More On Beards

[n david]

Originally Posted by houston

Do you cut and comb your hair out of vanity and pride?

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by n david

"Smoking and drugs." I know there are scriptures about drinking and drunkenness.

Drugs would fall under drunkenness, because while under the influence, as with alcohol, one is inebriated. As for "smoking", early on it wasn't seen as a major issue. However, ever since it was confirmed that it is terrible for one's health a case can be made that it destroys the temple, one's body, as does gluttony and any other sin that can effect health and wellbeing.

But nothing is said about beards being ungodly in Scripture.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by n david

But there is no prohibition against tv, theatre, sporting events, etc. None. And yet most generally accept a church being against those things.

Your right, there are no prohibitions against these specific things. So, I wouldn't go as far as to say one will go to Hell over watching television, going to theares, or attending sporting events. But Scripture does admonish us to guard our hearts in all we do. So, there is a high degree of personal responsibility in these matters. We are personally responsible for avoiding in appropriate things that might be on television, in theatres, or at sporting events.

No, but most guys with beards are filled with vanity and pride. Those are sins. Look at some posts in this thread and you'll see vanity and pride. Guys don't grow beards for functionality, they grow them for vanity. They keep them trim and neat out of vanity and pride.[/QUOTE]

I don't know about "most" guys with beards being filled with vanity and pride. I've seen bearded men filled with vanity and pride. I've seen clean shaven men filled with vanity and pride. I've seen weight lifters and those who work out filled with vanity and pride. In the military, I've seen a high degree of vanity and pride among those who serve. I've seen wealthy people full of vanity and pride. I've seen poor people filled with vanity and pride. I've seen law enforcement officers filled with vanity and pride. I could go on and on.

If a man is filled with vanity and pride, it has nothin to do with a beard. If he shaves it, he will become filled with vanity and pride over being clean shaven. If he's filled with vanity and pride, it will manifest in whatever he does.

But I will admit. There is a subculture of bearded men that is popular in some circles. In this subculture masculinity is honored and even encouraged. They see the media and our feminized culture has having branded manhood as suspect, dangerous, bad, stupid, or oppressive. Just look at most sitcoms. The dad is depicted as a dopey idiot who always needs a backward and shy son, a sassy sarcastic daughter, and a heroic and emotionally balanced mom to save himself from the messes he gets in. These men want to fly the flag of masculinity high. They want to say, "It's GOOD to be a man. Celebrate it. Broadcast it. Be proud of it." Of course, this can be over done. But personally, I think it's a good thing to celebrate manhood. Now, while they often chide the clean shaven and make jokes about being bearded being a sign of a real man, it's all intended to be humorous. It isn't serious.

I have a baby face. I'm 42 and I look 22 without a beard. I feel more comfortable wearing a beard. Also, my lady love adores my beard. I guess there's a degree if pride with it if one enjoys having a beard. Yet, I also know clean shaven guys who have a degree of pride over their pickup trucks or motor cycles. I'm a Jeep man myself. And I've seen vain and proud men who didn't have beards.

But you're post is a good one. Having a beard, I think it is important that we don't allow it to become an object of unhealthy pride.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

My point is this, while some individuals will harp against Conservative Apostolic churches which hold to standards of separation. All wanting to debate an issue while they openly stated that they are all upside down in their own religious experience. This always gets a raised eyebrow from the unchurched. It is like a guy in a topless bar, explaining Acts 2:38 to one of the dancers. While what he is saying is Bible truth, and she may or may not get anything out of it, he is still reprobate.

But, carnage from teaching standards? If taught properly it can be a blessing. But I rarely have anyone discuss this subject without bringing up the First Church of Dr Moreau. Where the pastor is some despot, who teaches Bible study with a whip and a chair. Listening to these stories one would think that some of those who left Conservative One God Apostolic movement was because they attended Gladiator School, instead of Sunday school. While I read these posts I often wonder what the other side has to say about the whole experience? Did the pastor actually burn the saints with cigarettes? All while the saints were tied in their pews. Was the pastor Leather Face from Texas Chainsaw Massacre? I wouldn't know, but I pray that no one has such an awful experience.

One of Sr. Pastor Huss Shearer's favorite statements was "...you'll bust Hell wide open." He applied this to women wearing pants, cutting the hair, men in shorts, makeup, jewelry (he didn't even permit wedding bands), men wearing beards ("It's a spirit of rebellion!" was often said with this one), owning a television and early on he said it about the internet, but backed off of it as it became more and more widely used as a part of people's work. He'd pound that altar and weep over how people would go to Hell over these things.

Now, he was my first pastor. Believe it or not, though he was hard, he was also so very tender and kind to me. I loved him dearly. He was patient and made living by those standards inspiring. But the pastors I have had after his passing were cold, commanding, demanding adherence, instant compliance, with an iron fist. There is one exception. A pastor in Beavercreek teaches these standards not as "holiness standards" but as "Christian disciplines". He has a platform policy, but application of the standards is largely left upon the individual. So, you might see a rather conservative looking individual worshipping right next to someone who has a beard and his wife cut hair. He asks that women wear dresses and skirts to church, even if they occasionally wear them while at home or at work. His principles are very balanced, loving, and spiritual. If I returned to the UPCI, and occasionally I do think about it, his church would be the one I'd choose to go to.

[houston]

The church men that told me that facial hair can be a source of pride and therefore I must not have any were very proud to be clean shaven. I never met a man with facial hair that was proud of it- they wore it because it is masculine.

Now, today's yuppie millennials grow facial hair for vain reasons. And it's trendy. Limp wrist boys with beards and flannel, but they are allergic to dirty work. Like the reverse lesbian or something.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by houston

The church men that told me that facial hair can be a source of pride and therefore I must not have any were very proud to be clean shaven. I never met a man with facial hair that was proud of it- they wore it because it is masculine.

Many still do.

Now, today's yuppie millennials grow facial hair for vain reasons. And it's trendy. Limp wrist boys with beards and flannel, but they are allergic to dirty work. Like the reverse lesbian or something.

They annoy me too.

[Aquila]

I'm 42. I look so much younger without a beard. My lady love adores my beard because she says it makes me look older and distinguished. Here's a picture of me without a beard and a picture of me with a beard... she votes the beard. lol

[houston]

Those pics are a decade apart.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by houston

Those pics are a decade apart.

Actually, they aren't. They are only roughly 3 years apart. See what I mean! LOL

[houston]

Close enough. People change a lot in 3 yrs. to make an honest assessment, take a pic now... shave- and take another pic.