Questions about long hair, piercings, and tattoos

Question: I recently found a few questions at the back of my head: Is having long hair a sin? I am a male and have about chin-length hair. Am I in the wrong in keeping it this length, and wanting to grow it to reach my shoulders? When thinking about men and long hair, the…

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Why are we not supposed to cut the sides of our hair?

Question: Why are we not supposed to cut the sides of our hair? Answer: “You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard” (Leviticus 19:27). The word that is translated as “shaved” means to strike off with violence, and the word rendered “disfigured” in this…

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Is it a sin to shave off one’s beard?

Question: Is it a sin to shave off one’s beard? I heard an argument that God gave men beards to differentiate them from women and that they shouldn’t shave them off because that’s saying to God that He made a mistake on their faces? Answer: The problem is that the argument is not one that…

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What do the Scriptures say about dreadlocks?

Question: Hi, There is a fashion trend among black males to plait their hair or have dreadlocks like rastas. What do the Scriptures say about this? Answer: It depends on the purpose of the hairstyling. I know that the tightly curly hair among those of African descent is often difficult to manage. Dreadlocks are one…

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Was the standard for priests to have short hair and trimmed beards?

Question: I was wondering about Ezekiel 44:20, “They shall neither shave their heads nor let their hair grow long, but they shall keep their hair well-trimmed.” I was wondering: Was this a standard for the priests before this time or was this instituted later? I can’t seem to find it for the priests beforehand. But…

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Should a Christian shave his head for a dead relative?

Question: Should a Christian shave his head for a dead relative? Despite the fact that shaving the heads for the dead is forbidden in the Old Testament, should a Christian have anything to do with such practices? Thank you for your time. Answer: “You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall…

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Why were men in Jesus’ day required to have beards and not shave?

Question: Why were men in Jesus’ day required to have beards and not shave? What is the symbol of the beard? Answer: I’m not aware of any statement in the Bible indicating a requirement to wear a beard. There was an earlier question that talks about beards: Where does the Bible say facial hair is wrong? While…

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