Why are we encouraged to shave our beards as a mormon?

[Guest MormonGator]

9 hours ago, Zarahemla said:

I just shaved tonight for church tomorrow and the smooth face feels great.

I haven't shaved in years. Last time i did I looked like I was 14. It was hideous. I trim it from time to time, but even that is rare. I like the scraggly look on me. 

[Ironhold]

On 9/18/2016 at 0:00 AM, Anddenex said:

Copperas Cove eh, how long have you lived in Copperas Cove? I would be curious if you were living there in 1996?

Yep.

[Traveler]

 

I believe we often ask ourselves the wrong question.  Many times (almost always) a wrong question to self is – “What is wrong with _______?”  And you can fill in the blank.  Many years ago – in my youth I competed in a couple of sports – in particular I competed in skiing (giant solemn) and cycling.  Don’t get excited – I was never very good.  But from time to time I would seek out the advice of a coach.  Let’s use the example of skiing.  Coming into a turn my coach would tell me that I am leaning too far back on my skis for the turn.  It is not that leaning back is bad.  In fact leaning back gives one more speed and that is what we are trying to accomplish competing in the giant solemn.   But leaning forward gives more control and at the particular point of the turn I needed more control and that by maintaining control in the turn it would increase my time.  The idea is that by some few small corrections I could increase my time and compete better – by avoiding the hazard of losing control and having to set my edges harder in the next turn and falling behind.

Some may say the advice of my coach was flawed – I might look better doing something else or I might ever be faster at that particular point of the course.  But my coach saw a much bigger picture and realized that it was the whole race and not a particular turn that I was skiing to win.  In some races we can and should lean more towards the back in order to win.  The advice of our coach is that to be our best and to come out a head – we should be clean shaven.  We may not see any correlation because many saints were not clean shaven.  But our coach and given the advice that we should.  I realize that his is a general statement to priesthood brethren and that there can be some minority odd exceptions.  But for me – I have found that it is silly to seek out a coach and then to not try his advice.  And my experience was that I never have had an exception where I did as my coach advised and things turned out the worse for it.

 

The Traveler

Edited September 19, 2016 by Traveler

[Anddenex]

10 hours ago, Ironhold said:

Yep.

Then our lives would have possibly crossed paths. I served in Copperas Cove for 5 months, February to June 1996 (CC 2nd Ward)

[Guest]

Is habitually wearing a five o' clock shadow keeping the letter, but not the spirit, of the suggestion against beards?  Just curious, not that I would participate in such unworthy and wicked behavior, of course... (joking)

Edited September 19, 2016 by DoctorLemon

[mirkwood]

I had a bishop with a beard.  Post retirement I will wear a beard whenever I darn well feel like it...no matter what calling may be extended to me. @zil feel free to tattle on me to the stake president.

Edited September 19, 2016 by mirkwood

[Iggy]

My sisters had not only a Bishop with a beautiful, white Santa Clause type beard, but also their Patriarch and Stake President had beards. Stake Presidents beard was the same as his wonderful Ginger Red head hair. The Patriarchs was steel grey.

I miss the section in the Ensign called: I have a question. I would love to ask when and by whom did this No Beard policy come into effect???? It is lame, stooopid, and the only beard policy should be: Men only, kept clean and neatly trimmed.

[zil]

9 minutes ago, Iggy said:

the only beard policy should be: Men only

Sexist!

[Iggy]

27 minutes ago, zil said:

Sexist!

Not really, the odd looks I get from people when I fail to shave off the splotches of fine, white *whiskers* makes me say MEN only, and for heavens sake, keep it clean and trimmed nicely.

BTW I am a 64 yo female.

[Ironhold]

10 hours ago, Anddenex said:

Then our lives would have possibly crossed paths. I served in Copperas Cove for 5 months, February to June 1996 (CC 2nd Ward)

Cove I. 

[Traveler]

When we say we “FOLLOW” the prophet – which is more important – his words or his example?

Some may interpret words differently but it is hard to screw up an example.  Growing up my father would say – “I will never criticize you for doing anything you see me do.” 

I understand that there are commandments – I also realize and intend that I should not be commanded in every little detail.  There was a time in my life that I had facial hair but at this point of my life I choose not to.  If there is even a very small remote chance that following the example of the prophets that is virtuous, lovely or of good report – I will follow after such things.  Not to be better than anyone else – it is just that I find comfort in the spirit and I need every bit of advantage, or help I can get.  And the more I look as the brethren do: the less I am expected to act contrary to their example and for me the more I think I portray their “look” the less I seem tempted to do other, more questionable, things.

 

The Traveler

[Sunday21]

I think of the apostles arguing about which one of them would be the most important in the next life. The apostles must have changed a lot in order to be the 11 men on whom the Lord trusted to maintain his church. We all have to give up a lot before God is done with us. Where is my coffee? 

 

 

 

[Traveler]

12 hours ago, Sunday21 said:

I think of the apostles arguing about which one of them would be the most important in the next life. The apostles must have changed a lot in order to be the 11 men on whom the Lord trusted to maintain his church. We all have to give up a lot before God is done with us. Where is my coffee? 

One question that remains is - what are we willing to give up (sacrifice) on our own and what do we hang on to while we are able?

 

The Traveler

[spamlds]

I live in a big college town and lots of our members are young student families.  Beards are common in the academic world.  A bunch of our members are professors or retired academics and many of them sport beards.  The young students tend to adopt the look, either because of the present hipster fashion (along with fade haircuts and man-buns), or to appear older and more mature than they are.

A beard tends to make a man look older.  That's fine when you're 20-something and want to look like you're 30-something.  I've worn beards occasionally, but as I've grown older, it comes in gray and white.  I'd rather not add ten years to my 57 years and look like I'm 67!  

Edited September 21, 2016 by spamlds
typo

[dahlia]

On 9/16/2016 at 0:12 AM, MrShorty said:

Overall gut feel -- the encouragement to shave is rooted in mid-20th century culture and fashion that believed that clean shaven people were somehow more upstanding and easier to trust and such.

Unless you are an academic, in which case a beard gives you cred. I'm on a Big 10 campus; men in my ward have beards, some all the time, some at times. No biggie.

[Just_A_Guy]

Just_A_Girl and I have an arrangement.  I can grow out my beard whenever I want.  She can decline to kiss me whenever she wants.

One almost wonders if there's a historical link between the end of polygamy and the decline of beards in Mormondom? ?

[Guest]

I enjoy wearing a full beard but no moustache... totally Abraham Lincoln.  Or Wilford Woodruff.

Edited October 8, 2016 by DoctorLemon

[Guest MormonGator]

1 hour ago, Just_A_Guy said:

Just_A_Girl and I have an arrangement.  I can grow out my beard whenever I want.  She can decline to kiss me whenever she wants.

One almost wonders if there's a historical link between the end of polygamy and the decline of beards in Mormondom? ?

 In our house it's the opposite. The few, few times I shave LadyGator says almost immediately "So, growing it back soon, huh? Like, now, huh? Like, immediately, huh?" 

[askandanswer]

On 10/8/2016 at 1:43 PM, MormonGator said:

 

Edited October 16, 2016 by askandanswer

[NeuroTypical]

Just thinking back, nobody has ever encouraged me to shave my goatee, ever.  

[Guest MormonGator]

7 hours ago, NeuroTypical said:

Just thinking back, nobody has ever encouraged me to shave my goatee, ever.  

 Shave your goatee. You look unkempt and are a disgrace to all priesthood holders. For shame @NeuroTypical!!! 

[Sunday21]

On 2016-09-19 at 5:38 PM, Iggy said:

My sisters had not only a Bishop with a beautiful, white Santa Clause type beard, but also their Patriarch and Stake President had beards. Stake Presidents beard was the same as his wonderful Ginger Red head hair. The Patriarchs was steel grey.

I miss the section in the Ensign called: I have a question. I would love to ask when and by whom did this No Beard policy come into effect???? It is lame, stooopid, and the only beard policy should be: Men only, kept clean and neatly trimmed.

You could try asking 'ask gramps'. Always worth a try!

[NeuroTypical]

59 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

 Shave your goatee. You look unkempt and are a disgrace to all priesthood holders. For shame @NeuroTypical!!! 

Disagree.  It's the fake hair that makes me look unkempt.  The goatee is a shining example of how to do it.

 

True fact: On my mission(1), my countenance shined so brightly, the mission president (2) asked me to grow the thing in order to "tone it down a bit" (3).  

 

 

(1) I didn't go on a mission.
(2) Never had a mission prez.
(3) Nobody ever told me this. 

Edited October 17, 2016 by NeuroTypical

[Guest MormonGator]

6 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

Disagree.  Proof:

  Blasphemy!!!

[Blackmarch]

On September 15, 2016 at 5:16 PM, curious_mormon said:

As a BYU student, why are beards not allowed on school campus? It's on the HONOR CODE. And, as missionaries, they are not allowed to have facial hair too. To me, this is something new. Why is it prohibited when living under the Honor Code or as a missionary? I mean....it's a natural thing to have facial hair when you are a growing man...

Do beards make us look evil or something?

Brigham Young had a very long beard. and the 1800's prophets had long beards too. 

Its related to what is generally considered clean or respectful within US culture, probably started around the world wars era. No there is nothing inherently right or wrong about a beard. However the view on it culturally seems to be shifting again. ( seeing lots more beards than I used to over the years).