Beards and religion

Howie Felterbush

Bow Tie Daddy
Howie Felterbush
Joined
Nov 18, 2009
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In the twilight, singing all the old lullabies
OK, I have a pretty good beard going. I haven't touched it with anything sharp since around last Halloween. Some people have taken calling me "Osama" (although that has tapered off in the last few days. Thanks, Navy Seals!) because it's pretty long and shot with a lot more gray than you'd expect from someone as youthful as I.

Anyway, I got to thinking about how many religious restrictions involve hair, and facial hair in particular. The Amish are allowed a beard, no 'stache, only after they marry; Sikhs and Rastafarians aren't supposed to do any hair cutting at all; Muslims hold the beard in high esteem as one of Muhammed's traits, etc.

Why is this? Is it because a beard is something you just can't fake? Is it because, quite frankly, a beard is a pain in the neck, what with the itching and the combing and the nesting sparrows? Is it to show your god, "Hey, I have what it takes! Look at this beard." Wouldn't this open your religion/cult/whatever to infiltration, if a beard was your only visual marker to membership?

What's the deal? Anyone know for sure?
 
When I had one, I was told by a Lebanese girl that a beard was a sign of someone who was religious.

I she only knew...
 
Many things about religion require some kind of outward symbols to announce you and your group are 'different' than others (or to be able to identify those 'different' from you). Not shaving sounds like one way to help with that.
 
Denver said:
Many things about religion require some kind of outward symbols to announce you and your group are 'different' than others (or to be able to identify those 'different' from you). Not shaving sounds like one way to help with that.
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That's what I figured, but it seems kind of lame. Any man (pretty much) can grow a beard, and you can shave it off in just a few minutes. Kind of "meh", commitment-wise.

I guess I was hoping for some cool sounding reason I could bust out when people start hassling me to shave. :D
 
Howie Felterbush said:
Why is this?
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There's certainly a Judeo-Christian scriptural tradition of holy men not cutting their hair or shaving their beards.

I always supposed it was just another sign of an ascetic lifestyle.

There's also the fact that given the shorter life expectancy in days of yore, someone with a beard was supposed to be older and wiser. Someone with a long beard has at least lived long enough to grow a long beard.

ETA: For example: Numbers 6:5: "During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor may be used on their head. They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the LORD is over; they must let their hair grow long." This referred to the requirements for taking the Nazirite vows--mostly ascetic vows with some kosher stuff thrown in there (not being in the presence of a dead body).
 
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A long beard is a symbol of wisdom, a long grey or white beard doubly so.

Cpl Ferro
 
I know for sure, it was shaped by evolution :p Then the religionists use it because it gets 'em more respect.

Writing in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, the researchers conclude: “Facial hair, or beardedness, is a powerful sociosexual signal, and an obvious biological marker of sexual maturity.

"Facial hair may have been sexually selected by females on the basis of associated male success, despite its threatening appearance. Clean-shaven faces therefore may suggest appeasement, as well as being an obvious sign of sexual immaturity.

"Increasing levels of facial hair were associated with increased perceptions of aggression, in that bearded faces were perceived as being the most aggressive, whilst clean-shaven faces were rated as being the least aggressive. And as facial hair increased in a linear fashion, so did female ratings of masculinity and dominance.

"In desirability for a short-term relationship, a female preference for male faces with stubble or light beard was found, with clean-shaven and fully bearded faces being the least preferred. This indicates that females are not selecting faces displaying relatively high or low masculinity, but are rather preferring males who are clearly mature - post-pubertal - but not too masculinised. The same pattern was found for preferences for a long-term relationship." telegraph
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cue bitter biologist disputing modern evolutionary hypothesis
 
Joey McGee said:
I know for sure, it was shaped by evolution :p Then the religionists use it because it gets 'em more respect.



cue bitter biologist disputing modern evolutionary hypothesis
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Mr. McGee, you are the man.

I'm not being lazy by not shaving, I'm asserting my dominance.


Funny how evolution trumps religion damn near every time, isn't it?
 
:D




<------------------- Ahem.



a female preference for male faces with stubble or light beard was found, with clean-shaven and fully bearded faces being the least preferred. This indicates that females are not selecting faces displaying relatively high or low masculinity, but are rather preferring males who are clearly mature - post-pubertal - but not too masculinised.
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In my case, a beard is the mark of someone who wishes to disguise the fact that he is without a chin.

But I saw a Southern Baptist dramatization of Jesus' death recently, and Jesus was beardless and had a crew cut. Looked like a Marine. Everybody has a different idea of what is holy.
 
The Norseman said:
:D




<------------------- Ahem.
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Ah, but the quote said "for a short-term relationship".

You may win the poontang battle, but my Grizzly Adams-style beard wins the war!! :D


"Increasing levels of facial hair were associated with increased perceptions of aggression, in that bearded faces were perceived as being the most aggressive, whilst clean-shaven faces were rated as being the least aggressive. And as facial hair increased in a linear fashion, so did female ratings of masculinity and dominance.
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Remember, "Without a beard, you're just the same as any other woman or child."-Some Guy With a Beard.
 
Howie Felterbush said:
Mr. McGee, you are the man.

I'm not being lazy by not shaving, I'm asserting my dominance.


Funny how evolution trumps religion damn near every time, isn't it?
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We've only yet applied evolution to beards. If we applied it to getting girls, you could have no *********** face and still attract the finest maidens in the land :p
 
Howie Felterbush said:
I always thought it was a sign of someone who hated to shave.

That's what mine means.

Why beards, though? Why not mullets? Or clumpy black eyeliner?
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I've got an ugly face. It's my duty to hide as much as I can behind a beard.

Chicks have it easy. They can wear a veil.
 
Howie Felterbush said:
Ah, but the quote said "for a short-term relationship".
You may win the poontang battle, but my Grizzly Adams-style beard wins the war!! :D
Remember, "Without a beard, you're just the same as any other woman or child."-Some Guy With a Beard.
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You, my friend, are truly a worthy opponent!
 
The Norseman said:
You, my friend, are truly a worthy opponent!
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I figured a cat with a handle like "The Norseman" would have a flaming red beard, braided, forked and tucked into his belt, a la Thorin Oakenshield or some guy from a Molly Hatchet album cover. I thought I was in for some beard schooling. :D

I'm digging the 'stache combo, though. I wish I had the discipline to pull off some kind of beard "style", instead of simply letting it grow wild like a hedgerow.

Maybe I need to start going to church...
 
Howie Felterbush said:
I figured a cat with a handle like "The Norseman" would have a flaming red beard, braided, forked and tucked into his belt, a la Thorin Oakenshield or some guy from a Molly Hatchet album cover. I thought I was in for some beard schooling. :D

I'm digging the 'stache combo, though. I wish I had the discipline to pull off some kind of beard "style", instead of simply letting it grow wild like a hedgerow.

Maybe I need to start going to church...
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Heh. Well, I actually do have a surprising amount of red in my beard, even though when I was young, I was quite blonde.

Besides, my actual (full) 'nym is The Wild Norseman for reasons which shan't be further elaborated upon in this thread...
 
Howie Felterbush said:
Anyway, I got to thinking about how many religious restrictions involve hair, and facial hair in particular. The Amish are allowed a beard, no 'stache, only after they marry; Sikhs and Rastafarians aren't supposed to do any hair cutting at all; Muslims hold the beard in high esteem as one of Muhammed's traits, etc.

Why is this? Is it because a beard is something you just can't fake? Is it because, quite frankly, a beard is a pain in the neck, what with the itching and the combing and the nesting sparrows? Is it to show your god, "Hey, I have what it takes! Look at this beard." Wouldn't this open your religion/cult/whatever to infiltration, if a beard was your only visual marker to membership?

What's the deal? Anyone know for sure?
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I think you are seeing something that isn't there. Popes for example have had quite a range of facial hair (see pics at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_popes ) and Joseph smith was clean shaven.

One thing to remeber is that religions tend to be rather conservative with their fashions. While beards have gone in and out of fashion over the centuries at least some religions will have aquired their fashion standards when beards were in.
 
When I had my beard, it was laziness pure and simple. Still have the 'stache, though. That's permanent!
 
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