this arbitrarily is to enter into the wrongness of the issue. My hair goes below my ears right now....is that wrong? Up until the 1900's, such a hair style was even allowed in the US Army. Is it wrong now? Is it sinful? Can anyone give me the scriptural specifications for how short my hair has to be? Or, conversely, how long a woman's hair has to be? Does this mean women have to forgo chemo-therapy because it will make them go bald?

Look, if you apply this scripture in a literal format, then you're wrong. End of story.

Finally, someone who makes sense!!

Who would that be?

Me. You know, I used history and common sense in my argument. You side stepped it. Either deal with what I put up there, or admit that you are holding to a legalistic standard that no one can possibly define.

Again, the verse after the one you're using says it is a shame for women to be bald. Does this mean women who go through chemo-therapy and are bald because of it have much to be ashamed of?

[mikado5001]

My hair like Jesus wore it

Hallelujah I adore it

Hallelujah Mary loved her son

Why don't my mother love me?

are there some emotional issues you want to talk about?

I'm sure she loves you... ... 3xR0c|<stAr

Nope, no issues today exrockstar. Have you ever heard the musical HAIR where I quoted the song from?

[exrockstar]

My hair like Jesus wore it

Hallelujah I adore it

Hallelujah Mary loved her son

Why don't my mother love me?

are there some emotional issues you want to talk about?

I'm sure she loves you... ... 3xR0c|<stAr

Nope, no issues today exrockstar. Have you ever heard the musical HAIR where I quoted the song from?

no. sorry.

I didnt get it. I thought you liked hair so much that you wrote a poem about it.

now i see. thanks ... 3xR0c|<stAr

[OopsMartin]

Me. You know, I used history and common sense in my argument. You side stepped it. Either deal with what I put up there, or admit that you are holding to a legalistic standard that no one can possibly define.

Again, the verse after the one you're using says it is a shame for women to be bald. Does this mean women who go through chemo-therapy and are bald because of it have much to be ashamed of?

Well said Apothanein. As someone else said 2000 years ago they had the temple prostitutes both male and female with their peculiar attire to consider. Here in the U.S. we don't have that to compare. I don't think any nation today still has that element to consider. Although we do have homosexual styles to consider, they have become less distinctive and have sought to look more "normal".

But this brings up a relative concern. There still are wicked practices the world over that have their own peculiar styles of attire, maybe not hair styles. And I think Christians should avoid any familiarity with them. Even our children, who like to set fashion trends. I'm thinking of typical wiccan styles including jewelry. I'm not sure where to put the "goth" look as I don't know it's roots.

These days it is no longer about hair length, except for the issue of deliberately trying to look like the opposite sex. And that just isn't happening in our churches that I've seen.

[Guest LadyC]

warning, this is speculation only.

i think goth has its roots in vampirism. at least goth as we know it today.

[apothanein kerdos]

warning, this is speculation only.

i think goth has its roots in vampirism. at least goth as we know it today.

Nope.

[OopsMartin]

warning, this is speculation only.

i think goth has its roots in vampirism. at least goth as we know it today.

Nope.

So where then?

[exrockstar]

warning, this is speculation only.

i think goth has its roots in vampirism. at least goth as we know it today.

God loves a all including goths. He will see into their heart. thats important anyways.

There are some goths that are more Christians than many sitting in church.

Lets not judge a book from its cover as we've been saying for 40 pages.

Let's love all. ... 3xR0c|<stAr

Let's unite. Not fight.