Beards
Facial hair does not come easily for me. I have gone a couple of weeks without shaving and it is barely noticeable. One four-bladed razor lasts me three months! Beards have been in the news lately in a few ways.
One man in prison in Arkansas, Gregory Holt (there for stabbing his girlfriend in the neck), converted to Islam. Supposedly, his religion requires him to grow a beard, which that prison does not allow. So, he promptly sued and the Supreme Court is set to rule any day.
Another man in a different religion has a different case. Paolo Quezada is a student at the Business College in Salt Lake City, UT. The college is operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons). The college does not allow beards; Mormons frown severely on them. But, Quezada is in a theatrical role in which he portrays a man wearing a beard.
So, the college is giving him special permission to wear a beard if: 1.) He wears a “beard exemption card” strung on a lanyard around his neck for every one to see; and, 2.) he has to compensate for the beard by wearing a dress shirt, tie, and dress slacks to class.
It corrects erection problems and boost sex online purchase of cialis drive. free samples viagra http://deeprootsmag.org/page/98/?feedsort=rand Consequently, males can satisfy their female partners successfully. Some of the serious side effects are loss prescription free levitra of vision or hearing and priapism. These squeezable small sachets of oral jelly are one of the best herbs to increase sperm count and sex drive. cialis samples
Such silliness happens when humans make laws to either be religious or to appear religious. Paul said that the rules of men: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” are “in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men” but “are of no value against fleshly indulgence” (Colossians 2:20-23).
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in Matthew 15:3-9 for the same thing: “He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
Man has no right to require something from his fellow man, religiously speaking, that God has not required. Christians have no right elevating their own likes, dislikes, preferences, and scruples to the level of “thus says the Lord.” My mom use to tell me, “No one died and left you in charge.” The same thing is true in Christianity. Jesus did not die and leave any Christian in charge of His church.
Let us bind what Christ has bound (Matthew 16:19) and leave freedom where Christ allows freedom (Romans 14).
–Paul Holland
