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For years, Brigham Young University and the LDS Church have banned beards. BYU students who grow beards may not take tests, or attend classes. LDS men who grow beards may not work in LDS temples or be Bishops. LDS men who grow beards may not be employed by the church. LDS missionaries who grow a beard will be sent home.
The policy has never been explained. Yet, many of the most revered figures in Mormonism are bearded. Brigham Young, Jesus Christ, and many others are celebrated and depicted with full beard.
It is time to let our voices be heard. Bring back the beard!
If you agree, leave a comment!
I agree, the policy is strange, and seems to place an inexplicably high value on distinguishing ourselves from a largely dead subculture movement. I did have a Bishop with a beard when I lived in MD in 05-08, so I'm not sure that is a rule. Or if it is, perhaps it is being relaxed. I'm a clerk in my stake presidency and even got to hang around with a GA a few weeks ago for stake conference, and not a word about my beard or long hair, so maybe there's hope.
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ReplyDeleteJesus had a beard and so did Brigham Young? Wow. So why don't we bring back animal sacrifice (practiced at the time of Christ) and multiple wives ( practiced in President young's day)? Seems like you are picking and choosing which things you want ended and which you want to bring back.
ReplyDelete"Seems like you are picking and choosing which things you want ended and which you want to bring back."
ReplyDeleteJim, you have correctly identified the purpose of an advocacy blog!
Its like dentistry, things come and go, hopefully we keep the good stuff, get rid of the bad. sometimes the baby goes out with the bathwater, and its time to bring it back.
I love how the images of Brigham Young on BYU campus are beardless but long haired. They still do not reflect the proper standards of the dress and grooming code. Brigham Young would be banned from the testing center!
ReplyDeleteAs a long-haired bearded Mormon I'm totally on board. To make this blog truly awesome you need to get more images of bearded Mormons past and present. Consider soliciting pics from active bearded Mormons. Also, consider changing your background to something that incorporates images of bearded prophets other than just BY.
ReplyDelete@Jim - You gotta be kidding me right? There are actual canonized statements regarding the ending of live animal sacrifice (Jesus to the Nephites in 3 Ne.) and polygamy (official declaration 1). Honor code proscriptions come nowhere close to these. Besides, as president of BYU D.H. Oaks explicitly stated that the no-beard rule was not some kind of eternal truth and would be up for change in the future.
@Family - The only image I know of at BYU that depicts BY beardless is the statue in front of the ASB. Granted this is the most visible and therefore most well known. If you have the chance, go have a look at the very fully-bearded bust of BY in the lobby of the Maeser building
There are hundreds of LDS guys like me currently growing their beards out for callbacks for the New Testament project the Church is filming soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for visiting my site!
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of the site is to get people talking about the issue, and I'm glad you are.
-Dude
"The worst sinners, according to Jesus, are not the harlots and publicans, but the religious leaders with their insistence on proper dress and grooming, their careful observance of all the rules, their precious concern for status symbols, their strict legality, their pious patriotism... the haircut becomes the test of virtue in a world where Satan deceives and rules by appearances.” Hugh Nibley
ReplyDeleteThis pretty much makes sense to me my friends. Especially that last part:
"the haircut becomes the test of virtue in a world where Satan deceives and rules by appearances.” Hugh Nibley
new to the blog. bearded man. mormon, son of a bearded man.
ReplyDeletethanks for this "important" work you are doing.
; )
bring on the beards
ReplyDeletePretty obvious the beard thing is one of those church "cultural" things only. My beard is back for the New Testament filming this summer, a pic is here at this link (too bad I can't post the image directly here)
ReplyDeletehttp://atkinsons.tumblr.com/post/4442531599/the-beard-is-back