long hair...a bad thing?

[whoisofthelord]

hi guys,
i have been arguing with my parents about having long hair (actually not really long just "somewhat long" haha) but they keep on saying that it's not good for my testimony (and all this other stuff about how God wanted for men to have short hair and women to have long hair) and i am always having to keep it short. and then i say to them that a testimony is a very relative thing depending on what you believe in, but they dont budge (and i also feel they dont really listen to what i have to say) and insist that it would leave a bad image of me especially since our church is such a conservative one. but i wanted to know what you all thought and maybe if you were in my shoes and you were tired of the same short haircut and style what would you say to your parents??

thanks...

 

[ArchangelGabriel]

? well i dont think they had barbershops in Jesus' time so... wouldnt his hair be long and i dont think physical appearence has "a large" deal to do with your testimony i mean if Adam hadnt sinned we would al be walking around naked

 

[ArchangelGabriel]

U KNOW furthermore God created us and he created our hair and it grows because of him if he truley thought we should have it kept short then why would he make it that it grows

 

[Crazy Liz]

We stopped fighting with our son about haircuts when he was in 8th grade, and he hasn't had one since. He is 20 and wears a ponytail, and I have no concern about it, as far as his faith is concerned.

Hairstyles are a cultural matter, and in some communities and industries the wrong hairstyle can greatly affect your job prospects, but I don't think it's a matter of faith.

 

[whoisofthelord]

? well i dont think they had barbershops in Jesus' time so... wouldnt his hair be long and i dont think physical appearence has "a large" deal to do with your testimony i mean if Adam hadnt sinned we would al be walking around naked

yes but i cant base a good argument on this because there is no proof that jesus had long hair...if physical appearance doesnt have a large part to do with testimony than what small part of physical appearance does?

 

[whoisofthelord]

We stopped fighting with our son about haircuts when he was in 8th grade, and he hasn't had one since. He is 20 and wears a ponytail, and I have no concern about it, as far as his faith is concerned.

Hairstyles are a cultural matter, and in some communities and industries the wrong hairstyle can greatly affect your job prospects, but I don't think it's a matter of faith.

you are talking about faith, but what i am wanting to know is concerning my testimony. i know i can lose a good testimony, but i wont lose my faith...so this point of view wont work against my parents

 

[Crazy Liz]

you are talking about faith, but what i am wanting to know is concerning my testimony. i know i can lose a good testimony, but i wont lose my faith...so this point of view wont work against my parents

Personally, I view a person's testimony as personal - not something that someone else can impose on you. In fact, forcing someone to do something their own conscience does not require just for the sake of "testimony" is to encourage (or require) hypocrisy. I know. My mother trained me well in hypocrisy. In my 50s I am still trying to learn how NOT to be a hypocrite.

That's my opinion. Your testimony is something you say for yourself, not anything someone forces you to say against your will. One of the commandments is:

[bible]exodus 20:16[/bible]
[bible]deuteronomy 5:20[/bible]

For your testimony to be truthful, it needs to be what you truly believe yourself, IMHO.

However, another commandment is:

[bible]exodus 20:12[/bible]

At your age, living in your parents' house, I think you should consider this, and obey your parents. You can cut your hair out of respect for your parents. Your outward respect for your parents is something that is legitimately part of your public testimony.

I hope this helps.

 

[eldermike]

Personally, I view a person's testimony as personal - not something that someone else can impose on you. In fact, forcing someone to do something their own conscience does not require just for the sake of "testimony" is to encourage (or require) hypocrisy. I know. My mother trained me well in hypocrisy. In my 50s I am still trying to learn how NOT to be a hypocrite.

That's my opinion. Your testimony is something you say for yourself, not anything someone forces you to say against your will. One of the commandments is:

Exodus 20:16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Deuteronomy 5:20Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.

For your testimony to be truthful, it needs to be what you truly believe yourself, IMHO.

However, another commandment is:

Exodus 20:12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

At your age, living in your parents' house, I think you should consider this, and obey your parents. You can cut your hair out of respect for your parents. Your outward respect for your parents is something that is legitimately part of your public testimony.

I hope this helps.

Yep, this is good advise. you have plenty of time in life to grow hair, but only a few years to learn from your parents. don't let hair get in the way of your relationship with mom and dad.

 

[whoisofthelord]

so there is a personal testimony and a public testimony?

 

[whoisofthelord]

Yep, this is good advise. you have plenty of time in life to grow hair, but only a few years to learn from your parents. don't let hair get in the way of your relationship with mom and dad.

if i wasnt living under my parents, and was on my own, would it then be "ok" to have long hair?

 

[Crazy Liz]

so there is a personal testimony and a public testimony?

No. I think a testimony is something you personally give in public. It is personal because it comes from you. personally. It is public in that you don't keep it a secret.

 

[whoisofthelord]

No. I think a testimony is something you personally give in public. It is personal because it comes from you. personally. It is public in that you don't keep it a secret.

hmmmm. i'm still a little confused... if it's something i personally give in public than it's a public testimony, but not the other way around? could you give me any Bible verses on what it says about stuff like this? i'm not trying to offend but your statements are what you think about it, and i was wanting to know what the Bible says about it.

 

[ArchangelGabriel]

yes but i cant base a good argument on this because there is no proof that jesus had long hair...if physical appearance doesnt have a large part to do with testimony than what small part of physical appearance does?

well i think a tattoo that says "I HATE GOD BECAUSE HE DOENST EXIST" might constitue a general contrediction or something that might offend someone that you are trying to testify too

 

[ArchangelGabriel]

HOL UP
just actually found a verse that says you shouldnt hav long hair
but it also says you should cover your face if you a lday when you pray to God
so i guess you could tell you mom that you will cut your hair if she will wear a turban

 

[eldermike]

HOL UP
just actually found a verse that says you shouldnt hav long hair
but it also says you should cover your face if you a lday when you pray to God
so i guess you could tell you mom that you will cut your hair if she will wear a turban

You ask mom, moms know best.

 

[ArchangelGabriel]

You ask mom, moms know best.

ask her what?

 

[ArchangelGabriel]

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. so this should prove that God doenst really mind if you have long hair as long as your heart is of God

 

[ArchangelGabriel]

YOU KNOW: what REALLY HURTS your testimony is low self esteem and having a hair cut that is comfortable and makes you think you look good would really lower you confidense

 

[ArchangelGabriel]

btw the verse i mentioned about the hair and the turbans was

1 cor.
For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? 14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her

 

[ArchangelGabriel]

but i think it means that you have long hair in a womens image/ way