J.D. Tant
Question: Why is everyone uptight about long hair on boys? Didn’t Jesus have long hair? And how long is long, anyhow? – LHB
Answer: Well, I’m not sure that “everyone” is uptight about it at all, but it is certainly agreed that many have expressed concern about this particular fad. The reasons for my concern about it are:
(1) Long hair on a male is a dishonor or a shame to him. “Does not even 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? For her hair is given to her for a covering.” (1 Cor. 11:14-15) Whatever else may be said for or against long hair on men, God said it was a dishonorable practice. For spiritually-minded, truth-loving, God-fearing individuals, that should settle the question.
(2) It is a sign of rebellion. While everyone wearing long hair may not be rebelling against his parents, or society in general, this is a fundamental principle of the long hair bit. Many boys wear long hair simply because their parents do not like it. But young Christians respect. honor and obey their parents (Eph, 6:1-3). Rebellion may not be your reason (your parents may approve of your long hair), but long hair per se identifies one as being in sympathy with the prevalent spirit of rebellion. This is not one of the characteristics of those who are called children of God.
(3) It identifies one with the hippie cults. This is akin to Reason No. 2 but goes further in that it speaks not only of a spirit of rebellion, but of a whole lifestyle—unwashedness, drugs, unkempt appearance, and often a studied avoidance of work as some hippies prefer to live off indulgent parents rather than soil their hands with honest labor. Why one who professes to be a Christian desires to identify with this lifestyle is beyond me, since it is the direct antithesis of everything a Christian should stand for. Why would a girl desire to identify with prostitutes by adopting their dress and mannerisms (even though she is not a prostitute herself)? Likewise, why should a Christian boy desire to identify with hippieism (even though he is not a hippie)? Explain, please.
But didn’t Jesus have long hair? Not on your life! Rembrandt, Reubens, et al notwithstanding. The “pictures” we see can in no way represent the physical likeness of Christ, since we have no official portrait nor description of Him. Yes, his hair may have been longer than mine, but if so, it was short in comparison to the hair women of that day wore. If the man’s hair was worn to the shoulders, the woman’s hair was worn to the waist, for example. Therefore, the man had short hair, and the woman had long hair. “Short” and “Long” are both relative terms, and in the context of 1 Corinthians 11, they are used in relation one to another. God intended that the hair be an obvious distinction between male and female. Therefore, when a boy wears hair long enough to be mistaken for a girl, that is too long! It is a rebellion against God’s intentions.
And now a word to the girls. God intended that your hair be a glory to you. “if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her” (1 Cor. 11:15). When you cut your hair short in imitation of boys’ styles, you disregard God’s design, and when your hair is so short that you can be mistaken for a boy, it is too short!
When all the evidence is examined, I can find not one reason that justifies the wearing of long hair on the male. It goes against every principle that should characterize a child of God. If the young do not respect this, parents should exercise some authority.
