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The Ban On Long Hair And Beards

theplains

By theplains
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theplains Grand Master

theplains

Posted
Posted
I had a few questions about something mentioned on page 218 of "Mine Errand from the Lord" 

by Boyd K. Packer.  There is something similar to it mentioned in the December edition

of New Era in 1971.

 

"There is nothing wrong with a beard. So I worry, not about the beard but about what it 

means. It must mean something, you know [Things of the Soul, chapter 23, pp. 225-226].

 

From New Era:

 

"The ban on long hair and beards, on the other hand, is a question of symbolism and 

propriety".

 

"The rules are subject to change, and I would be surprised if they were not changed 

at some time in the future. But the rules are with us now, and it is therefore important 

to understand the reasoning behind them".

 

"In the minds of most people at this time, the beard and long hair are associated with 

protest, revolution, and rebellion against authority. They are also symbols of the hippie 

and drug culture. Persons who wear beards or long hair, whether they desire it or not, 

may identify themselves with or emulate and honor the drug culture or the extreme 

practices of those who have made slovenly appearance a badge of protest and dissent".

 

"The standards of dress and grooming prescribed for this campus and for the entire Church 

Education System seek to identify us with high standards of personal conduct and to 

disassociate us from the currently popular symbols of immorality, drugs, and dissent".

 

How did long hair and beards get solely associated with rebellion when many in the crowd

had short hair and shaven faces? 

 


Was this ban done by some type of revelation or declaration?  I can't seem to the find the

exact date of institution.


 


 

Thanks,

Jim

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Duncan Grand Master

Duncan

Posted
Posted

 I personally can't stand facial hair and I have hair to spare, I seem to be itching my chest hair hourly and it bothers me so and I don't need facial hair bugging me either-shaving your face is easier then your chest let me tellya......

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Tacenda Grand Master

Tacenda

Posted
Posted

I can't answer your question but there is a guy in my ward that was told by church leaders to keep his hair and beard long for any upcoming LDS videos that might portray various apostles/prophets.

He's always being told he looks like the Duck Dynasty guy, the one that caused the show to be taken off the air. Now forgot the name.

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cursor Mentor

cursor

Posted
Posted

I've sported facial hair (beard or goatee) for nearly all of my adult life. I'm 61 years old. I make no apologies. I suspect that my kids wouldn't recognize me without it. I shaved it off once, but my wife insisted that I grow it back. She said that I looked too much like my younger brother ... and she wasn't about to ... have anything to do with THAT!

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cursor Mentor

cursor

Posted
Posted

The most negative reaction that I've had to my physical appearance at church has been related to 1) the bow-ties that I used to wear as a teen when preparing the sacrament as a Priest, and 2) the [resultant ... rebellion, you know] WIDE straight ties with sunflowers, ocean waves ... or whatever (I grew up in Santa Barbara). People are SO uptight about "cultural" standards. I've told my Dad (the anthropologist that he is) that I'm gonna echo his long-standing mantra [that he'd repeat to us on a nearly daily basis] on his gravestone: "Act Civilized!"

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Jeanne Grand Master

Jeanne

Posted
Posted

My brother has beautiful hair!  Silver gray and alittle long in back but it looks good and matches the mustache perfectly.  He got tired of my Dad giving him crap..so he shaved it all off...Ugh..He really did remind me of Brother Brigham.

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JLHPROF Grand Master

JLHPROF

Posted
Posted

 

New Era in 1971
 
"The rules are subject to change, and I would be surprised if they were not changed 
at some time in the future. But the rules are with us now, and it is therefore important 
to understand the reasoning behind them".
 
"In the minds of most people at this time, the beard and long hair are associated with 
protest, revolution, and rebellion against authority. They are also symbols of the hippie 
and drug culture. Persons who wear beards or long hair, whether they desire it or not, 
may identify themselves with or emulate and honor the drug culture or the extreme 
practices of those who have made slovenly appearance a badge of protest and dissent".

 

 

I completely agree that the way we look gets linked with certain groups sociologically.  That's why when people pull out the whole "Christ had a beard" argument it doesn't hold water.  The quote is very clear why facial hair gained disapproval (personally I blame President McKay - what?  he didn't like the way his predecessors looked or something?)

 

But now as others have said, there is no more ban on facial hair.  Times HAVE changed, although I'm sure there are those who didn't understand why the standard was implemented and so wouldn't recognize why it no longer applies and think it continues.

 

I'm sure in 1950 it would have been perfectly acceptable to wear REALLY baggy pants that had a hard time staying up   ;) ...but in today's society that connects to a social group the Church probably doesn't want to emulate.  In the 60's they didn't want members dressing like hippies.  There are groups today we wouldn't want to emulate the standard of dress either.

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Buzzard Mentor

Buzzard

Posted
Posted

I presume you are referring in large part, to the BYU Dress Code. I suspect one of the reasons for the proscription on facial hair, is that given human nature, if it was removed, within a few months, the campus would look like an Old Testament prophet convention. Or at least the General Authorities from the 1890's.

As for the unspoken discouraging of such hair on bishops, knew a bishop a few decades back who was also an undercover narcotics agent. Thus, he had a full beard and mustache, as well as hair well below the bottom of his collar. Told us that every time they had a bishops seminar in the temple, he had to tell his story to the well meaning workers who tried to tell him that the meeting was for bishops only. 

Today, he's an Mission President.

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cursor Mentor

cursor

Posted
Posted (edited)

Frankly, I have to say that the text in the 1971 New Era is unnecessary and short-sighted. When I was a missionary, in Cochella/Indio CA (Spanish speaking) we were having zero success. We'd knock on doors while proselyting (folleteando), and would hear from behind closed doors, "¡aqui esta la migra!" (Immigration is here!) And they would run out the back door. I begged our mission president (Melchin [a Ford Motors exec] to allow us to wear jeans (and whatever) so that we could get our foot in the door, at least. We got a total thumbs down. 

 

The idea of a universal uniform for all Church interface with a hugely varied cultural target is a mistake, in my opinion. That includes facial hair. 

 

I actually considered growing a beard or a mustache while on my mission, out of protest. I suppose that if I had, I'd never have been picked as an AP (totally bypassing the traditional positions of District Leader and Zone Leader) ... selected by the son of the kind gentleman who sculpts ("sculpted" ... as he has very recently passed away) all of the Temples' Moroni statues. I saw him and visited with him at my mother-in-law's funeral a couple of years ago). He was the individual who interviewed my wife and I (he was the Patriarch in her Stake) when we decided to get married. We're going on our 26th year.

 

Hey, but I'm off on some freakin' tangent. I love tangents (at least ones that I control).

 

Conformity rules! 

 

My uncle-in-law, by the way, was the singular artisan who created the global imprint on the LDS office building at [Google Earth] 40°46'16.94"N, 111°53'24.07"W

Edited by cursor
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Garden Girl Grand Master

Garden Girl

Posted
Posted

Ban?  What ban?

 

I'm old enough to remember years ago when the "ban" was more a reality... but today I see brothers all the time with varying types of facial or length of hair, including Brigham style beards and pony tails.

 

Brothers also wear colored shirts/ties... but mostly white shirts/ties to bless/pass sacrament...

This is the 1) Pacific Northwest, and 2) a beach town with lots of surfers, etc. (particularly those that come from all over the world twice a year to surf our "big wave" competition... waves from 20 - 30+ feet).  So it is not unusual to see "hair" around town or even Church.

 

GG

1
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Duncan Grand Master

Duncan

Posted
Posted

Frankly, I have to say that the text in the 1971 New Era is unnecessary and short-sighted. When I was a missionary, in Cochella/Indio CA (Spanish speaking) we were having zero success. We'd knock on doors while proselyting (folleteando), and would hear from behind closed doors, "¡aqui esta la migra!" (Immigration is here!) And they would run out the back door. I begged our mission president (Melchin [a Ford Motors exec] to allow us to wear jeans (and whatever) so that we could get our foot in the door, at least. We got a total thumbs down. 

 

The idea of a universal uniform for all Church interface with a hugely varied cultural target is a mistake, in my opinion. That includes facial hair. 

 

I actually considered growing a beard or a mustache while on my mission, out of protest. I suppose that if I had, I'd never have been picked as an AP (totally bypassing the traditional positions of District Leader and Zone Leader) ... selected by the son of the kind gentleman who sculpts ("sculpted" ... as he has very recently passed away) all of the Temples' Moroni statues. I saw him and visited with him at my mother-in-law's funeral a couple of years ago).

 

Conformity rules! 

 

My uncle-in-law, by the way, was the singular artisan who created the global imprint on the LDS office building at [Google Earth] 40°46'16.94"N, 111°53'24.07"W

 

 

I served in that mission as well! I know maybe 2 people who may have been there in 1971, great mission!!! Melchin is still living

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cursor Mentor

cursor

Posted
Posted

I was there from 72 through 74. Did we miss each other somehow?  Is I recall, there were about 200 missionaries there. There was a distinct hierarchical (District/Zone/AP) structure for 1) English speaking and separate  one for 2) Spanish speaking missionaries. As indicated, I was in the Spanish speaking group.

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Thinking Grand Master

Thinking

Posted
Posted

Yup, there's "The Beard" today. Go Blue. There is nothing more satisfying in life than to ditch work and go to a day game at Chavez Ravine, a couple of miles from my office.

 

I'm jealous. I don't get to go as often now that I live in Utah, but I try to go when I'm in town visiting friends or family.

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