That's like us women wearing long hair, and not having any notion of what/why we were really doing it. We just did it--that was the important thing! But how were we supposed to feel about it? Fixing it? Washing it? Taking care of it? Many of us utterly HATED our hair, and made statements that the FIRST thing we would do if we ever left the group would be to whack it off! Not that most of us carried that out! Some have tho...It seemed stupid to wear a symbol that meant nothing to anyone--not even the wearer.

Just thought of something interesting on hair. When I was about 20 the style for buns was on top of the head. After a meeting one Sunday, Andrew Drummond gathered us ladies together for a little talk and told us that buns on top of the head were worldly and we should wear them at the back of our heads. He said that you shouldn't be able to see the top of the bun from the front!!!

"Our God is WAY bigger than our hair!"

That time spent fighting with our hair was time spent "giving glory to God." At least that is what I was once told by a worker/friend when we got into a "hair debate." !!!!

Here in the states it was always frowned on when someone had bangs (fringe?)-- I guess I need to word that much stronger. Many were told they could no longer take part in meeting if they had bangs. As far as I was concerned I did want others to understand that my hair no longer represented who I was spiritually, nor did my clothing. I really wanted people to look at "who" I am & not my style of wearing my hair or clothing. Also it was such freedom to discover I could decide how I wanted to wear my hair without someone telling me how it should be. It was really scary for me too because I wondered if I'd be able to style it--I knew nothing about perms, etc. Also I hated the way my hair looked because it's really fine & just goes flat against my head. Also here in the states we were supposed to wear it up in a bun or something. I agree with you it does look nice if you have nice, thick hair--but we all don't. Our three daughters & I all got our hair cut in that first year that we left. I'm the only one who still has short hair. But they know if they decided they wanted to cut their hair tomorrow, they can. I think that's the difference -- it's our choice now.

I am just waiting for a worker to challenge me on something STUPID (for example hair) but they never have. If they did I would feel totally justified in leaving.

It came as a surprise one day when I realized those on the "outside" didn't see my long hair as "trying to live for God", they just considered it odd. I wore my hair up in a bun to church one Sun, and one of the men made the comment I looked like I was going to "such and such church". Referring to a church in our area were the women wear dresses and "buns". The majority of people in our area think this group is WAAAY out in left field. It got me to thinking, did others see me as "professing to follow Jesus", or as just weird?

One worker was speaking at convention about one young lady's unwillingness to be faithful in the matter of "bangs". She had stated that if she let her bangs grow out she would feel horrible. "I would look UGLY," she sighed. Finally, though she submitted and did grow her bangs out. The worker chuckled, "You know what? She DID look ugly!" The congregation laughed and laughed. He then continued with his talk about how faithfulness is sometimes costly. 2/97

I did NOT cut my hair to make any kind of statement to anyone.With all the family we have in the 2x2's, I would have much preferred to have kept it long... because I know that was -and probably still is- one of their first thoughts/comments every time they look at me... she just "wasn't willing." And that is so false... if the system was indeed The Truth, I would have been willing for whatever it took to comply with it. I think my life and my words carry less weight with them simply because I look so "worldly" to them.

1 Cor 11:16 "BUT if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. "This verse begins with the word "BUT." "BUT" always introduces a negative thought, that is opposed to thoughts that have been previously stated. BUT" like NOT WITHSTANDING" always refers to, and negates what went before the "BUT." What "went before" the "but?" A discussion about the propriety of men praying/prophesying with their heads covered and women praying/prophesying with their heads uncovered; honor, shame, submission, glory, etc. Paul could have said, "Even so...we don't have that for our custom," and meant the same thing. I find it interesting that the subject of head coverings while praying discussed in the foregoing verses is very clearly labeled as a CUSTOM of the times, and NOT as a DOCTRINE or COMMAND required of all believers for all time! 2/97

Does anyone know why hair is to be up, not down? I've always wondered how hair is more of a "covering" up rather than down. Also how hair is a "glory" up rather than down. My sister and I were given one explanation. We were to be Baptized. She was 18 and married. I was 19, not married. The sister worker asked to meet with us together. We both wore our hair down regularly and I'm sure it was down during this conversation. Sister worker, Hazel P, turned to my sister and said -----, this is mainly for you since you're married. We feel married women should wear their hair up. My sis asked why this was. Sister worker replied, so other men are not so attracted to you. Sis said how could this be because her husband found her more attractive with her hair up and was quite content with her wearing it down around other men. Sister worker was shocked and said she would have to check with Sydney H. on this matter. She never got back to us. 2/97

Regarding why we women were expected to wear our hair up. A brother worker told me that it was because the Bible says hair was to be a covering for the HEAD--not the BACK. (I burst out laughing! I thought he was kidding!) 2/97

Now that I'm out some folks have told me that they KNEW I was a 2x2! This surprised me because for quite some time *I* did not even know that I was a 2x2! I always thought that unless I was seen with other 2x2 lady friends no one would guess that I was anything but a regular lady with her hair in a bun. NOT!!

Oh, I'm weary just thinking about it.

My husband asked Jack Price if it would be all right for me to wear my hair down. At the time I was wearing it tied back in a low ponytail. I had just professed, my husband had not yet professed. Jack said, "Well I think her hair looks very nice just the way it is." When I asked why the friends wore their hair up... was there scripture to back this up, he replied that the word "covering" is the same word used elsewhere in the Bible to mean"folded" or maybe he said "folded up"... I can't remember for sure. Thus it would make sense and be scripturally correct to wear our hair up. He did not have a problem with mine just tied back...but then I was just a "babe". 2/97

>>>I personally wish someone would approach Jack Price about this and get the scripture references from him where "covering" meant "folded or folded up!" Even if it did, it didn't mean it in any of the verses in 1 Cor 11:1-16! I firmly believe Jack Price is mistaken--I do not find a Greek definition anywhere in Vines Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words (Greek dictionary) for "covering" which means "folded up." I DO find the following info about the words "COVER" & "COVERING:"

There is GOOD reason to believe that Paul was speaking in 1 Cor 11:1-16 about women wearing/not wearing VEILS. The single English word "covering" is used to translate THREE different Greek words found in I Cor. 11:1-16. In other words, each of these Greek words when used in this passage with their varied meanings were translated in the King James Version as the SAME English word, which is "covering." To interpret correctly, ("rightly divide the word of truth") one cannot disregard the original definitions of the Greek words used. To arrive at the true original intent of this passage, each time "cover" or a form of the word is used, one MUST be careful to give the word its correct connotation. Following are the definitions of each word from Vines Dictionary (none of which meant folded up):Verse 4: KJV: covered Greek: kata: having something down over, or down the head; Strongs #2596 ***1 Cor 11:4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head COVERED (kata - having something down over), dishonoureth his head.Verse 15: KJV: covering Greek: peribolaioin: something thrown around, suggesting a veil or mantle thrown around the body; Strongs #4018 ***1 Cor 11:15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a COVERING (peribolaioin- something thrown around, suggesting a veil or mantle thrown around the body).Verses 6, 7: KJV: covered Greek: katakalupto: to place something on, over, or in front of, so as to wholly cover or conceal; to cover up; Strongs #2619 (negative = akatakalupto, Strongs #177) ***1 Cor 11:6 For if the woman be not COVERED (katakalupto) let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be COVERED (katakalupto - to place something on, over, or in front of, so as to wholly cover or conceal). ***1 Cor 11:7 For a man indeed ought not to COVER (katakalupto - to place something on, over, or in front of, so as to wholly cover or conceal) his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.Verses 5, 13: KJV: uncovered Greek: akatakalupto: to remove something placed on, over, or in front of so as to reveal; Strongs #177 (negative of Katakalupto - Strongs # 2619) ***1 Cor 11:5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head UNCOVERED (akatakalupto-to remove something placed on, over, or in front of so as to reveal), dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. ***1 Cor 11:13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God UNCOVERED? (akatakalupto- to remove something placed on, over, or in front of so as to reveal)**********The manner of covering for men in Verse 4 is not given--when he had something down over his head. Short hair, long hair or an artificial covering would ALL hang down over a man's head. Perhaps Paul was recommending that men shave their heads, so Christ, their head or authority (Verse 3), would not be shamed or dishonored.It is plausible that Verses 4 and 5 meant that the women were removing their head coverings, while the men put theirs on ONLY DURING THE TIME they were praying or prophesying. If this were the case, the coverings could not possibly have been their hair, (since they could not very easily remove their hair when praying), and the coverings would have to have been of an artificial nature, such as a veil for women, and a hat for men. Because of the construction of these verses, Paul's could not be saying that this type behavior (1) should NEVER AT ANY TIME be enacted from that time forward, and/or (2) would ALWAYS at anytime shame or dishonor one's head.For the Corinthians, the time period when they could bring shame to their heads was limited to the time they were praying or prophesying with their physical heads covered/uncovered. Since the Corinthian residents were Romans, Jews and Greeks, all of whom had different dress customs, it seems highly probable that Paul was addressing CERTAIN men who were leaving their hats on, and CERTAIN women who were removing their veils during worship services--and not all.The Greek word for shaved (Strongs #3587) is a form of the word razor, and it means to remove with the use of a razor. In the Bible, shaving off the hair of the head (1) was a common sign of mourning, (2) marked the end of a vow, and (3) marked a prostitute in some areas. The word "shorn" is the past participle of the word "shear" (Strongs #2571) in Greek--and does NOT mean to cut, but to shear to the scalp. "Short hair" is NOT the definition for "shorn" (Strongs #2571 also) in these passages; short hair wasn't even mentioned, and was very likely not a hairstyle women used at that time.If we knew what Paul really meant by the term uncovered (akatkalupto) in Verse 6, we'd have the key to this whole mystery. The reason the word "uncovered" was ever interpreted by some to be long hair was because of the wording in Verse 15, which states, "FOR her hair is given her FOR a covering." HOWEVER, the original Greek translation of this verse is "BECAUSE her hair is given her INSTEAD of a covering." This is the verse where the Greek word for "covering" was peribolaion, and meant something thrown around, suggesting a veil. One thing (hair) was given in the stead or place of another thing (covering/veil). This makes it plain that long hair and covering are two entirely DIFFERENT objects, and not one and the same thing.The word "covering" (peribolaion) in verse 15, is a different Greek word from every other time the word "covering" has been used in this passage. It is something literally thrown around; suggesting a veil or mantle thrown round the body. Hair is not usually thrown around, and certainly hair put UP on a woman's head in a bun, could not be thrown around! It also makes sense when the word "veil" is substituted in place of covering in Verses 5, 6, 7, and 13. In my opinion, the most likely conclusion is that "veil" is the meaning of "covering."According to Romans 14:20 the head covering itself was not a BAD thing--it was pure. The connotation attached to it by men's culture is what would make it seem impure. Perhaps Paul's intent was to forbid ANY DELIBERATE behavior with the intent to dishonor, shame, embarrass, defy, or disappoint another. Behavior with the intent to shame, discredit, or dishonor errs first of all in the heart, before it vents in unbecoming behavior. Maybe the Corinthian women had a wrong spirit, and were displaying their defiance by removing their veils in their worshipmeetings.The desire of Paul's heart seems to be that the worship service inCorinth be done decently and in order...without offense..and to the glory of God, which are the very points he had just made in the previous chapter, II Cor 10:31-33. The head of the husband is Christ, the head of the wife is the man and each should act in such a way so that neither dishonored their head in their worship and culture.By the choice of his words in Vs 16, "we and the churches of God have no such custom," Paul has limited his instructions specifically to the Corinthians ONLY. Apparently, Paul saw the matter of women's head coverings (veils) as a cultural expression and not as a divine principle. Paul even states this is NOT the custom of the other churches.Even so, long hair continues to be binding on all professing women in "the truth." Descriptions of what happened in the early church were examples that we MAY follow, NOT that we MUST follow. Was it God's intent that particular instructions for particular action for particular people constitute a divine norm for conduct for the later church? Is something commanded--just because it is recorded? NO!! And this passage is NOT one of those where Paul stated "the things I write are commandments of the Lord," as he did in I Cor 14:37.All essential doctrinal teachings of the scripture are confirmed by two or more passages. There is no other mention in scripture about women's head coverings. Probably because it mattered not at all. A worker once told my mother that he wished more had been said on this matter in the Bible! Hello??!! Wake up!! It was for GOOD reason that "more" wasn't said--it's because the length of professing women's hair is of no significance whatsoever to God!NOTE: The Greek language uses the same word for wives as for women. They do not have two separate words, as does the English language, likewise for men/husbands. The translators of the King James Version decided by context where to use the word women and wives. However, it is possible that the entire passage in I Corinthians 11:1-16 was intended to be limited to only husbands and wives even though it uses the words men and women. <<< 3/97

Thanks for your very good dissertation on hair. As in so many of the rules, this too seems to have evolved from using the bible as a telephone book, just picking a verse here & there to support an extemporaneous rule developed who-knows-when by William Irvine, George Walker or others. Now they are left with merely "hair splitting" (sorry couldn't help that) as people develop greater knowledge of the language, terminology and overall messages delivered down through the bible and its antecedent scriptures. 3/97

I checked four translations of the bible and found only the ASV
to speak of the covering as a veil. In the early 40s I used
the Goodspeed translation and it also called the "covering" a
veil. Dr. Goodspeed was considered the foremost, or close, to
the most knowledgeable of the Greek language translations at
the time (1930s). Consequently I had no trouble with this
passage of scripture. This also points up the problem of the
workers not approving of any translation other than the KJV.
There are other places where they get into trouble this way.  
3/97  

Figured I might as well add my two cents worth here. We had one sister worker in Indiana who used to feel that a woman should never pray unless her hair was up on her head. Therefore if you took your hair down to go to bed at night & prayed afterwards; in her opinion that was wrong. You were praying with your head uncovered! Consequently if you prayed upon awakening in the morning & your hair wasn't up or fell down during the night--she had a problem with that too. It wasn't something she announced in meeting but she told a friend of mine that. The friend disagreed but I don't know if she told the sister worker.When we met with Barry Barkley & three other workers when we had many, many questions; I asked about scripture for women wearing their hair up. Barry mentioned that he 'thought' there was a place mentioned in Leviticus about a woman who wore her hair up. I felt that was pretty vague for the iron-clad rules at meeting that we women endured. Also when we discussed women havingor not having long hair he mentioned that Mary dried Jesus' feet with her hair, which probably meant that she had long hair. I pointed out that my husband could dry someone's feet with HIS hair as his hair is thick; that sure didn't indicate the length of her hair. 3/97

As we have come to understand the saving grace of God, we can see that He does not look at hair length in deciding whether He will accept Jesus Christ's death on the Cross as our substitutionary sacrifice for our sins. 2/97

In the 80's in the States, the turn-of-the-century look of long skirts and hair up with wispy twirls at the temple was VERY MUCH in style by all... I remember thinking at convention, then, that most of the younger women in the group fit in very well outwardly with the look of "the world"... we didn't hear any sermon during those years about the importance of being "set apart" and "different" from the world, either! 3/97

I would have settled for shoulder length and bangs! That would have been great. I trimmed my bangs and blended them in but I soon had a "worker visit."

Yes, buns or French rolls *CAN* look quite chic etc. but I've seen my fair share of scraggly ones! Take a closer look. Usually those with a "chic and elegant" upsweep have a very pretty face. If you take someone who is very ordinary looking or not so pretty looking and add a pulled back hairdo (a bun type style) the person's features are even more severe. Soft curls around the face soften the look and IMHO make most women look much better!

Early in my professing years the topic of hair came up and a sister worker said that cutting little pieces of one's hair was just a sign of little bits of unwillingness.

>>______ said: "It came as a surprise one day when I realized those on the "outside" didn't see my long hair as "trying to live for God", they just considered it odd. I wore my hair up in a bun to church one Sun, and one of the men made the comment I looked like I was going to "such and such church". Referring to a church in our area were the women wear dresses and "buns". The majority of people in our area think this group is WAAAY out in left field. It got me to thinking, did others see me as "professing to follow Jesus", or as just weird? What do you think?" _____: One of my neighbors thought I was a Minonite. When I told an "outsider" why I had worn my hair in a bun for all those years she told me that she had thought I was sort of a flower-child! When I mentioned that to a cousin of mine (who knew I was in some sort of a church) she laughed and said: "Ya, like an old hippy!" Yes, "weird" that's a good word here, _____. That pretty well fits I think. And why not expand that to: dated, old fashioned, "Simply has no style" "looks old" "has let herself go" "seems so prim and propper" etc. Combing, combing and forever trying to get those ends up! What an ordeal! I spend much less time on my hair these days--although I must admit MUCH more money! But I can afford it! I saved on perms and haircuts for 14 years so I have all that money in the bank! As far as people seeing "Jesus/God in me" because of my hair--not a chance! They saw a religious looking lady whom, if you asked her about her church, she invited them to some meeting and sure enough they usually dropped the subject!

I have also asked a worker about hair and specifically the verse: "But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God." And also that verse about "even nature itself...." The worker gave me an answer that seemed learned but I really couldn't follow him. I ended up saying nothing and thinking to myself "Well, he MUST know what he's talking about." I was no further ahead as to why women had to wear long hair though! I just kept on keeping on for another few years of blind following. 3/97

Being from a "divided home" I always had access to a TV while professing. Any time I'd see a TV show like "Little House On The Prairie" or a western {anything with turn-of-the-century clothes} I'd always pay attention to the women's hair. I was ALWAYS trying to figure out a better way to do my hair. I used to comment to my husband how difficult some of those "dos" were to do! The ones on the TV shows, I mean. I'd often see the women out beside the chuck wagon cooking up the grub for the wagon train and there, low and behold, was the puffiest, most difficult to do hair style! Kinda griped me! I can sure laugh about it now though!I love my short hair! I spend a LOT less time on it now! I was forever re-combing that big mop as the short ends would always be flying around. Could never just run to the mall. Always had to fix my "mess" before I could go! 6/97

Well I was told that whenever a woman goes through a big change in her
life she will cut her hair!!  I kept my long hair until after I was
married.  The day before I was to be married I had a spiral perm.  I
just needed to be different. I am sure you can understand that.  I had
stopped wearing my hair up a long time before that though.  Unless it
was a special occasion I didn't put my hair up.  I just got too many
headaches from the pins.  I only ever did the basic bun or a braided
bun.  I never got into all the elaborate stuff that I saw others do but
I was fascinated by how they could do it and how much time it took them
to do it.  Of course the competition for the best hairstyle never escaped
me.  The young girls would sometimes primp the whole time between
meetings at convention. Ha!!  I think that if I had a favorite hairstyle
while I professed it was the basic french twist.  It is beautiful if
done right.  I also have very slick hair and it was hard to keep the
pins in also.  I just recently cut my hair myself because it was getting
too long.  I am not sure I can separate long hair from the church.  I
guess I still feel a little rebellious and it is the one thing I have
some control over. :)

Well that's the long and short of it for me!!     6/97 

Some "hair raising" memories:

1. I remember that my mother (bless her heart) was and still is, quite a genius 
when it comes to braiding hair.  She could make all of the braids:  french, 
english, inverted, "fishbone", and braid a crown around the top of my head.  
When I was 10 or 12 I would be quite proud of myself at convention because I 
had hairstyles that none of the other girls mothers could do.    Doesn't the 
Bible talk about women not plaiting their hair?

2. When I was a teenager growing up, I remember that a lot of the girls started 
to experiment with curlers.  They also trimmed their bangs, but it was kind of 
pointless because they always would "hair spray them back".  Another thing that 
shocked me is when I lived in Calgary during the summer of 1995 and was 
surprised at all of the girls at convention who had perm!  This was/is totally 
unacceptable to the workers in the east.

3. Mostly, I am really glad to be rid of my "ridiculous puffy hairdo".  All of 
the 2x2 girls, especially the younger ones, and the teenagers, right up into 
their 20's, wear their hair back in one barrette, with the rest of it hanging 
down their back.  This style is "patented" as it appears in every place there 
are young 2x2 girls.  It was the most unflattering, foolish looking "do" that I 
could wear.  It labeled me.  There is an unwritten rule that if you are going 
to wear your hair "long" (meaning, not braided or in a bun) that it must not be 
free-flowing, but the front must be "tied back".  Were their barrettes in the 
Bible, I think not.  This is just another example of 2x2 tradition.

I am so glad that I can be free now to wear my hair as I please, in a way that 
is actually flattering.  I am more thankful that the length of my hair does not 
in no way determine whether I will be saved or not.  Praise God for his 
deliverance.  6/97

Well, I will get in on the hair raising topic too. :-).

In Australia, there are actually quite a variety of hairdos apart from
the staple diet of buns. (How is that for a pun??)


Yep, braids, french braids, crown braids, fishbone, french twists, etc.
 A very popular one with younger ladies is a clasp on the top of the head
to hold the front hair, with the rest tied (knotted, folded or rolled )
together at the base of the neck with a scarf.

Scarves are also very popular with french braids!  A real trend these
days.

I don't think I really need to explain the obvious things about the
problems with buns??  All of us females who wore them for years know that
nearly every day is a BAD HAIR DAY!  (Didn't you just hate it when your
hair wouldn't stay together in some places and stuck up in lumps in other
places???)  Wouldn't it be interesting to add up all the hours we used to
spend in front of the mirror before meetings, and compare it to how long
it takes us before church now???

Hmmm... I wonder if this is really what the workers think of as time
profitably spent....  7/97

It seems like a woman's hair is her curse, instead of her glory, for those
in the 2x2s. I know several women who curse every time they try to do their
hair- having to pull it down and start again several times before they get
it right. Not too nice to be around when they are swearing about it. Paul
says true beauty comes from within (1 Peter 3:4). Who are they really
cursing? God who they believe expects them to wear it like that, the workers
who make the rules, or themselves?  When I got my hair cut I couldn't
believe the freedom. I came home and said, I'm free, I'm free, praise God,
I'm free!! What freedom we have in Christ.  7/97  

I've been getting a real kick out of reading all you girls comments about
hair.  When I was a teenager I had 30 (yes thirty) different ways I could
wear my hair!  I had a real "thing" about my hair.  I guess it was the only
way I could be creative with my looks!   7/97  

One sister worker spoke about women's hair, she told how hard it is for some
or all women to handle their hair.   That there were days when she wished she
could cut it all off.   I appreciated her honesty.   There were quite a few
nods of the heads from the women when she was speaking. 7/97 

I remember as a child having to get up in the morning before school and help
my mom comb her hair.   She had bursitis in her shoulders, and it was really
painful combing her hair.   The style for the women then was the hair rolled
up and pinned down at the nape of the neck.   My dad even helped some
mornings get her hair rolled up.

Eventually, after some coaching from my sister and me, we encourage Mom to
get a new hairdo.  I worked with it some to see what we could come up with,
but since she couldn't comb her own hair, and I couldn't be around all the
time to comb it for her, we looked into finding a place to do it for her.

Now, keep in mind, back then, thirty years ago, the words "Hair Salon, Beauty
Parlor" were places where women shouldn't go.  They were where the worldly
women went to get their hair permed, colored, etc.    It was okay always for
the men to go to the barber shop, but a hair place for women, not on your
life!

My mom found a place that specialized in long hair, made an appointment to
get her hair done, and they did such a good job, she's been going to the same
lady now all these years.    It is quite comical because now there are
approximately 15 women in my mom's area that go to the "beauty parlor" to get
their hair done also.   Most of them go to the place where Mom goes.   In
fact, Rose Mooney, Howard's older worker sister was going there once a week
to get her hair washed and combed.  Of course, it was combed into her worker
style, but just the same, she was at the "beauty parlor".

Harry Brownlee often commented about Mom's hair, how he thought that more
women should go that route.   He hated to see the women looking so old
fashioned, when they could look much nicer.   Amen, brother!!!!!7/97 

My one worker aunt has always cut her
hair, she is 87 years old, has maybe a strand or two of gray, the rest still
dark brown hair, so thick that she has to cut a bunch off every now and then
so she can comb it into a bun. 7/97  

On the subject of hair, I remember being at Seneca, Illinois Convention and a
brother worker came up to me and demanded that I tell my professing friend,
who had decided to wear her hair down for most of the convention, that what
she was doing was really wrong and that she needed to put her hair up right
away!  Lucky for me I was beginning to go through my rebellious stage and I
told him that it wasn't any of my business how she wore her hair and I didn't
intend to tell anyone how to wear their hair!  He walked away mumbling
something about someone was going to have to tell her she was wrong!  Who was
he to judge?  7/97  

We were quite interested in the fact that girls and young women IN the meetings in Ireland when we were there a few years ago had long hair - but the style was NOT in a bun! What gives? Many had that beautiful long red hair. They even prayed with it down. They even gave "testimonies" in the meetings without their hair "up." They couldn't do that in Iowa at that same time. This was in Dublin.

>>In Ireland, many young professing girls do not wear their hair in a bun. However, cutting and styling hair - even afringe (bangs), seem to be regarded as serious offenses. Apparently, a worker recently challenged some young professing girls in Dublin re. this issue. The rule she tried to impose was that hair must be in a bun from age 16.The girls asked for scripture to support this, and refused to comply when none was produced. 9/97<<

I've been thinking about how much time and effort the ladies from meeting
spend on their hair lately. The hours they spend before they go out the door.
I was just kind of chuckling to myself that I spend much less time on my
hair, makeup and dressing than most of those ladies do -- yet I'm the one
considered vain and worldly and proud!! Kind of ironic isn't it? 9/97 

I can remember coming up with some of the most hilarious concoctions trying to make it look like it was short. Some women look o.k. with long hair slicked into abun but others of us do not have the right shape to our heads to look good. I hated my hair for so many years and was really looked down on for years because I cut little curls at the side of my face. Really gripes me now that many of my relatives can cut the whole top part of their hair and it seems tobe o.k. And it really used to tick me off that the women that got their hair slicked back into the hardest, tightest little knots truly thought they were superior. YUK,YUK,YUK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And after I didn't go to meeting anymore, I remember my Mom saying she saw such and such at convention or special meeting and commenting on how lovely they fixed their long hair, hoping I would listen. Let me count the ways of gratefulness that I don't have to fit that stupid mold anymore. YEA! These are my hair thoughts and if I had more time, I could certainly add to my list of "bun" disgust. 10/97

I hated having to have my hair long. I never cut my hair until I was in my late 20's! It was terrible because you had split hairs...snarls...and difficult to keep up with. I guess in the long run I just don't believe by having your hair long you are saved! Surely it is the spirit within that counts...not the outward appearance. Although I was always told if your outward appearance looked "right" then the inward spirit would be okay. Wrong!!!! It just doesn't work that way. When my husband and I were out from time to time we would see an individual with a bun on their head and he would remark that they must be in "truth" since the individual had her hair up. He always commented that it didn't seem right that the men did not have to appear "different" but the women had to appear "plain and simple." I have to say I agree with him. Best wishes, 10/97

The worst time for me and hair was convention time.  My mother always put up
my hair because I had absolutely no knack for that sort of thing.  Convention
in August in the Midwest was a nightmare for hair.  The heat and humidity
destroying any hairstyle by lunch.  We would sneak in hair dryers, but then
get caught because we would blow circuit breakers and the sister workers
would come up and
"police" the barracks so no one used a hairdryer.  One of my friends brought
a curling iron (I don't know why we bothered because no curl would stay in
the heat and humidity) and a sister worker found it.  She ranted and raved
about vanity and tried to get us to tell her who it belonged to.  Well, since
we had all used it, we couldn't very well turn in the one who had brought it.
 A different person would try to put up my hair everyday and I looked a
sight.  We were always very jealous of the ones who could look cool and
completely put together without a hair out of place during the entire
convention.  Also had to be careful not to poof the hair too much or that
would also be a worldly trait.  I still hate my hair to this day! 10/97   

I hated my hair then, and at 48 I hate my hair now! It has always been very fine, it was hard to put up, and there was not enough of it to make a "bun" look nice. That problem STILL exists....chopping it off didn't help, so I can't really fault the 2x2ers in this matter! I was never "unwilling" to put my hair up, that wasn't a problem for me, it just never "looked" good! So for me, the 2x2 legalistic religion was NOT a problem with regard to my hair. 10/97

My wife recently took some photos of some professing female relatives and then commented on how un-feminine the pictures were. In looking at them I had to agree. So long hair certainly isn't a femininity issue. 10/97

I think I found out about the hair thing the hard way.  I had not been
raised in "truth" and most of the people I saw at gospel meetings were
older than I.  After I professed, I was going to my first gospel meeting
with my husband -to-be and he came right out and told me that I needed
to pull my hair back in a barrette.  I still remember the sickening feeling
I had.  It was hard enough with the dress thing... and now that.

I have naturally curly hair and I used to roll it so it didn't stick out
all over.  then I found out that that wasn't accepted either.  I also hated
it when wisps of my hair would curl out around my ears and a relative of
my then husband would tuck them back behind my ear like I had done it on
purpose.

For many of us, wearing the hair back or up wasn't the most attractive
thing in the world for our looks.  I still recall with pain when a student
, who had seen my picture in a college yearbook, remarked to me (I was 22
at the time) : "You were pretty then"   10/97  

When I professed I had long hair.  I was introduced to the basic bun.
When I came to Alaska I felt like I had been dropped into a fashion
show.  I had never seen such elaborate hairstyles in my life.  I later
found out that some used false hair sponges to give their hair something
to pin to.  I even saw some of the sister workers use these.  I was
shocked by this because we weren't allowed to perm or dye our hair or
for that matter cut it and yet these people were using falsies?!! :)
Oh yeah,  how many of you had a bald spot from using those pins?  I
stopped wearing my hair up when I saw this happening.  I also got such
awful headaches.

You weren't supposed to be conceited but I think a lot of us were if our
hair went up right.  What a relief! (Whew!) Soon barrettes of every
color showed up on the seen and of course lets not forget combs.  Those
combs could give lift to our hair.

My hair personally was so slick and fine it was very hard to keep it up
without industrial strength hair spray!!  Does "Aquanet" strike fear into
anyone?!!  I tried to avoid that one.  I often had to put my hair up wet
because it would not go up otherwise.

I also was amazed at those women that never took their hair down the
entire convention!  They used some sort of net over it.  I could never
do that.  I would look like a scarecrow in the morning.  Besides who
wants to sleep in hair pins!  YUK!!

Well this is my .02 cents on the issue.  10/97

When I was young, there was a newly professing family that we got to know. ________’s brothers were against "truth" and very confused at the new lifestyle. When this family got a new station wagon so they could pick up other people to go to meeting, _______’s brother's referred to it as "THE BUN WAGON!" 10/97

I didn’t mind leaving my make-up behind. (I professed as an "outsider.") But the hair bit! I did not look good with my hair up and away from my face and I did not feel pretty at all that way. When I attended "worldly" functions with my husband I felt like a misfit. Really, the only place a professing woman feels comfortable regarding hair is at convention—and THEN only if she manages to get her hair looking "right."

I much prefer my short hair now. I spend a lot less time on it and I feel much better about myself.

Did I leave the "Truth" because of my hair? ABSOLUTELY NOT! 10/97