My hair

First, Sam, welcome to the Baptist Board. Hope you find it to be a blessing.

I believe that men should have short hair and women should have long hair, but I don't go out of my way to see that everybody is in compliance!

But since you asked...

Paul taught that men should have short hair and women should have long hair. This is in 1 Corinthians 11:14-15. No question about that. However, some people interpret it as a cultural matter, while others see it as more absolute. I belong to the latter view. Paul does not root his argument in culture, but the basic ideas of headship (vs. 3-5), the image of God (v. 7), the order of creation (vs. 8-9), the angels (v. 10), and the very nature of things (v. 14). Some people think Paul gave all this time to the question and then negated it by writing “we have no such custom” -- that is, they meaning the churches have no custom regarding praying covered or uncovered, hair length, etc. “Have no such custom” in this context (v. 16) refers to customs in “the churches of God” -- particularly what he began discussing concerning the manner of prayer. He expects them to follow his apostolic teaching rather than being contentious.

Some are concerned that there no details in the Bible to determine what would be defined as long and what would be defined as short. Perhaps so, but we have a general conception that we can shoot for, although hair styles in the modern West certainly can be confusing! I notice, however, that when folks are talking strictly in terms of style regarding a person’s hair, then seem to freely and simply think they know what is long and what is short.

When I was growing up we wore our hair what some would call “high and tight” (required, and probably based on military haircuts). When I was your age, my hair was much longer than yours (I came out of a “hippie” generation). As I grew older I came to dislike the look and feel of the long hair, as well as coming to believe that Paul was not just making a cultural appeal to hair styles when he wrote what he wrote in 1 Corinthians 11.

For whatever this is worth, and once again, “Welcome to the Baptist Board!”

 

Wow, this thread so similar to one some years back, young guy posting hair photo for advice, even a poll:



As you can see the photo is long gone, but you can imagine what it looked like, because I said to him that when Rosie O'Donnell got the same haircut, people were saying how masculine it looked!

 

Rejoice in your hair while you still have it!

 

Take care Sam. Your hair looks healthy and you can thank God for it. As for the vote choices you gave, I didn't see one that I liked. Between light trim and having it all cut off would be my pick.
If you feel brave, go to an old school barber and ask for a number 2 fade. I will sometimes go three months before getting a haircut then get the #2 fade in which the barber removes all but about an inch. It actually looks very professional, the way he does it. The barber is in his mid 70s and there aren't many around like him anymore.

 

Will you be inviting us to your 60th birthday bash?

 

StB, you’ve mentioned your family several times regarding this issue, but have not really said what they specifically object to. Are you an embarrassment to them? Is there some upcoming photographic event?

None of us here will have to live with or deal with them, but you will. Are you saying that your family is willing to abide by the vote here?

In any case, getting your hair cut is generally not a permanent decision. Even Samson’s grew back just in time.

 

Or "for now."

Or "made up for you."

It was probably a good move on your part. Now you can see the effects it will have.