Cassius University Announces Policy on Mustaches
Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 5:11 am
Modern prophets and apostles have discouraged men in the Church from having facial hair. When he was the President of BYU, Dallin H. Oaks explained why:
http://LDS.org/new-era/1971/12/standard ... g?lang=eng
The rule against beards and long hair for men stands on a different footing. I am weary of having young people tell me how most of our Church leaders in earlier times wore beards and long hair, which shows that these are not inherently evil. Others argue that beards cannot be evil because they see bearded men enjoying the privileges of the temple. To me, this proposition seems so obvious that it is hardly worth mentioning. Unlike modesty, which is an eternal value in the sense of rightness or wrongness in the eyes of God, our rules against beards and long hair are contemporary and pragmatic. They are responsive to conditions and attitudes in our own society at this particular point in time. Historical precedents are worthless in this area. The rules are subject to change, and I would be surprised if they were not changed at some time in the future. But the rules are with us now, and it is therefore important to understand the reasoning behind them.
There is nothing inherently wrong about long hair or beards, any more than there is anything inherently wrong with possessing an empty liquor bottle. But a person with a beard or an empty liquor bottle is susceptible of being misunderstood. Either of these articles may reduce a person’s effectiveness and promote misunderstanding because of what people may reasonably conclude when they view them in proximity to what these articles stand for in our society today.
The Honor Code at BYU does permit mustaches:
http://saas.BYU.edu/catalog/2010-2011uc ... orCode.php
If worn, moustaches should be neatly trimmed and may not extend beyond or below the corners of the mouth. Men are expected to be clean-shaven; beards are not acceptable.
However, at Cassius University, we have a higher standard. Beards and goatees are permitted. After all, Jesus had a beard. Santa Claus had a beard. Many prophets of the Restoration have had beards or goatees.
But none of them have ever had just a mustache. We note the warning of Dallin H. Oaks, that "what people may reasonably conclude when they view [a mustache] in proximity to what [a mustache] stand[s] for in our society today."
A man who grows a mustache undertakes the risk of being associated with a dictator, a redneck, a degenerate, or a porn star. Therefore, please be advised that mustaches, because of the associations they invite, are not permitted in the hallowed halls of Cassius University.
Thank you.
In order to stay on topic, please feel free to use this thread to discuss facial hair in modern LDS culture. We will also periodically provide examples of why mustaches should be avoided because of the associations they suggest.
http://LDS.org/new-era/1971/12/standard ... g?lang=eng
The rule against beards and long hair for men stands on a different footing. I am weary of having young people tell me how most of our Church leaders in earlier times wore beards and long hair, which shows that these are not inherently evil. Others argue that beards cannot be evil because they see bearded men enjoying the privileges of the temple. To me, this proposition seems so obvious that it is hardly worth mentioning. Unlike modesty, which is an eternal value in the sense of rightness or wrongness in the eyes of God, our rules against beards and long hair are contemporary and pragmatic. They are responsive to conditions and attitudes in our own society at this particular point in time. Historical precedents are worthless in this area. The rules are subject to change, and I would be surprised if they were not changed at some time in the future. But the rules are with us now, and it is therefore important to understand the reasoning behind them.
There is nothing inherently wrong about long hair or beards, any more than there is anything inherently wrong with possessing an empty liquor bottle. But a person with a beard or an empty liquor bottle is susceptible of being misunderstood. Either of these articles may reduce a person’s effectiveness and promote misunderstanding because of what people may reasonably conclude when they view them in proximity to what these articles stand for in our society today.
The Honor Code at BYU does permit mustaches:
http://saas.BYU.edu/catalog/2010-2011uc ... orCode.php
If worn, moustaches should be neatly trimmed and may not extend beyond or below the corners of the mouth. Men are expected to be clean-shaven; beards are not acceptable.
However, at Cassius University, we have a higher standard. Beards and goatees are permitted. After all, Jesus had a beard. Santa Claus had a beard. Many prophets of the Restoration have had beards or goatees.
But none of them have ever had just a mustache. We note the warning of Dallin H. Oaks, that "what people may reasonably conclude when they view [a mustache] in proximity to what [a mustache] stand[s] for in our society today."
A man who grows a mustache undertakes the risk of being associated with a dictator, a redneck, a degenerate, or a porn star. Therefore, please be advised that mustaches, because of the associations they invite, are not permitted in the hallowed halls of Cassius University.
Thank you.
In order to stay on topic, please feel free to use this thread to discuss facial hair in modern LDS culture. We will also periodically provide examples of why mustaches should be avoided because of the associations they suggest.
