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John89
Guest
hi, i have hair down to my shoulders and was wondering what the church had to say about a guy with long hair, is it bad ??
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BarbaraTherese
Guest
According to the Church - long hair is not bad. It is not a question at all in Catholic teaching - so be assured.
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Leopard
Guest
The Church has this to say about a guy with long hair:
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Teflon93
Guest
It is bad if the guy with long hair doesn’t come to Church.
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paradoxy
Guest
This is what the musical Hair has to say about it:
I know, I know, not too authoritative, but does make a point, right?
I know, I know, not too authoritative, but does make a point, right?
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lizaanne
Guest
Just as with anyone with long hair, if you keep yourself neat and groomed, no one has room to say anything about your appearance. Christ is usually depicted as having shoulder length hair and no one seems to complain about Him!
~Liza
~Liza
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puzzleannie
Guest
yeah you want to avoid the look of the long hair, beard, and carrying a lamb on your shoulders.
No there is no teaching on long hair for men. there is explicit teaching in the writings of Paul on men deliberately dressing like women for the purposes of what we would call today “the gay lifestyle”, i.e. crossdressing.
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Leopard
Guest
Oh yeah, forgot about that one. It is also bad if a guy with long hair does not obey the ten commandments.
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Teflon93
Guest
LOL. In my parish, if the Church did exclude guys with long hair Easter Vigil attendance would look like the attendance on the Feast of the Assumption.
It reminds me of the Simpsons episode where Homer goes to Catholic heaven.
C
Church_Militant
Guest
The Catholic Church has nothing much to say about hair length, as you’ve been told above.
You may catch some grief from some fundamentalist n-Cs because of the following verse from 1st Corinthians 11:14 Does not nature itself teach you that for a man to wear long hair is degrading to him,. This may be the only place where I am going to have to take issue with St. Paul.
My only thought is: Hey Paul, ever seen a male lion? Which lion has the mane? Why is it that most male birds have the more colorful plumage?
So then, what does “nature itself” actually teach?
Read over the context of that passage in verses 1-16.
Notice there that Paul says that this was the common discipline in the church, and I think that what we have here is something cultural.
Then of course being someone who grew up in the 60’s a Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young song comes immediately to mind.
Crosby Stills Nash & Young - Almost Cut My Hair Lyrics
Almost cut my hair
It happened just the other day
It’s gettin kinda long
I coulda said it wasn’t in my way
But I didn’t and I wonder why
I feel like letting my freak flag fly
Cause I feel like I owe it to someone
Must be because I had the flu’ for Christmas
And I’m not feeling up to par
It increases my paranoia
Like looking at my mirror and seeing a police car
But I’m not giving in an inch to fear
Cause I missed myself this year
I feel like I owe it to someone
When I finally get myself together
I’m going to get down in that sunny southern weather
And I find a place inside to laugh
Separate the wheat from the chaff
I feel like I owe it to someone
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lizaanne
Guest
Ok ChurchMilitant - here’s another one for ya 
:
( I know, it doesn’t totally apply, but the begining sorta does)
**The Five Man Electrical Band**
Signs
**And the sign said **
long-haired freaky people need not apply
So, I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said “You look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you’ll do”
So I took off my hat and said, “Imagine that, huh me working for you”
***whoaaaa signs, signs, everywhere a sign ***
blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that. Can’t you read the signs?
**And the sign said “anybody caught trespassing would be shot on sight” **
So I jumped on the fence and I yelled at the house
“Hey, what gives you the right?
To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in
If God was here, he’d tell it to your face
man, you’re some kind of sinner”
***whoaaaa signs, signs, everywhere a sign ***
blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
do this, don’t do that. can’t you read the signs?
**“now hey you mister can’t you read? **
you’ve got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat
you can’t even watch, no you can’t eat
you ain’t supposed to be here”
and the sign said, “You got to have a membership card to get inside”
UUUUUHHHHHH!
and the sign said, “everybody welcome. Come in, kneel down and pray”
and when they passed around the plate at the end of it all
I didn’t have a penny to pay
So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
I said, “thank you Lord for thinkin’ ‘bout me. I’m alive and doin’ fine”
***whoaaaa signs, signs, everywhere a sign ***
blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind do this, don’t do that. can’t you read the signs?
**~Liza**
:( I know, it doesn’t totally apply, but the begining sorta does)
**The Five Man Electrical Band**
Signs
**And the sign said **
long-haired freaky people need not apply
So, I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said “You look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you’ll do”
So I took off my hat and said, “Imagine that, huh me working for you”
***whoaaaa signs, signs, everywhere a sign ***
blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that. Can’t you read the signs?
**And the sign said “anybody caught trespassing would be shot on sight” **
So I jumped on the fence and I yelled at the house
“Hey, what gives you the right?
To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in
If God was here, he’d tell it to your face
man, you’re some kind of sinner”
***whoaaaa signs, signs, everywhere a sign ***
blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
do this, don’t do that. can’t you read the signs?
**“now hey you mister can’t you read? **
you’ve got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat
you can’t even watch, no you can’t eat
you ain’t supposed to be here”
and the sign said, “You got to have a membership card to get inside”
UUUUUHHHHHH!
and the sign said, “everybody welcome. Come in, kneel down and pray”
and when they passed around the plate at the end of it all
I didn’t have a penny to pay
So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
I said, “thank you Lord for thinkin’ ‘bout me. I’m alive and doin’ fine”
***whoaaaa signs, signs, everywhere a sign ***
blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind do this, don’t do that. can’t you read the signs?
**~Liza**
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VociMike
Guest
I’d add one thing to the replies so far. It doesn’t have to do with you specifically (I don’t even claim this applies to you at all - I can’t say since I don’t know you), nor does it have to do with long hair specifically. If any person is excessively vain about any aspect of their appearance, that is a problem and the Church recognizes it as such.
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Leopard
Guest
As long as we’re posting song lyrics…
THE HAIRCUT SONG
Performed by Ray Stevens:
Lyrics: Ray Stevens, Mike Nuen, C. W. Kalb, Jr.
From the Album “I Have Returned”
When you get a haircut, be sure to go back home
When you get a haircut, get a barber you have known
Since you were a little bitty boy sittin’ in a booster chair
Or you might look like Larry, Moe or Curly if a stranger cuts your hair
Well, Butte, Montana just a’passin’ through, one thing I just had to do
Had to get a haircut and I was worried for my hair
I had a feeling of impending doom the minute I stepped into that room
And laid my eyes upon that barber chair
It was a macho barber shop. Hair dryers were mounted on a rifle rack.
Wasn’t no mirrors. The barber chair was a Peterbilt… Barber walked in;
he was huge, seven feet tall, three hundred pounds of spring steel and
rawhide. Wearin’ a hard hat, chewin’ a cigar, had a t-shirt on – said,
I hate musicians. Threw me in the chair, sneered and said, “What’ll it be pal?”
Now a lot of people would be intimidated in a situation like
this…I was not. I am what I am, play my piano, and sing my little
songs. I looked him right in the eye and I said, “I’m a logger - just up
from Coos Bay, Oregon. Been toppin’ trees - quite possibly the toughest
man in the entire world”. He said, “All right!” he gave me a haircut and
I walked out of there friends, my hair was gone! Made Kojak look like
Bill Golden. Yeah, had a tremendous craving to operate heavy equipment.
Now, you may think that Butte, Montana haircut’s the worst any man could
ever get…Wrong!
Well, a few months later I was in LA, truckin’ along on a smoggy day
I needed a haircut so bad I looked like Bozo the Clown
I was looking shaggy, not too good, I’d put it off as long as I could
And Lord, I hate to get a haircut out of town
Well, I walked in immediately and realized immediately that this guy was
into punk rock. The walls were done in black leather. Had chains and
whips and handcuffs hangin on 'em. Barber walked in, he had orange hair.
Black mascara. Stainless steel teeth. Black leather jacket with zinc
studs. He threw me in the chair, hit me a couple times - whap, whap -
chained me down, threw a Nazi flag over me. Said, “I’m gonna tell you
something that might make you a little nervous.” I laughed. “Ha ha
ha…” I said, “What could possibly make me nervous?” He said, “I’m
gay.” Nooo problem. I’m not threatened in any way. I mean, I’m secure in
my manhood, everything is cool I am what I am, play my little piano,
sing my little songs. I looked him right in the eye. I said, “I’m a
logger. Played football in high school. I was in the Marine Corps.” He
said “All right” and he gave me a haircut. I walked out of there,
friends, my hair was purple. Well, at least that mohawk section down the
middle was puprle. Had a white streak down one side… other side looked
like Mr. T. Had a couple safety pins in my cheeks. Felt a teeeeny bit
conspicuous. Luckily, my next job was in San Fransisco. Shoot, I got
there and I didnât even stand out at all. Wasn’t even close! Those
people thought I was an insurance salesman!
Well, a few months later, I was way down south, grits and gravy and hush
your mouth
Hair so long I’m startin’ to look like a man in drag
It was then that the sheriff walked up and said, “Boy, you got too much
hair on your head…
You better get yourself a haircut or a dog tag!”
Well, when I stepped into the shop, I realized immediately that I was
dealing with a born-again barber. Don’t see too many barber shops with a
steeple, had an organ in the corner, a choir. An usher led me to the
barber chair. Barber walked in, started saying grace, “Oh Lord, for
these haircuts we are about to receive, may we be truly thankful.
Dominus possum pax probiscus, post mortem, et tu brute, puella
carborundum.” He was sorta half-Baptist, half-Catholic… kind of a
Cathtist. He started cuttin’ my hair and preachin’ at the same time. I
mean he’s a wild man, scissors and razors a’flyin’ around my head, he’s
talkin’about the liquor and wild women and music and sex and the evils
of dancing and the music business in general. Then he looked down at me
and he said, “What do you do for a living?” Now, I’m not ashamed of what
I do for a livin’. Workin’ bars and casinos, around liquor and wild
women, I just play my piano, sing my little songs. I looked him right in
the eye and I said, “I run this church for loggers…”
When you get a haircut, be sure to go back home
When you get a haircut, get a barber you have known
Since you were a little bitty boy sittin’ in a booster chair
Or you might look like Larry, Moe or Curly if a stranger cuts your hair
THE HAIRCUT SONG
Performed by Ray Stevens:
Lyrics: Ray Stevens, Mike Nuen, C. W. Kalb, Jr.
From the Album “I Have Returned”
When you get a haircut, be sure to go back home
When you get a haircut, get a barber you have known
Since you were a little bitty boy sittin’ in a booster chair
Or you might look like Larry, Moe or Curly if a stranger cuts your hair
Well, Butte, Montana just a’passin’ through, one thing I just had to do
Had to get a haircut and I was worried for my hair
I had a feeling of impending doom the minute I stepped into that room
And laid my eyes upon that barber chair
It was a macho barber shop. Hair dryers were mounted on a rifle rack.
Wasn’t no mirrors. The barber chair was a Peterbilt… Barber walked in;
he was huge, seven feet tall, three hundred pounds of spring steel and
rawhide. Wearin’ a hard hat, chewin’ a cigar, had a t-shirt on – said,
I hate musicians. Threw me in the chair, sneered and said, “What’ll it be pal?”
Now a lot of people would be intimidated in a situation like
this…I was not. I am what I am, play my piano, and sing my little
songs. I looked him right in the eye and I said, “I’m a logger - just up
from Coos Bay, Oregon. Been toppin’ trees - quite possibly the toughest
man in the entire world”. He said, “All right!” he gave me a haircut and
I walked out of there friends, my hair was gone! Made Kojak look like
Bill Golden. Yeah, had a tremendous craving to operate heavy equipment.
Now, you may think that Butte, Montana haircut’s the worst any man could
ever get…Wrong!
Well, a few months later I was in LA, truckin’ along on a smoggy day
I needed a haircut so bad I looked like Bozo the Clown
I was looking shaggy, not too good, I’d put it off as long as I could
And Lord, I hate to get a haircut out of town
Well, I walked in immediately and realized immediately that this guy was
into punk rock. The walls were done in black leather. Had chains and
whips and handcuffs hangin on 'em. Barber walked in, he had orange hair.
Black mascara. Stainless steel teeth. Black leather jacket with zinc
studs. He threw me in the chair, hit me a couple times - whap, whap -
chained me down, threw a Nazi flag over me. Said, “I’m gonna tell you
something that might make you a little nervous.” I laughed. “Ha ha
ha…” I said, “What could possibly make me nervous?” He said, “I’m
gay.” Nooo problem. I’m not threatened in any way. I mean, I’m secure in
my manhood, everything is cool I am what I am, play my little piano,
sing my little songs. I looked him right in the eye. I said, “I’m a
logger. Played football in high school. I was in the Marine Corps.” He
said “All right” and he gave me a haircut. I walked out of there,
friends, my hair was purple. Well, at least that mohawk section down the
middle was puprle. Had a white streak down one side… other side looked
like Mr. T. Had a couple safety pins in my cheeks. Felt a teeeeny bit
conspicuous. Luckily, my next job was in San Fransisco. Shoot, I got
there and I didnât even stand out at all. Wasn’t even close! Those
people thought I was an insurance salesman!
Well, a few months later, I was way down south, grits and gravy and hush
your mouth
Hair so long I’m startin’ to look like a man in drag
It was then that the sheriff walked up and said, “Boy, you got too much
hair on your head…
You better get yourself a haircut or a dog tag!”
Well, when I stepped into the shop, I realized immediately that I was
dealing with a born-again barber. Don’t see too many barber shops with a
steeple, had an organ in the corner, a choir. An usher led me to the
barber chair. Barber walked in, started saying grace, “Oh Lord, for
these haircuts we are about to receive, may we be truly thankful.
Dominus possum pax probiscus, post mortem, et tu brute, puella
carborundum.” He was sorta half-Baptist, half-Catholic… kind of a
Cathtist. He started cuttin’ my hair and preachin’ at the same time. I
mean he’s a wild man, scissors and razors a’flyin’ around my head, he’s
talkin’about the liquor and wild women and music and sex and the evils
of dancing and the music business in general. Then he looked down at me
and he said, “What do you do for a living?” Now, I’m not ashamed of what
I do for a livin’. Workin’ bars and casinos, around liquor and wild
women, I just play my piano, sing my little songs. I looked him right in
the eye and I said, “I run this church for loggers…”
When you get a haircut, be sure to go back home
When you get a haircut, get a barber you have known
Since you were a little bitty boy sittin’ in a booster chair
Or you might look like Larry, Moe or Curly if a stranger cuts your hair
A
ANGELIC_PEACE
Guest
nearly every picture of jesus, the apostles and some saints have long hair…if you are worried what people are going to say in church then just tie it back in to a ponytail for mass…
ANGELIC PEACE
J
John89
Guest
thx for your replies everyone, and i do attend mass every week
T
teddyruxpin
Guest
I’m going to disagree here, I think you really have to consider if it causes others to stumble, not just whether the Church says something explicitly about long hair (I don’t think the Church says anything about how much time you should spend on the internet, but if my family is suffering I think I can infer that it’s not prudent).
So consider that it may bring scandal. Yes, older folks, not so old folks, who may assume you’re a pot head (I’m not saying they should assume that), but this kind of thing is the reason women were told in Corinth to cover their heads, not dogma or doctrine, but that it was distracting to the men, who lived in a society where an uncovered head had certain implications, or was at least irregular.
We talk all the time about female modesty, not coming in in lowrider pants with thong underwear showing and while that’s a very different animal obviously, part of the concern with women dressing that way is the effect on other people, guys like us. You might be making a statement to a lot of people, without realizing it, and it might even be an untrue statement…consider this:
However common long hair has become, it’s certainly not worn on the majority of men, it’s certainly a distraction (in that it’s different often for the sake of being different), and with the baggage it carries (people’s assumptions), it suggests a certain vanity to persist in spite of that. I guess I’m saying you seem really attached to your hair or you wouldn’t be asking such questions. Consider your attachment, and be honest with yourself:
So consider that it may bring scandal. Yes, older folks, not so old folks, who may assume you’re a pot head (I’m not saying they should assume that), but this kind of thing is the reason women were told in Corinth to cover their heads, not dogma or doctrine, but that it was distracting to the men, who lived in a society where an uncovered head had certain implications, or was at least irregular.
We talk all the time about female modesty, not coming in in lowrider pants with thong underwear showing and while that’s a very different animal obviously, part of the concern with women dressing that way is the effect on other people, guys like us. You might be making a statement to a lot of people, without realizing it, and it might even be an untrue statement…consider this:
However common long hair has become, it’s certainly not worn on the majority of men, it’s certainly a distraction (in that it’s different often for the sake of being different), and with the baggage it carries (people’s assumptions), it suggests a certain vanity to persist in spite of that. I guess I’m saying you seem really attached to your hair or you wouldn’t be asking such questions. Consider your attachment, and be honest with yourself:
- Is it separating you from God, or your fellow man?
- Could you be using this energy fighting immorality or abortion or something instead of people’s assumptions about you?
O
ora_pro_nobis
Guest
Long hair is fine on men, but please never wear it in a pony tail!
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Teflon93
Guest
Then to each his own, my brother.thx for your replies everyone, and i do attend mass every week
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Pete_1
Guest
Can anyone explain to me St Paul’s message when he was taking about long hair. He says “for it is shamefull for a man to have long hair”
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Linnyo
Guest
Long hair might be fine from a church perspective but I hope you are not looking for a wife cos you will be reducing your opportunities!
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