In the Rastafarian faith, long locs are meant to mirror the mane of their leader — the lion — as physical proof of their devotion. For Hindus and Buddhists, long hair can represent beauty and (perhaps dangerous) sexuality — and cutting or shaving it off is surrendering worldly gifts to fully concentrate on the eternal.
What religions prevent you from cutting your hair? Religions such as Orthodox Judaism, Rastafarianism, and Sikhism all prohibit haircuts, the removal of facial hair, or a combination of the two due to beliefs that hair is sacred or a gift from God.
A: Apostolic Pentecostals are the strictest of all the Pentecostal groups, according to Synan. Like most Pentecostals, they do not use alcohol or tobacco. They generally don't watch TV or movies either. Women who are Apostolic Pentecostals also wear long dresses, and they don't cut their hair or wear makeup.
In Sikhism, kesh (sometimes kes) (Gurmukhi: ਕੇਸ) is the practice of allowing one's hair to grow naturally out of respect for the perfection of God's creation. The practice is one of The Five Kakaars, the outward symbols ordered by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 as a means to profess the Sikh faith.
Their Sikh faith forbids them from cutting their hair, as their hair is considered sacred.
Ancient Greek deities are often depicted with long, flowing hair as a sign of power and divinity (picture Zeus, Venus, and Apollo). In the Rastafarian faith, long locs are meant to mirror the mane of their leader — the lion — as physical proof of their devotion.
Since 1699, about two centuries after the founding of the religion, Sikh leaders have prohibited their members from cutting their hair, saying long hair is a symbol of Sikh pride. The turban was conceived to manage the long hair and intended to make Sikhs easily identifiable in a crowd.
In South Asian culture, wearing a turban typically indicated one's social status – kings and rulers once wore turbans. The Sikh gurus adopted the turban, in part, to remind Sikhs that all humans are sovereign, royal and ultimately equal.
The Sikh religion forbids the use of alcohol and other intoxicants. Sikhs are also not allowed eat meat - the principle is to keep the body pure. All gurdwaras are supposed to follow the Sikh code, known as the Akal Takht Sandesh, which comes from the highest Sikh authority in India.
In the southern region of the United States commonly known as the "Bible Belt," where Christianity flourishes in the form of many creeds and denominations, Apostolic Pentecostal women are often distinguished from their fellow Christian sisters as being those who wear skirts and have long, uncut hair.
Throughout the Islamic world, hair removal is considered in the context of religious law. Amongst Muslims, hair removal is part of an impulse towards general purity and cleanliness and includes the trimming of nails and the removing of armpit and pubic hair.
Some religions (such as some sects of Islam, and Sikhism) have considered a full beard to be essential and mandate it as part of their observance.
In Hinduism, long hair is a privilege enjoyed by married women. To lovingly care for your hair, oil and perfume it, twist it into hairstyles is forbidden for widows – whose heads are shorn to prevent them from attracting the lust or love of another man.
The long hair also ties into religious roots in Utah. Many Latter-day Saint women believe that in order to be a good Mormon, they must be “feminine” and long hair makes them so.
In many tribes, it is believed that a person's long hair represents a strong cultural identity. This strong cultural identity promotes self-esteem, self-respect, a sense of belonging, and a healthy sense of pride.
The ideal Sikh woman for most Sikhs, is one who keeps the hair on her head but still removes facial and body hair.
Marrying people of other faiths is acceptable, they say, but conducting that marriage in a Sikh temple is not. Non-Sikhs can only be involved if they accept the Sikh faith and change their name to include Singh or Kaur, the council insists.
All initiated Sikhs are required to maintain uncut/untrimmed hair. But, as in every religion, there are people at different levels of observance and commitment to their faith. Everyone is on their own personal journey. Some Sikhs may cut their hair, but that does not exclude them from the Sikh community.
For religious reasons, practicing Sikhs do not cut their hair. Sikh men wrap their long hair with a turban called a pagri (see photo a), a practice that typically takes 10- 15 minutes. Sikh boys wrap their hair in a smaller under-turban called a patka, with their hair knotted on top of their head (photo b).
In Islamic cultures, some men wear a turban-style headdress in emulation of Muhammad who is believed to have worn a black or white turban. The head wraps are worn in different ways and called by different names depending on the region and culture.
Under the tenets of Sikhism, one can remove the turban only at home, during a bath.
Another theory is that keeping kesh honors Guru Gobind Singh's 1699 Visakhi Hukam (command/order) that amritdhari Sikhs, must wear the 5Ks, one of which is kesh.
Paul writes plainly, “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” (1 Corinthians 11:14). All major Bible translations agree on the intent of this verse. God intended (and commanded) men to keep their hair much shorter than women.
Long hair was seen as the ultimate symbol of feminity, health, social status, and wealth for as far back as the Greeks and Romans. Long hair shows you are eating well and had enough leisure time to brush and groom your hair.