Long Hair

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31109, 12 July 1966, Page 16

Long Hair

Sir,—ln the article on long hair in Saturday’s edition, Dr. J. L. Moffat makes the statement that Jesus had long hair.

It is a historical fact that neither Jewish nor Roman men wore long hair in those days. One exception were the Nazarites (Samson was one) who were made conspicuous by their long hair. Our Lord could not have been conspicuous by having long hair as He was able to pass through a crowd unnoticed and had to be betrayed by Judas’s kiss. Christ warned us of the dangers of deception (Matthew 24: 4) and Paul told us to prove all things (II Thessalonians 5: 21). Surely we can accept a statement of unquestioned authority in I Corinthians 11: 14: “Doth not even nature itself teach you that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” The common human conception of Christ in paintings, etc., is not substantiated by Scripture.—Yours, etc., NICODEMUS. July 9, 1966. Sir, —In your article on long hair Dr. J. L. Moffat states that many more great kings, generals, and statesmen had long hair than short. Dr. Moffat might do well to reflect that in periods of greatest advance in the world’s thinking men wore their hair short. Greek philsosophy, Roman law, Italian and German humanism of the Renaissance and Reformation, the great scientific advances of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries were made possible by men with short hair. We have portraits of many of them. Dr. Moffat quotes Christ as the example par excellence of a man with long hair. It is probable that Christ wore long hair; but is there an actual portrait, either in paint or in words, to prove it?— Yours, etc., Barbarossa. July 11, 1966.

Sir,—The English heritage for long has been the Bible and Shakespeare. The volumes were kept on the front-room table, often illustrated. Long hair was not the prerogative of women only. The age of romance cultivated long locks. When round heads went contrary to fashion it may have been revolt of a kind. But Rosalind in tights has been a school emblem for girls’ classes. Now we see them everywhere. All Christchurch is a stage. We oldsters may enjoy the spectacle. Even the rather obese are comic, enlivening figures. The long shining clean hair of boys and girls is healthy as long as it is brushed and not reeking with gums or perfumes. Is the heart of adventure lurking to discover deeper values? —Yours, etc., NOT SUPERFICIAL. July 9, 1966. '