Is your hair long for religious/spiritual reasons?

[Kati75]

No religious reasons here, either - I just want my hair long for now.

To answer this thread truthfully - and not to hurt any feelings, everyone is free to disagree with me on this - I must also say that I can't imagine that God thinks it's important how anyone wears their hair. Yes, the bible says something about long hair but it was written ages ago for the people who lived ages ago. Translated a zillion times. In my heart, I think other things are much more important and that vanity is not a good thing. I don't feel the need for a "coverage" - I'm ok the way I was made and if someone (a man other than my husband) thinks he needs to stare at me I have the right words for him and I'm not afraid to say them. But I'm not even sure at the moment whether I really believe in God the way Christians are supposed to. I do know, though, that if God thinks that it's important how someone wears their hair, or feels worshipped by something superficial like a hairstyle, then I don't want to have anything to do with him. This may sound a little extreme, but it's how I feel deep down inside.

But I totally accept it if someone wants to have long hair for religious reasons. Everyone worships differently and has a different relationship to God. I'm sure everyone here has thought over what they are doing and have perfectly good reasons. If this helps you to be close to God, that's wonderful. It's just not for me.

[Elenna]

I've had long hair before, but didn't make the spiritual/nature connection.

But now I have a garden and when I am in the garden, my hair seems to be part of nature. It all seems to connect on a spiritual level.

[Gothic Lolita]

I'm by no means religious. I've never been spiritual either. I don't call myself narrow-minded but I somehow always had problems (even when I still was a child) with imagining that God, Allah whatever you want to call it exists.
So for me the answer is no. I grow it out, because I always loved the look of long hair. It feels feminine, I like my color very much and since I see so many abused looking heads around here, this is my personal way to show everyone that one can have healthy hair.

PS: I accept every religion, as long as it accepts everybody else who doen't believe in it as an equal.

[sipnsun]

Long hair is not a requirement of my church or religion (Southern Baptist), so I guess I'm growing it for me.

[rubyann]

Also for myself, I find that the desire to have long hair is very deeply rooted in me, and sort of makes me feel connected to history in a way. I feel on some level, a connection to women of the past who have had long hair. I don't know if that makes sense or not... but I love history and tradition, and I want to be a part of it and growing my hair makes me feel like I am part of it.

Just so for me, too! I'm not growing for religious reasons, purely personal. I've never had long hair, so here I go!

[insideitall]

Main reason = yes.

I feel that women should have longer hair than men. What "long" means is of course dependent on the time period and culture, but it should be clearly obvious whether someone is a man or a woman based on hair length. For me, this is Biblically based, though as a Catholic, there are no requirements for hair length.

I feel very strongly about this, as I am just so *upset* with what the *radical*women's-lib agenda has done to our society. In a way, I suppose it could be considered a "control" thing; even though other people might not know, I know that my hair is long because I believe in traditional values.

I also really like that idea of being connected to women of the past - I forget who posted it, but the image of the woman brushing her hair by the fire - it's a neat feeling to kinda superimpose yourself over someone who lived a few hundred years ago. [rambling]History became much more fun for me once I started reading books that portrayed all the "dead white men" from high school into REAL PEOPLE. Too bad I didn't figure this out until after college I always wondered why we didn't learn more local history in school.. like.. this building is named after this person, who blah blah blah.. [/rambling]

And lastly, these are my other reasons: I'm too lazy to stop growing it because I can't decide where I want it at (I figure I'll get to a point and be like ok that's long enough); I am kinda tempted to see how long terminal is for me, and I secretly hope it's shorter than the length at which it starts being a PItA to have; it's easier to take care of than when it was shorter; long hair looks better on me than short hair; sometimes I live in the past, you know like with dragons and knights and everything and long hair is a requirement for that ; and already mentions but bears repeating, laziness.

[sedonia]

I guess I am one of the disgusting women's lib femnazis that is ruining our society.

I think it is great that women can choose long or short hair today, choose a career or not, vote, inherit, marry who she wants, and get pay that is at least approaching that of a man when she does the same job. I think it is great that a little girl today can not only become a nurse but a doctor if she wants, not only a school teacher but a college professor, not only a secretary but a lawyer or corporate manager.

If we go back to even the most recent times when all or most women had long hair, none of those things were generally possible, at least not for the common middle class woman.

[brightonwoman]

You know, I can respect that some women prefer short hair--just as I prefer long. I can appreciate how (in a historical context) wearing pants and cutting our hair were outward symbols of breaking down gender roles, entering the workplace, getting the vote, etc etc etc. I would consider myself a feminist in that I feel that women should have equal rights, be able to earn an equal wage, have equal access to education, etc... on the other hand, I think that the *ideal* is for a woman to be able to stay home and raise children and be supported by her husband. I'm blessed to have a husband who feels the same way, so it works well for us. (But if something happened to him, hey, I have a BA and am very employable and I *could* support myself and my kids....) ANYWAY, that was a total tangent, but the point being that I appreciate why some women want short hair, even though I personally don't care for it.

That said, I do NOT get why anyone would want a haircut/hairstyle that is totally androgynous. This has happened a few times, and i hate it when I see someone--even am introduced to them--and cannot tell if they are male or female. I won't even go into some people choosing sex changes or whatever...my point being, whichever sex you are, just BE THAT in a way that others can tell what you are, you know?
OK, sorry, little rant there. But it makes me crazy. Short hair = fine, but at least be true to your sex, you know?


In terms of a pp's comment about feeling that God would not require a certain hair length etc...I am inclined to agree--God will love you regardless of your hair, after all extenuating circumstances happen and that kind of thing. That said, I can also see validity in the argument of "God asks me to do this to demonstrate my commitment to Him" or "this is an outward symbol of my inner commitment" or that kind of thing. I am wholly on board with that as well.

[bunnii]

I grow my hair because I like long hair and my mother never let me have it long, so ner ner mum! Also as a Wiccan it does make me feel more connected to nature because hair is natural and it keeps growing.


brightonwoman - Androgyny is way sexy IMO and short hair on women can be just as sexy as long and the same for men

[ClareDee]

bunnii -- I agree that short hair on a woman can be very attractive. Sinead O' Connor is one woman who famously had extremely short hair, and is very beautiful.
Having seen pictures of her with longer hair, I can honestly say I thought she looked evern more beautiful with a shaved head. And maybe it's because she has such big eyes, but she certainly looks like a woman to me. I challenge anyone to watch this video of her singing, and say she's not beautiful

Each to their own, of course.