Before and after pics

[Jules C]

Following the advice of his pastor, my boyfriend David went to the barbers this morning.

It is a startling change.

He feels he has done the right thing.

(I'll remove the pictures, to be fair to my lovely lad)

[Duane Morse]

He looks happier in the first photo.

I guess it is the right thing if you are going for the 'conformist' look.


What ever happened to - come as you are.
Or, be who you are.
?

[Jules C]

He looks happier in the first photo.

I guess it is the right thing if you are going for the 'conformist' look.


What ever happened to - come as you are.
Or, be who you are.
?


I understand that.

He'd debated this for a long time with his church leader, and felt this was the way to go. A bit of a shock for me too, yes.

He's still quite happy - just looking a bit serious for that digital snap!

[Duane Morse]

If he debated it for so long then he did not do it because he really thought it was the right thing to do.

He did it because of peer pressure.

[Jules C]

If he debated it for so long then he did not do it because he really thought it was the right thing to do.

He did it because of peer pressure.


I know, yes, that he was greatly encouraged by his pastor to do this.

[Duane Morse]

And what you call 'encouraged', perhaps might also be called coerced.

Could you expound on what the actual reason was for the haircut?

[Jules C]

Coerced sounds a little too sinister, sir.

But check out my first thread for the reasons behind it.
http://bibleforums.org/forum/showthread.php?p=1813499#post1813499

[Duane Morse]

Whether it sounds too 'sinister' or not, it may be true.

I wonder, where in Romans is the hair length of men mentioned?

There is another thread along the same lines, by the way. And there is only one verse that I know of that condemns long hair for men. It is not in Romans.
http://bibleforums.org/forum/showthread.php?t=142048

Do a search in the Bible for 'hair'. You'll see.

You sound rather defensive about the issue.
Were you instrumental in getting your boyfriend to cut his hair?
And for what reason, if any?

[Jules C]

No, I wasn't instrumental in it - in fact I was rather against the idea.

There is coercion going on in churches. I'd be silly to say otherwise. And our pastor is what you would call "uncompromising".

Mistake: I don't think the reference was Romans. I think it was Epehesians.

[Duane Morse]

No, I wasn't instrumental in it - in fact I was rather against the idea.

There is coercion going on in churches. I'd be silly to say otherwise. And our pastor is what you would call "uncompromising".

Mistake: I don't think the reference was Romans. I think it was Epehesians.
Not there, either.

It is here:
1 Corinthians 11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

That is the only place in the Bible that says long hair on a man is bad.
And, it is only Paul's opinion. It is nothing that is supported anywhere else in the Bible.

[Jules C]

The thing is, if we say that scripture X is Paul's opinion only, aren't we in danger of a pick and choose theology?

That said, I tend to agree with you. I was upset this morning when he got back from the barbers.

[BrckBrln]

But who's to say your boyfriend had long hair?

[Jules C]

But who's to say your boyfriend had long hair?

Well, the pastor did. As I said, it's an uncompromising church.

[BrckBrln]

Hmmmm, I think you should ask your boyfriend if he notices a definite lack of strength. :)

[daughter]

My preferred option wasn't there. I preferred the bonkers curly look. I'm pretty sure that God's not legalistic about such things as hair these days. That was very much none of the pastor's business.

[Jules C]

That was very much none of the pastor's business.

That's a valid opinion.

It's a more "right wing" church than many, and David is more involved with its authorities than I am.

[Ta-An]

Hey!!!!!
The haircut makes him look more mature, I'd rather employ a guy with those looks than the first picture :idea:

He definitely looks like a much more manly man with shorter hair :)

[Jules C]

Thank you!

I'd like more people to vote to see whether they agree with me!

[EaglesWINGS911]

I think its cuter short, but then again I prefer the high n tight, military look..so thats just me. I think that I would be looking for another church...waay to legalistic if they are pressuring him to cut his hair..that's just stupid.

[Jules C]

Now he's taken this step, he says his hair will always be very short now.

[daughter]

Well, he's fortunate that he's good looking however he wears his hair, but it's a shame that he was bullied into cutting it short.

And for the record, I've had some history myself with people dictating my hair length, or otherwise over the years. So I know how he feels, and don't think he's done the wrong thing. Unless he did it for the wrong reason. The wrong reason would be if he believed for a minute that God cared in the slightest what his hair looked liked.

It's not the end of the world however. I'd relax about it, if I were you or him.

Oh, I tried showing my son (who has similar hair, only blond) to the first picture the before and after, and couldn't find the after. My son has refused to cut his hair to "standard" because he doesn't want to bow to peer pressure. This kind of picking seems to start in primary school and go on from there.

For the record, I would only ever employ someone on their academic credentials and references, I wouldn't even notice their hair.

[Esperanza32]

Well, the pastor did. As I said, it's an uncompromising church.

A church that can't compromise on the non-essentials sounds pretty scary to me. (Or perhaps I don't agree with that church about what's essential to the faith and what's not.)