Beards and missionaries.


PrinceofLight2000
 Share

Recommended Posts

That's exactly why people are weirded out by the complete restriction of beards.

Not in my experience and I'm not that much older than you. The thing is explaining, "They have us shave as part of the respectable image they want us to have." is less likely to gain a raised eyebrow than, "Beards are entirely unprofessional, that's why we can't have them."

For the record if I had a high stakes professional job interview I would shave, not because I think one can't look professional with a beard but you never know the view of the guy who is interviewing you. And while some folks might look down on a beard (even if not the majority) pretty much nobody looks down on being clean shaven.

Yet Another Edit: I'm not saying nobody is weirded out by the policy or that you are intentionally sabotaging when trying to explain it to them. I'm just mostly musing on how we say something can make a big difference in the reaction we get. Of course most of my experiences explaining it was as a missionary so it's possible people didn't want to say anything impolite.

Edited by Dravin
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 97
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Not in my experience and I'm not that much older than you. The thing is explaining, "They have us shave as part of the respectable image they want us to have." is less likely to gain a raised eyebrow than, "Beards are entirely unprofessional, that's why we can't have them."

For the record if I had a high stakes professional job interview I would shave, not because I think one can't look professional with a beard but you never know the view of the guy who is interviewing you. And while some folks might look down on a beard (even if not the majority) pretty much nobody looks down on being clean shaven.

Political correctness prevails over actual professionalism once again!

I don't see why a beard should be considered unprofessional by anyone unless no effort was taken to make it neat and tidy. Which is why I'm shaving my neck right now while the rest grows. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't see why a beard should be considered unprofessional by anyone unless no effort was taken to make it neat and tidy. Which is why I'm shaving my neck right now while the rest grows. ;)

If you ever interview me for a position I know I can safety keep my goatee. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yet Another Edit: I'm not saying nobody is weirded out by the policy or that you are intentionally sabotaging when trying to explain it to them. I'm just mostly musing on how we say something can make a big difference in the reaction we get. Of course most of my experiences explaining it was as a missionary so it's possible people didn't want to say anything impolite.

In my experience, when it's worded how you suggested, people typically follow it up with "So beards aren't considered respectable/professional?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's what I get out of all this...Of all the rules and restrictions placed upon missionaries....facial hair is the one people get hung up on? Really?

I had facial hair before my mission, and I grew it again after my mission. I had zero problem with being clean shaven during my mission because I accepted it as part of the image the church expects all male missionaries to follow. Of all the sacrifices I had to make to serve a mission, the facial hair was somewhere on the list between paying taxes and dealing with my little sister.

Serving a mission is about giving all of yourself to the Lord for his work. It's about learning to be selfless and gaining the ability to focus on the needs of others. I understand that our appearance is something that one person will focus on more than another, but really the whole program is about doing what the Lord wants done.

Getting distracted by 'tithes of mint, and anise, and cummin' totally wrecks the perspective the Lord is trying to give us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Prince of light.

You will never find anyone more "liberal" on dress an appearance then myself. I have a gotee, i'm giving up shaving completely for a year in November, and i have 4 extra holes in my head i wasn't born with:), I had three others but they closed up.

That being said to claim beards are not considered unprofessional anymore is a huge assumption. How many industry do you work in? How many states? And more importantly how many countries? ( this is a world wide church)

A clean shaven standard is the most efficient, because in no place (with the exception of some mid eastern countries, whom i believe wear beards as a religious conviction of Islam) is it considered unprofessional.

Yes the beard can be seen as professional but also unprofessional to others.

The clean shaven look is not. No one will ever say "Can you believe that guy had the audacity to come in here clean shaven"

Does it matter, spiritually? No

Does it matter to investigator x? It could. And since the missionaries are in the "business" of making new contacts to teach the gospel to it is probably best ,I.E. easiest, to have them have a look that is always considered professional, then one that may or may not be.

Side note, spending the last 10 years military/ military affiliated i find rules on what is acceptable facial hair to ridicules as they don't take into account the individuals face shape, ability to grow hair etc and tend to be over restricted to avoid extremes. Most i known to wear the military stache expect to look like Tom Selick but end up looking like they have dirt under their nose, and i have seen a few look like Charley Chaplin or Adolph Hitler.

This guy

Posted Image

this guy

http://ts3.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=216360497450&id=b222cce1dbf3f46e06ba3015cc5ff5ab&index=ch1

and this guy

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=242650251977&id=22798b9a28b98ae96be956b91d0ab4b7&index=ch1

might be following the same "regulations" for beard growth, not over a certain length, not shaped into a faddish fashion etc, but clearly the professional look of them varies, Can't fight genetics.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Side note, spending the last 10 years military/ military affiliated i find rules on what is acceptable facial hair to ridicules as they don't take into account the individuals face shape, ability to grow hair etc and tend to be over restricted to avoid extremes. Most i known to wear the military stache expect to look like Tom Selick but end up looking like they have dirt under their nose, and i have seen a few look like Charley Chaplin or Adolph Hitler.

I remember the days when guys in the Navy could have beards. My understanding is they banned them not only due to hygiene but to be able to get a good seal on face masks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember the days when guys in the Navy could have beards. My understanding is they banned them not only due to hygiene but to be able to get a good seal on face masks.

Yes and no. The official reason is you can't get a seal, and it would certainly be true of bushy beards. However people with shaving waivers are allowed to grow all facial hair up a 1/4 inch in length and still achieve a seal, but those without the waiver can't miss a day of shaving. So there is both safety but also conformity/ professionalism aspects as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you seen what most 19 - 20 year old males beards look like?

My gosh, I'm 54 and it takes 3 - 4 months before my beard looks decent, it could take a 19 year old his entire mission.

Posted Image

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My best friend in High School had a moustache, he could have done handlebars if he really wanted. He grew this moustache in Middle School. A few years later, still in High School, he grew a full beard.

Me, I can't grow a 'tache, so it's Brigham Beard for me. I did sport it for a while, but it and my long hair are a thing of the past. For now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted Image

Well if GOD the Father and his Son Jesus Christ have long hair and beards in their Celestial form

then why is it inappropriate for Temple workers to have long hair and beards or the missionaries?

How do you know that GOD the Father and his Son Jesus Christ didn't shave off their beards in 1929?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's important to realize that there can be more than one reason for the Church to prefer its representatives to be clean shaven. We've talked the professional image angle to death already, but I am going to point out again the flaw in PrinceofLight's logic.

The claim: beards and facial hair have become acceptable in today's professional world, therefore, our missionaries stand out because they never have facial hair.

What's wrong with this claim is that it is also widely accepted for organizations to assert control over what image they want their representatives to bear. There are very few people in the world that would even blink if someone said, "The Church requires missionaries to be clean shaven to maintain a professional and non-distracting image." Culturally, it's acceptable for an organization to make such a requirement.

So you've got two things going on here. 1) it's culturally acceptable to have a beard in a professional setting, and 2) it's culturally acceptable for a professional organization to prohibit its representatives from having beards. So I really don't understand what your issue with the policy is.

Now, keep in mind that there is more to the missionary dress code than just "professional appearance." The Church also desires a uniform missionary force--that is, a missionary force where one representative is interchangable with another representative. To some extent, the Church doesn't want missionaries to have distinct features, qualities, or characteristics. They want people to focus on the message the missionaries bring, and not on the carrier of the message.

I personally have facial hair. I prefer to have facial hair. But I went clean shaven as a missionary, and I went clean shaven when I was a temple ordinance worker. As much as I love having facial hair, and even though I like my appearance more with it than without, I wouldn't hesitate to shave it off if I was asked to be an official and formal representative of the Church.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest mormonmusic

I'm going to start wearing a robe and open-toed sandals to work here in the Southern States of America. Because God and Jesus are portrayed that way. Perfectly acceptable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think beards are becoming more common in my area. What is common is the bald/shaven heads.

I think that is except-able in the field.

I agree that we don't want to follow the crowd. The days of white shirts and ties maybe numbered because whereas in the past it gave the appearance of respectability the opposite is now taking place IMO. Car sales men, con artists, pontie system criminals come to mind. In other words white shirts and suits mean watch out!

As for the sisters, those long dress skirts, they are over board and too long.

I have come to appreciate as of late the females who wear dresses instead of pants. They look more feminine and they should be a lot cooler.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can see why no facial hair, because they are going for the clean look.

But what I don’t understand is why the sister missionaries cannot wear clothing similar to the male missionaries, only in a female cut (white button-up blouse, black women's slacks, black name tag). They can still wear the skirt to church I guess, but I'm saying while walking around in public, and riding bikes, etc.

Some say it would look too casual. But I do not think it would look too casual at all! Professional business women dress like that in the offices. And I think it would make them look more unified with the male missionaries, having the same basic color scheme in clothing and all.

Also, I was talking to my neighbor the other day, and she said she would never join the LDS church, because it was "too chauvinistic". I told her I was Mormon, and she was like,

"What? You're Mormon???"

I was like, "Yes..."

Then she said, "But... You wear pants!".

I said, "So???"

She said, "I thought Mormon women couldn't wear pants. I visited their church and all the women wore skirts. And those two missionary girls I met by Safeway-- they were wearing skirts too."

I had to explain that it was only women attending a Sunday session, and missionaries that wore skirts. But the thing is--- A LOT of people have that impression. They think we're all backward and primitive, lol. I don't really like having to explain it constantly. Besides, skirts aren't the only professional-looking clothing a woman can wear. I think a nice matching woman's suit, or (like I said) neat professional ladies slacks and a solid-colored blouse look just as sharp, clean and presentable. If not more!

Edited by Melissa569
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share