Growing my hair out

[TristanCross]

Hey everyone.

Right now I'm attempting (for the ump-teenth time) to grow my hair and beard out. My questions are:

Will I be looked down upon in the Church? Do you think my priest will tell me to cut it?

Do adults get tonsured when baptized/chrismated?

[Orthodox11]

Will I be looked down upon in the Church?

Not if they're good Christians minding their own sins and refraining from judging others.

Do you think my priest will tell me to cut it?

Unless you're growing it out of vainglory and he feels it's spiritually beneficial for you to do so, I don't see why he would.

Do adults get tonsured when baptized/chrismated?

Yes, but it will just be 4 small locks of hair, it won't really be noticeable.

[Hinterlander]

I have dry skin under my lengthy beard, how do monks handle this?

[TristanCross]

I'm doing it for a few reasons. One, because I feel it is wrong for me, personally, to cut it as God intended me to have long hair and a beard (if I was supposed to be clean shaven, God wouldn't have given me the ability to grow a beard). Two, because I look at it as a symbol of my spiritual growth. Three, Saint Clement:

"How womanly it is for one who is a man to comb himself and shave himself with a razor, for the sake of fine effect, and to arrange his hair at the mirror, shave his cheeks, pluck hairs out of them, and smooth them!...For God wished women to be smooth and to rejoice in their locks alone growing spontaneously, as a horse in his mane. But He adorned man like the lions, with a beard, and endowed him as an attribute of manhood, with a hairy chest—a sign of strength and rule." -St. Clement of Alexandria

And fourth: I've always wanted to

[TristanCross]

I have dry skin under my lengthy beard, how do monks handle this?

Maybe Head and Shoulders shampoo?

[Thomas]

I have dry skin under my lengthy beard, how do monks handle this?

T-Gel shampoo will resolve that flaky skin or a good dandruff shampoo---that is all it is ---from mild dandruff to seborrheic dermatitis.

I works I use it regularly 1-2 X week to take care of my beard and I no longer have flaky kin under my beard.

Thomas

[Shanghaiski]

Laymen with long hair used to visit Elder Paisios on the Holy Mountain. He would chase them around with a scissors offering to give them a free tonsure.

Long hair on laymen is a little effeminate. Not as bad as earrings, but...

[Shanghaiski]

I have dry skin under my lengthy beard, how do monks handle this?

T-Gel shampoo will resolve that flaky skin or a good dandruff shampoo---that is all it is ---from mild dandruff to seborrheic dermatitis.

I works I use it regularly 1-2 X week to take care of my beard and I no longer have flaky kin under my beard.

Thomas

A tad TMI, Thomas. 

[NicholasMyra]

I'm doing it for a few reasons. One, because I feel it is wrong for me, personally, to cut it as God intended me to have long hair and a beard (if I was supposed to be clean shaven, God wouldn't have given me the ability to grow a beard).

So do you also not cut your fingernails or toenails, wash off your natural bodily oils, brush your teeth, etc?  

Also, until the 15th Century, Orthodox clergy didn't grow long head hair.

[NicholasMyra]

-St. Clement of Alexandria

He also says that morning sex between married people shouldn't be done because it's animalistic, as the rooster is awake at that time and you should spend morning free time praying instead.

[Shanghaiski]

I'm doing it for a few reasons. One, because I feel it is wrong for me, personally, to cut it as God intended me to have long hair and a beard (if I was supposed to be clean shaven, God wouldn't have given me the ability to grow a beard).

So do you also not cut your fingernails or toenails, wash off your natural bodily oils, brush your teeth, etc?  

Also, until the 15th Century, Orthodox clergy didn't grow long head hair.

I've seen many claims for Orthodox not doing X prior to the 15th century, but no proof. Also, I think this claim of yours would except monastics, yes? Apart from the tonsure.

[Shanghaiski]

-St. Clement of Alexandria

He also says that morning sex between married people shouldn't be done because it's animalistic, as the rooster is awake at that time and you should spend morning free time praying instead.

Exactly right.

Aren't there enough non-festal, non-fast Monday nights in the year?

[NicholasMyra]

I've seen many claims for Orthodox not doing X prior to the 15th century, but no proof.

The typical proof given afaik is that there are no icons depicting scraggly long-haired presbyters/bishops until after that time.

Also, I think this claim of yours would except monastics, yes? Apart from the tonsure.

Yes, it would. Except, I would suppose, for monastic bishops in big sees like Constantinople. St. John Chrysostom would be a good example.

[Alpo]

Long hair on laymen is a little effeminate. Not as bad as earrings, but...

Thank you. I take that as a compliment. Maybe I should post a picture about my moustache...

[Thomas]

I am really dense and naive ,I did not get Shanghaiski's "X" comment earlier--- when I wrote 1-2X a week. the X meant times (I work in a medical setting ) not the X that Shanghaiski meant 

[Shanghaiski]

I am really dense and naive ,I did not get Shanghaiski's "X" comment earlier--- when I wrote 1-2X a week. the X meant times (I work in a medical setting ) not the X that Shanghaiski meant 

X=fill in the blank

[kiloelectronVolt]

Long-haired guy here.  My hair is down to the middle of my back, and has been since I was in high school (I'm 46 now).  I have no intention of cutting it, ever.  As a hanger-on at my local Orthodox parish -- I would call myself a catechumen, but I have no idea if that is how I'm regarded as nobody really seems to want to go out of their way to have that or any other conversation with me -- anyhoo, as a hanger-on I have always had it tied back when I visit (I rarely miss a service, but sometimes leave when Orthros ends and Liturgy begins because I don't feel like a participant in Liturgy and I really only stay for Liturgy when I want to hear the homily and put a check in the plate).  I have always tried to be respectful and do nothing to draw attention to myself, so I take pains not to appear in Church with my hair down, except for one instance when I came to Vespers immediately after a football game and forgot to tie it back and I got a few "WTF?" looks. 

[JamesRottnek]

Hey everyone.

Right now I'm attempting (for the ump-teenth time) to grow my hair and beard out. My questions are:

Will I be looked down upon in the Church? Do you think my priest will tell me to cut it?

Do adults get tonsured when baptized/chrismated?

He might tell you to cut it, but I seriously doubt it would be in the sense of "You must cut your hair!" as opposed to "You look like a hippy, go cut your hair."

[Tommelomsky]

Long hair on laymen is a little effeminate. Not as bad as earrings, but...

Thank you. I take that as a compliment. Maybe I should post a picture about my moustache...

Yes please.
Hello Finland. Norway says hi.

[Tags:]

OrthodoxChristianity.net > Moderated Forums > Convert Issues (Moderator: Thomas) > Topic: Growing my hair out