Dear Sister Ellen,
 
Excellent article!! We all do well to remember not to judge according to the
outward appearance. The Word tells us each person is God's servant. That to Him
the person either stands or falls. We do not have a right to judge another
one's servant. Being judged and mistreated by church folks is what keeps many
Christians out of church. Unfortunately many have been abused by Pastors also.
 
I feel exactly as you do about men with long hair. If well kept, the look is
very nice and one that I prefer on some men, especially if it is a cultural
thing with that individual. It can be the mark of a non-conformist. Notice I
said non-conformist--not unsubmitted or rebellious. I too am a non-conformist
against the religious traditions of men.
 
That being said, I know why some "Christians" believe long hair on a
man to be wrong. What is wrong is their belief that they have a mandate from
God to correct those who have long hair. Coming from a mostly Baptist
experience I have seen them make this a major doctrine in the fundamental
churches. I too have seen the cruelty with which men with long hair are shunned
in "Christian" gatherings. I have even seen women who were baby
sitting for other Christian moms in the church cut that son's hair because the
baby sitters took it upon themselves to judge the mothers for allowning the
son's hair to become "too long." Needless to say with this
unchristian attitude the mothers did not take their sons back to those women.
God help us.
 
I Corinthians 11:14 says it is a shame for a man to have long hair. A shame not
a SIN. This is the one tiny Verse all those church police use to condemn men
with long hair. Another verse says a man shall bear his shame. Jesus bore the
shame of having long hair. In the culture of the day, even though Jesus did not
take the Nazarite vow not to cut his hair, many Nazarene Jews wore their hair
long or more accurately shoulder length.
 
In the same Chapter of Corinthians it also says it is a shame for a woman to
wear her hair short or to shave her head. You won't hear that preached from any
pulpit in most protestant churches. This is why Catholic women and a few other
Denominations used to teach women to wear head scarves in church. The Bible
says if a woman does have short hair, (therefore having no covering for her
head) she is to cover her head when she is praying or prophesying as a show of
submission to her husband.
 
Why else should a woman have her head covered with long hair, which is her
glory? Because of the angels! This is a serious thing although not a sin. The
Bible does not specify holy Angels or fallen angels. I believe it is because of
both but mostly the holy Angels.
 
First of all, our Guardian Angel never leaves us until we die. The Bible says
our Guardian always beholds the face of our Father in Heaven. So this is not
speaking of the Guardians. It is speaking of the other Angels who have the
option of helping us in time of need. As I read it, unless directed by God, or
in answer to crys of help from our Guardians, the good Angels have the option
to help us or not. Some of them are Warrior Angels and stronger than the
Guardians. (Michael the Archangel is stronger than the Archangel Gabriel, a
Messenger Angel.) Daniel 10:13.  I personally believe these Angels may not help
someone when they see openly that we are not submitted to authority. When the
Word says women should do this because of the angels, there is an implication
that there is a consequence to not obeying this directive.
 
Another thing that COULD be meant in addition to the above goes back to Genesis
when the fallen angels mated with the women of the earth. This one I am not
sure about so please do your own praying and discerning in the spirit about it.
I believe those fallen ones only took women who were not submitted to
authority. If long hair or the lack thereof is a sign they look for, that could
have a warning for us today. If women do not have long hair, it MAY be possible
that we are opening ourselves up to demonic attack. I do not know about this
but, it could explain why some great women of God seem to come under demonic
attack more than others. And because this is rarely taught I doubt most women
even know about these verses. (This is my reason for going into detail about
the subject. Just to make us aware, because God says, "My people perish
from lack of knowledge.")
 
Now for the good news lest anyone think I am criticising either man or woman for
how they wear their hair. It is a very individual thing between you and God.
Not my business nor apparently Paul's. He said that if anyone disagrees with
what he said about long hair, that there was no custom about it among the
apostles nor a command in the churches. To be fair to the pulpits this is why
these Verses are not taught more often. However, as it was important to God to
devote so much in the Word to the subject, I think it behooves us to at least
consider what we should do about it as individuals.
 
Please do not allow me to put anyone on a guilt trip about this. Having been
convicted by the Holy Spirit about my hair, I have delt with it. (My own
decision had to do more with how God's Angels perceived me than for any other
reason.) However, IF God is not speaking to you about this, leave it alone!
God's Word is there to help us not comdemn us. Some Verses are instructions and
not commands. We do have free will as well as liberty in the Spirit. Paul said,
"All things are lawful for me but, not all things are expedient."
Judge for yourselves what you believe you have a lawful right to do in the
LORD. Follow only that which gives you peace.
 
Ellen, my condolences in the loss of your dear friend Ian. We will all miss him
but you most of all.
 
Blessings,
Shelva