The Science of Long Hair and Head Coverings

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Home > Faith > Christian Head Covering > The Science of Long Hair and Head Coverings

The Science of Long Hair and Head Coverings

May 2017 – One of my great passions is in researching and discovering some of the scientific reasons or explanations behind the commands and instructions that are given in Scripture.

In many cases I find it to be a little frustrating when there appears to be a lack of scientific research to explain or support some of the concepts found in the Bible. But unlike so many people who would say that this “lack of evidence” somehow disproves the Bible, I am convinced that the opposite is true!

I am convinced that the truths of Scripture are actually so profound, and so advanced scientifically, that the Bible is actually far ahead of scientific discovery and that this “lack of evidence” has to do with the fact that science still has a long way to go in discovering and explaining so many of the Biblical truths. If science is still unable to explain so many of the concepts found in Scripture, it is because modern scientists are still just barely “scratching the surface” and still have a long way to go yet before they can even begin to comprehend (much less explain) these Biblical truths.

The Word of God is Scientifically Sound

The purpose of this article is not to make a science book out of the Bible or even to defend Christian science in the way it looks at creation through the lens of Scripture. However, I do need to start out by saying that if you do not believe the Bible to be the true inspired Word of God and trust the authority of scripture above even the thoughts and discoveries of man, then this article is not likely to do you very much good.

There are so many people in the past who have been scorned, mocked, and ridiculed because they stood on their conviction that the Word of God is true even in instances where science was yet unable to support the claims of Scripture and seamed rather to be in conflict with the Bible. In fact, there have been many people who have even gone so far as to oppose science and declare that the scientific “facts” must indeed be false. In many cases they did not yet have any viable proof to offer except the simple fact that the claims of science were not inline with the Bible and must, therefore, be wrong somehow.

History has shown us time and time again that those who choose to stand on the Word of God tend to be ahead of scientific discovery in many ways. While all the best scientist of the day scorned and ridiculed their claims, these people stood firm in their convictions and in time science caught up with them and proved that what they saw from the Scriptures really was viably true in science.

One well known example is the fact that there was a time in which scientists were convinced that the earth was flat and anyone who stood to the conviction that earth was round was looked down on and made fun of. An yet, long before Pythagoras, Anaxagoras, Aristarchus, Christopher Columbus, and Galileo ever presented their theory that they believed the earth to be round, the Scriptures had already said as much. (See: Did Bible Writers Believe the Earth Was Flat?)

Another example can be taken of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek or Louis Pasteur and their “radical ideas” about tiny, microscopic creatures being the cause of disease and the explanation for how disease can spread from person to person. In their day all the scientists thought that they were crazy. And yet, even before the discovery of germs, the laws given through Moses clearly laid out the instructions regarding what is “clean and unclean”. Just from obeying the commands of Scripture people were already observing critical practices of hygiene through their ceremonial washings and they were already aware of the need to isolate people who were sick from “infectious diseases”. We may think that the laws of Moses no longer apply to us today, and yet, careful observation will show that these laws were not just given for the purpose of spiritual cleansing, but they are also scientifically sound and present to us the most healthy habits for living. It was only after the discovery of microscopic germs that people began to see why God gave these commands to His people, but for thousands of years people were reaping the health benefits that came from obeying these commands without ever knowing the scientific “why” behind them. (See: Creation and the Germ Theory)

I find it absolutely fascinating that every day there are new scientific discoveries being made that actually prove that what God has written in His Word is scientifically sound and that the instructions and commands given in the Bible are so much more than just religious regulations to be followed but that they actually spell out for us the most healthy way in which we can live.

In past civilizations people did not have the scientific knowledge that is at our disposal today. For centuries past, followers of Yahweh have been studying the Scriptures and living in obedience to God’s Word merely as an act of faith and they have reaped so many benefits as a result.

Today, we have the advantage of being able to look at the Bible not only through the lens of “blind faith” but also to see for ourselves how again and again the truths of Scripture have stood the test of time and have weathered the winds of scientific discovery. We can look at scientific discoveries and see for ourselves that the Word of God is true.

And if there is anything within the pages of Scripture that seem contrary to what modern scientists say, we need not doubt the Scriptures, we have only to wait for the scientists to “catch up”, for there can be no error in the Word of God, only the error in how we perceive it with our human limitations.

The Science Behind 1 Corinthians 11

I could go on an on talking about this topic (as I mentioned before, this is one of my passions), but the purpose of this particular article is to look at the science behind just one specific command in Scripture – the command regarding gender specific head coverings and the length of hair for men and women.

1 Corinthians 11:2-16

But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven.

For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.

Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.

Now, first of all, as we approach the Scriptures we need to be careful not to allow our culture to influence our interpretation of what God says in His Word.

Our culture would have us believe that these instructions were only relevant in the time and culture in which Paul was writing them and that they longer apply to us today. This article will not be addressing these arguments, but if you are interested in looking into this more you can refer to this other article I have written:

>> What Does the Bible Say About Head Coverings?

Related to this, our culture would also have us believe that men and women are the same and that there is no real difference between boys and girls. But we must remember that we have been created by God, we are the workmanship of His hands, so if anyone would know the ins and outs of the human body and what it means to be “male” and “female” it would surely be God!

And what does God say in His Word? That from the beginning of creation God made them male and female (Genesis 1:27; Mark 10:6), that man was formed out of the dust of the earth but the woman was made from the rib of the man (Genesis 2:21-23; 1 Timothy 2:13; 1 Corinthians 11:8-9), that husbands and wives have differing roles in the marriage relationship (Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Timothy 2:11-12; 1 Peter 3:1-7), and that a man must area accountable directly to God but a woman is under the headship of man (Numbers 30; 1 Corinthians 11:3).

Please note that this is not to say that man is in any way above woman in value or worth. God is quite clear in His word that the two are created equal in worth though very different in the function and roles that they have been assigned.

Men and Women – Complimentary Opposites

There are many women in our culture today who are very discontented with the role of a woman that is described in the Scriptures. Some of this discontentment comes from the sinful nature and our struggle to break free from the curse that resulted from Eve’s original sin. Some of this discontentment streams from the many ways in which men have abused their role of headship in becoming oppressors instead of loving leaders.

But I think a lot of this discontentment also has to do with the fact that women tend to focus so much on what the Scriptures say they should NOT do that they do not glory in the things they CAN do and the unique and significant role they have as a woman. We dwell too deeply on the negative aspects of what it means to be a woman that we lose sight of all the benefits and marvels of what it means to embrace womanhood.

So many women are competing with men and fighting to have the same “rights” as any man that they do not recognize the incredible power of influence that they already have in their role as a woman.

There is a saying that “behind every great man stands a great woman”. This is such a beautiful and profound statement, and yet, in our culture today it is not a very popular thought. So many wives do not like the idea of being “behind the scenes”. They want to be on the front lines, they want to make the headlines, they want to be the one that is noticed and publicly recognized. The modern woman is so caught up in the discontentment of her “behind the scenes” role that she fails to recognize the critical importance of that role and the fact that the greatness and glory of not only her husband but also the family, the church, and society as a whole, is hanging on her very shoulders.

When a woman abandons her God-given role and enters into a power struggle to gain the rights, responsibilities, and functions that are meant for the man, she tips the scales and creates a great imbalance in creation.

Apart from what today’s culture may try to tell us, there are so many clear and distinct differences between men and women. From the way their brains function, to the natural instincts they each have, to the emotional needs and desires they have, to the make and build of their physical bodies, and the different ways in which they view sexuality or experience sexual fulfillment.

Women were created to be a helper to the man. Every aspect of the woman, her physical body, the complexity of her emotions, the way she thinks and reasons, every aspect of her mind, body, and spirit have been created and designed to be both different and complimentary to the man. God took such great care to create the woman to be exactly what was needed to complete the man.

Instead of fighting so hard to be “like” the men, I think it is time for women to embrace the beauty and significance of what it means to be the “complimentary opposite”.

Introduction to the Human Energy Fields

One of the key factors that makes men and women different is the flow of their biomagnetic energy fields. As we begin to look deeper into the science behind the headcoverings and different hair lengths we will find that these different flows of energy are a key part of understanding this topic. So in order to comprehend what is coming up in this study we first need to take a moment to understand the basics regarding the human energy fields.

Now, I am aware of the fact that the topic of energy fields is a sensitive one for Christians, especially since it is often associated with new age movements and other religious cults. So if you have any discomfort or uncertainty about this topic I would encourage you to look into the article and study materials I have developed on the topic before continuing:

>> Human Energy Fields and the Christian Faith

The article mentioned above has information to explain more of the specifics to explain what the energy field is from a scientific stand point and also presents a Biblical perspective to help Christians understand its significance from religious standpoint.

If you would like more specifics regarding this topic, then please refer to the link above. But for the sake of simplicity here in this particular article, I will just lay out some of the very basic facts that surround this very complex topic.

1) The human body creates energy through the process of metabolism. It also absorbs (or draws in) energy from other energy sources around it, very much the way that a battery can recharge by taking in more energy.

2) When we talk about the human energy field we are typically referring to the flow of energy which is constantly in motion in and throughout the body. This flow of energy is constantly changing depending on the activities we engage in which can either help to energize us (much like the way a battery recharges) or the activities can serve to drain us of energy (much like the way a batter gets used up and discharges).

3) The energy of the human body follows systematic pathways, or channels, as it throughout the body. Consider for a moment how the body has vessels and arteries to help control the flow of blood through the body, and a complex nervous system to control the signals that are constantly be sent to and from the brain through the nerves in the body. God created the body to be very systematic in the way it functions, and the flow of energy is no different.

4) The human energy fields flow within the body through pathways called “meridians”. The energy then exits the body through multiple doors which are known as “chakras”. This energy circles around the outside of the body through different layers that make up what is called the “aura”. Then, after making its circuit around the exterior of the body, the energy passes through the chakras once again and re-enters the body and back into the meridian channels within.

5) There are several different types of energy that flows through the human body. Each of the different energies flow through a different meridian, exits through its own chakra, and flows through its own layer of the aura.

6) The human body produces heat and actually illuminates (or gives off light) which increases or decreases based on the strength and flow of the energy. It is not yet known whether the energy itself contains light or if it is merely a power source for the light, but what we do know is that this light makes it possible for certain types of machines to detect and even trace the flow of energy in the human body.

7) Through the illumination of light, the different energy layers that make up the aura each glow with a different color, very similar to the way that a rainbow is created when light shines through the molecules of water.

8) The machines that detect this light make it possible to examine the different layers of the aura, and through examination scientists are discovering that the different layers of the aura will change in shape and density; the colors reflected in the aura will also frequently change to be come brighter or more dim. All these changes are closely related to the person’s over all health, metabolism, hormone function, and brain activity.

Those are the very basic facts regarding the human energy field. If you want more specific details and a more in depth explanation I would again encourage you to take a look at the materials I have developed on the topic, which are found in this related article:

>> Human Energy Fields and the Christian Faith

Male Energy vs. Female Energy