1 Corinthians 11

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p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,661
6,853
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#21
Me too haha, plus I have short purple hair

A question about long haired men. Why were Nazirites told not to cut their hair.

I honestly don't get this long hair/short hair thing, I think it was more a cultural issue.



Judges 13:5 NKJV
[5] For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come
upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and
he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."





Judges 16:21-22 NKJV
[21] Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down
to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the
prison. [22] However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been
shaven.
They were a special case, as they took vows to not cut their hair, drink fermented wine and some other stuff I can't remember right off.........
 

Angela53510

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
11,786
2,957
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#22
The OP is legalism much! Haven't you got better things to do that misinterpret a cultural instruction to the Corinthian women?

By the way, I wear my hair long by choice. Because I have since my teens, although my hair dressers tell me a woman my age needs short hair. For me, it is much easier letting my naturally curly hair just do its thing, than having to blow dry, curl it etc, which many shorter hair cuts require.

BUT, I do not judge any woman for any hair cut she chooses. That is between her and God, and I guess, if she has one, her husband.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,721
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#24
Woke at 3 AM and felt like reading. 1 Cor 11 is where I am. What a chapter that is and what a hornets nest it stirs up today in our churches.
First, start with this song that was on my mind as I studied. Wonderful lyrics. [video]https://youtu.be/W_7jcDw_U5Y[/video]

The first thing I want to bring to mind in this chapter is hair. I'll do it by quoting two verses. If you disagree with what Paul is saying, rationalize your disagreement by explaining away these scriptures.

1 Corinthians 11:15 "But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering."
Psalm 4:2 "O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah."

This is the word of God, not some ancient fashion custom.

oddly enough, i was up at 3am this morning too, and felt like reading.
it's not out of the ordinary for me to get up at this time - i left for work before 4am.
in a van on the way to the job site, i read 1 Corinthians too. i got all the way to chapter 11 and was struck by this same topic.

long way of saying hey Phil, same Spirit we got there. and thanks for making this thread :)
 
Nov 14, 2012
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#25
Are you a "reformed" hair band fan?
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,721
13,521
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#26
so i got down to "we have no such custom" and thought,

"boy howdy, am i some kind of a Gentile!" -- because yeah, common sense to me is not that people's hair length is an honor or shame. i concluded that i've just not got understanding. because of this, i'm inclined to agree with the cultural-relevance interpretation of this passage, but i'm not about to make any sort of hard stand on it.
i was raised by hippies in an age of punk rock, in a cultural melting pot of a nation -- i'm certainly no expert on what proper hair length is!

also interesting ((to me)) this should pop up now, since my wife shaved all my hair off yesterday. not that it's really relevant to discussion, but it feels good to know at least my current haircut is beyond scriptural reproof!
;)

 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,742
3,670
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#27
I didn't get that either. (As in, I have no idea what angels have to do with the relationship of women and men. lol)
It looks like in vss 8 and 9 Adam is shown as the (supposed) protector of Eve. The angels may have an allusion to the fallen angels in which the woman is to have some kind of protection from. (Crossnote quickly seeks some kind of protection from the oncoming stones :) )

...you know, like a husband or pastor etc.
 
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p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,661
6,853
113
#28
so i got down to "we have no such custom" and thought,

"boy howdy, am i some kind of a Gentile!" -- because yeah, common sense to me is not that people's hair length is an honor or shame. i concluded that i've just not got understanding. because of this, i'm inclined to agree with the cultural-relevance interpretation of this passage, but i'm not about to make any sort of hard stand on it.
i was raised by hippies in an age of punk rock, in a cultural melting pot of a nation -- i'm certainly no expert on what proper hair length is!

also interesting ((to me)) this should pop up now, since my wife shaved all my hair off yesterday. not that it's really relevant to discussion, but it feels good to know at least my current haircut is beyond scriptural reproof!
;)

Yeah, but I think you may have overdone that "fasting" thing a wee bit much............
 
Nov 25, 2014
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#29
Yeah, but I think you may have overdone that "fasting" thing a wee bit much............
Interestingly enough, I met a young woman years ago who had "dreadlocks" in her hair. The reason I put that in quotes is because she was a white girl with red hair (and for those of you that don't know this, the hair of most white folks doesn't lend itself well to dreads). Anyway, I asked her about her hairstyle and how long she'd been growing her dreads.

She told me:

"I've been fasting from brushing my hair for three years."

Which I thought was a very interesting approach to it.

I'm just happy she wasn't fasting from brushing her teeth. Although, I hear that "oil-pulling" is all the rage with the tree-hugging, neo-hippy, all-natural contingent now.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,661
6,853
113
#30
She told me:

"I've been fasting from brushing my hair for three years."



I only concern myself with those who "fast" from the use of toilet paper
 
K

KennethC

Guest
#31
There is absolutely nothing wrong with women have short hair instead of long, and the reverse can also be said for men as it is not wrong for a man to have long hair instead of short.

Apostle Paul clearly shows in 1 Corinthians 11:16 to not debate this issue because there is no such custom in the church or the faith that has to be kept and followed.

Apostle Paul then goes on in verses 17-20 to show that those who want to make this a command that has to be kept are only there to cause divisions in the church. He then says in the following verses do not take and eat of the Lord's supper because you are shaming others by trying to put this on them.
 
M

Miri

Guest
#32
She told me:

"I've been fasting from brushing my hair for three years."



I only concern myself with those who "fast" from the use of toilet paper



and your point is .........:D
 
A

atwhatcost

Guest
#33
I love long hair discussions. Particularly because there is no real established standard of what is long (outside of cosmetology schools). A lot of it is very culturally based.

Is a woman's hair long if it's to her shoulders? Collarbone? Bottoms of the shoulder blades? Halfway down her back? To her bottom? To her feet? At what point is it considered "long," and who gets to determine this? Men? Other women? Society at large? Hairstylists?

The standard for hairstylists is that short hair on women is chin-length or shorter. Medium hair is to the top of the shoulders. Anything past the shoulders is considered long hair.

For example, African woman and some African-American women have real troubles growing out enough hair that would be perceived as "long" to a lot of men. Sometimes their natural hair is so thick and wiry that maintaining hair past the shoulders would be impractical. That is, unless they pay to have a weave of some kind put in. (As an aside, I wonder if the long-hair fans would consider someone like Whoopi Goldberg, who has long dreadlocks, in the category of women who have long hair).

Additionally, there are lots of women who maintain shorter hair for the sake of ease. My own God-fearing mother has had short hair for years and years. Because she has arthritis in her right shoulder, it's difficult for her to have a hairstyle that demands a lot of care.

And of course, there are all the women who've dealt with various forms of cancer, lost their hair, and found that it grew back quite differently from how it was originally.

What's ironic is that the two original scriptures posted mention the following ideas:

Long hair is a woman's glory
How long will you love vanity

For a lot of women, having long hair doesn't make them less vain, it makes them more vain. For example, it's more vain for an African American woman to pay lots of money to get and maintain a weave to fit in with the "long hair" model than it would be for her to wear a shorter style she can maintain on her own. My mother would be indulging in great vanity to ignore her shoulder pain in order to maintain a longer style, even though it's physically taxing for her.

Our spiritual lives would be so easy if externals determined how close we were to God. If all I have to do to be virtuous before God is have long hair...BOOM...I'm set. All I need now is a McMansion and a Mercedes, and I'll really know that God approves of me and is blessing me.
And, again, I'm lost. Since it says in verse 7 that woman are the glory of men, I really don't think hair-glory is talking about cutting off hair for the same reason I'd rather think woman-glory doesn't mean cutting us off in the same way for men.

And since verse 16 s scolding about being contentious the whole hair thing just seems to mean "don't make a big do about the doo for church." I think it's more like don't be like the peacock and display inappropriately.
 
A

atwhatcost

Guest
#34
I believe those verses are separating men from women, which today as Christians is a very important thing due tonthe whole gender confusion thing.

Also this is my personal belief and testimony so dont jump me if you disagree. My hub has always loved my long hair, so since he liked it i kept it long and styled with current styles. When we talked divorce one of the first things i did was cut my hair. I really didnt know why then, but know i understand the heart issue with that. Today it's long again, and hub is happy running his fingers through it when he's falling asleep. Me? I put it up as soon as i can lol

I think long hair is a glory, long?? Subjective. Again distinquish between man and woman.
Sure. It's like peacocks displaying their feathers. It works for the peahens. They like it. It's like all the strange dances some birds do to impress the ladies. The only difference is, with us, it's the women that make a statement with our hair. I don't think it matters if it's short or long. It matters what our husbands like it to be. We're doing it because they like it, and we'll do what they like because we like them.

In my case, hubby doesn't like me with longer hair, so, not a problem. I think we got the guys we wanted way back because of the preening choices we made, so it's not such a big issue with us because we know that. We really never had to change what we like because it worked for the type of guys we were interested in. And, honestly, it's just one small part of us. They like the hair, but if you asked a guy to list what they like about their wives, I would think hair would be down the list a bit. lol
 
A

atwhatcost

Guest
#35
Had this discussion with more than one pastor. If a silhouette of a person can be mistaken for the other gender, your hair is the wrong length.
Those that say this about men and women, not necessarily hair, take it up with Paul - he said hair.
I'm not positive, but I've always assumed your avatar is you with your beagle. One of our older neighbors has your hairline.

She's a woman. Did that suddenly make it sinful that she has your hairline?

I'm a little worried you think this is about silhouettes.
 
A

atwhatcost

Guest
#36
so i got down to "we have no such custom" and thought,

"boy howdy, am i some kind of a Gentile!" -- because yeah, common sense to me is not that people's hair length is an honor or shame. i concluded that i've just not got understanding. because of this, i'm inclined to agree with the cultural-relevance interpretation of this passage, but i'm not about to make any sort of hard stand on it.
i was raised by hippies in an age of punk rock, in a cultural melting pot of a nation -- i'm certainly no expert on what proper hair length is!

also interesting ((to me)) this should pop up now, since my wife shaved all my hair off yesterday. not that it's really relevant to discussion, but it feels good to know at least my current haircut is beyond scriptural reproof!
;)

Whew! Good you got a baldy, because, yo, a skeleton with hair creeps me out. (Yes, I take avatars literally. Why do you ask? lol)
 
A

atwhatcost

Guest
#37
It looks like in vss 8 and 9 Adam is shown as the (supposed) protector of Eve. The angels may have an allusion to the fallen angels in which the woman is to have some kind of protection from. (Crossnote quickly seeks some kind of protection from the oncoming stones :) )

...you know, like a husband or pastor etc.
Doh! NOW I get that! Thanks! (It seems so obvious now, but it's like when I don't get the right Jeopardy question, and then hear it. I shout, "Yeah, that would be my second answer, if I knew it." lol)
 
R

Rosesrock

Guest
#38
Sure. It's like peacocks displaying their feathers. It works for the peahens. They like it. It's like all the strange dances some birds do to impress the ladies. The only difference is, with us, it's the women that make a statement with our hair. I don't think it matters if it's short or long. It matters what our husbands like it to be. We're doing it because they like it, and we'll do what they like because we like them.

In my case, hubby doesn't like me with longer hair, so, not a problem. I think we got the guys we wanted way back because of the preening choices we made, so it's not such a big issue with us because we know that. We really never had to change what we like because it worked for the type of guys we were interested in. And, honestly, it's just one small part of us. They like the hair, but if you asked a guy to list what they like about their wives, I would think hair would be down the list a bit. lol
Truth...it's be the way I pull the covers, i just know it
 
Dec 1, 2014
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#39
She told me:

"I've been fasting from brushing my hair for three years."



I only concern myself with those who "fast" from the use of toilet paper
I was forced to leave the gym early the other day because someone who was working out takes part in boycotting toilet paper . . . and showers . . . and deodorant . . . and . . .

And if I said something it would be deemed hate speech because it was a cultural thing. :mad:
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,661
6,853
113
#40
I was forced to leave the gym early the other day because someone who was working out takes part in boycotting toilet paper . . . and showers . . . and deodorant . . . and . . .

And if I said something it would be deemed hate speech because it was a cultural thing. :mad:
My comment was in reference to a real person....... :) That rock n roll singer woman who either dated or was married to that Armstrong bicycle guy. She came out one time and publically announced that no person should ever use more than 2 sheets of toilet paper............all I'm thinking is, "wow, I would NOT want to shake hands with her.........."