Menfolk: Your church's standards on facial hair?

[JohnH]

Is there a non Facebook option to view this?

Not that I'm aware of.

This evokes the old joke of how you need to take 2 Baptists with you when you go fishing, because if you take 1 he'll drink all your beer.

[Heirbyadoption]

Thanks to heirbyadoption for highlighting one of today's advertisements from Overholt's Farm Market.

Nathan answers questions we've gotten and comments about him being Anabaptist with a mustache.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CShVXJAGc/

Is there a non Facebook option to view this?

Just fyi, here's the short version: Its the FB page for the Overholt Family's store and Nathan answering a few questions he gets about Anabaptists. In this particular case, why he has a mustache when a lot of Plain folks don't, and then he goes into some of the history of groups like the Amish historically switched to mustacheless beards...

[Donny D]

I would be very interested in Nathan's explanation. The Facebook link didn't work for me. If anyone finds his reasoning in print, please do let us know.

For some 25 plus years I struggled in a VERY traditionalist conservative Mennonite environment where a beard was one notch from being shown the door. A mustache? NEVER! I finally gave up and moved on to a small conservative Anabaptist community that not only tolerated beards, but they actually promoted them ... and allowed mustaches. On any Sunday morning, you can count the number with beards. You will find half have a noticeable beard. The other half are women. Now, that makes since to me.

[ken_sylvania]

I would be very interested in Nathan's explanation. The Facebook link didn't work for me. If anyone finds his reasoning in print, please do let us know.

For some 25 plus years I struggled in a VERY traditionalist conservative Mennonite environment where a beard was one notch from being shown the door. A mustache? NEVER! I finally gave up and moved on to a small conservative Anabaptist community that not only tolerated beards, but they actually promoted them ... and allowed mustaches. On any Sunday morning, you can count the number with beards. You will find half have a noticeable beard. The other half are women. Now, that makes since to me.

Absolutely doesn't make any since or sense to me. Are there no children or babies around? Are they born with beards? Or the boys wear some kind of fake beard until they can grow one of their own???
So many questions!

[Mayberry]

Well, since it doesn't seem to make sense to some, let me suggest that it seems logical Donny would be referring to adults — only. I haven't searched for Ken's ideas related to this subject, but it appears that maybe he isn't a real fan of facial hair? Since I'm not exactly sure how common sense fits in here, I will just rely upon God's design and keep my desires in a quiet corner. Unlike women of faith, each man must make his own decision whether or not to allow facial hair. The whole discussion seems questionable.

Sorry Donny. Sorry Ken. It's time for me to move on to something more profitable.

[ken_sylvania]

Well, since it doesn't seem to make sense to some, let me suggest that it seems logical Donny would be referring to adults — only. I haven't searched for Ken's ideas related to this subject, but it appears that maybe he isn't a real fan of facial hair? Since I'm not exactly sure how common sense fits in here, I will just rely upon God's design and keep my desires in a quiet corner. Unlike women of faith, each man must make his own decision whether or not to allow facial hair. The whole discussion seems questionable.

Sorry Donny. Sorry Ken. It's time for me to move on to something more profitable.

I think the idea of removing all facial hair is weird - does that clarify my position at all?

[mike]

The rule in some Mennonite churches against facial hair (whether against all facial hair or against the mustache) is one of the least supportable rules that we have in my view. It does not make biblical sense and it is not logical. Many of our rules, while not being the only right way to apply a biblical principle, are indeed ways to apply something the scripture says. Rules against facial hair not only do not serve to apply any biblical principle, they violate the principle of God's creation of man and his uniquely masculine features.

The other Sunday we had a sermon against feminism, in which we heard how bad were all of modern society's efforts to blur the lines between the genders, switch the roles, mimic the characteristics of the other, and etc. And yet most of the men in our church's conference engage in the common effeminate practice of going clean-shaven. It doesn't make sense to me, and the excuses that are made for the tradition don't hold water in my opinion.

I don't have a strong basis for saying men can't be clean-shaven other than that it is an essentially effeminate practice. But I feel there are no valid grounds for the church to forbid facial hair.

One of the nice things about the forum reboot awhile back is that you can go back and like your own posts.

[ken_sylvania]

The rule in some Mennonite churches against facial hair (whether against all facial hair or against the mustache) is one of the least supportable rules that we have in my view. It does not make biblical sense and it is not logical. Many of our rules, while not being the only right way to apply a biblical principle, are indeed ways to apply something the scripture says. Rules against facial hair not only do not serve to apply any biblical principle, they violate the principle of God's creation of man and his uniquely masculine features.

The other Sunday we had a sermon against feminism, in which we heard how bad were all of modern society's efforts to blur the lines between the genders, switch the roles, mimic the characteristics of the other, and etc. And yet most of the men in our church's conference engage in the common effeminate practice of going clean-shaven. It doesn't make sense to me, and the excuses that are made for the tradition don't hold water in my opinion.

I don't have a strong basis for saying men can't be clean-shaven other than that it is an essentially effeminate practice. But I feel there are no valid grounds for the church to forbid facial hair.

One of the nice things about the forum reboot awhile back is that you can go back and like your own posts.

Yea, our ability to rationalize whatever traditional practices we appreciate is quite something, isn't it?
Also would be quite something to attend church with folks who have removed all facial hair...

[eccentric_rambler]

One of the nice things about the forum reboot awhile back is that you can go back and like your own posts.

Gave you another one. Isn't it fascinating to consider that, in some of the more conservative groups such as the one yours came from, those who are most strongly against allowing men to let their beards grow are more likely to forbid their wives and daughters to have shaved legs? The forbidding beards is one of those small burrs that I struggle not to let become a sore.

[barnhart]

The rule in some Mennonite churches against facial hair (whether against all facial hair or against the mustache) is one of the least supportable rules that we have in my view. It does not make biblical sense and it is not logical. Many of our rules, while not being the only right way to apply a biblical principle, are indeed ways to apply something the scripture says. Rules against facial hair not only do not serve to apply any biblical principle, they violate the principle of God's creation of man and his uniquely masculine features.

The other Sunday we had a sermon against feminism, in which we heard how bad were all of modern society's efforts to blur the lines between the genders, switch the roles, mimic the characteristics of the other, and etc. And yet most of the men in our church's conference engage in the common effeminate practice of going clean-shaven. It doesn't make sense to me, and the excuses that are made for the tradition don't hold water in my opinion.

I don't have a strong basis for saying men can't be clean-shaven other than that it is an essentially effeminate practice. But I feel there are no valid grounds for the church to forbid facial hair.

One of the nice things about the forum reboot awhile back is that you can go back and like your own posts.

Yea, our ability to rationalize whatever traditional practices we appreciate is quite something, isn't it?
Also would be quite something to attend church with folks who have removed all facial hair...

I am told the original intent was to shun popular trends associated with a military style in the 19th century which I can appreciate. I have room for local churches to raise standards to witness against local threats. But it needs to be coupled with a clear minded determination to avoid traditionalism where a practice cannot be re- evaluated and it becomes necessary to create fragile quazi scriptural justifications to avoid changing it.