Why is it so hard for me to have a beard?

[_zeezrom]

I'm currently sporting a nice beard. It is mostly reddish with a little bit of silver down by my chin. I would say it is a mixture of:



and just a little of this:


Sadly, those guys are a little more hansom than me... but only a little!

Anyway, I'm just starting week 3 of the beard. This is the 3rd time this year I've attempted growing one. For some reason, I get really self-conscious around TBM family with my beard. If I was active in the church and TB, I wouldn't have a problem at all. But the fact that I'm a toxic apostate, living with my innocent family in a cesspool of lies and debauchery, I can't seem to enjoy looking this way around them.

Why is that when both JC and BY sported beards?

I can see it now....

Zee shows up to the family reunion with a crucifix necklace set against the backdrop of his hairy chest and a beard. For shame!

[_Fence Sitter]

My TBM father tells a story of a visiting GA reprimanding my father for wearing a mustache while in the bishopric. This was probably 30 years ago. It seems the Church lags about 40 years behind what is socially acceptable dress. I would expect my kids to be around for the first tattooed GA who will sport something like a really cool CTR tattoo on his forearm.

[_Runtu]

It's a cultural leftover from the 50s and 60s, when beards were for beatniks and hippies. If I recall correctly, the last GA to have a beard was George Albert Smith, who died in 1950.

Honestly, I think this speaks more to our residual need for approval from our Mormon family and friends. There's a big emphasis on surface appearance as a sign of conformity and righteousness in the church, and it's really hard to get rid of that unconscious belief.

My problem with beards is that I have thick hair and a heavy beard, so it just takes a few days to grow in. I once got turned away from the BYU testing center at 4:00 pm for not shaving, even though I had shaved that morning. My wife doesn't like kissing me when I have a beard, so I remaind clean-shaven. At this point, it would probably be pretty gray if I let it grow.

[_Rambo]

Zee, sounds like you do a better job than me when growing a beard. I just shaved recently (3 days ago) but before that I didn't shave for 3 weeks and only my brother noticed or he was the only one that said anything. Even if I wanted to be a rebel and grow a bread I couldn't do it.

But the fact that I'm a toxic apostate, living with my innocent family in a cesspool of lies and debauchery, I can't seem to enjoy looking this way around them.

I'm the opposite. I enjoy being kind of apostate around my family. At sunday dinners I tell them I went to the gym and I bought something at a store. They ask me what I did so I tell them. My dad is crazy about golfing and if it is a beautiful day out on a Sunday I usually go golfing and I try to make my dad jealous. Yup I'm a mean son but he could go golfing on a sunday if he wanted to as well. I really think he knows that the church is full of crap.

I think the next thing I will do around my parents is wear a wife beater. Million dollars my mom will say something and won't want me wearing it in her house.

[_kamenraider]

A few years ago my stake put on a theatrical performance called Savior of the World. The men who participated were told to grow real beards to make their costume look more authentic. Most of the men who did were very active and in leadership positions in the ward and stake. It was funny because all of a sudden all the leaders had beards. I was like "What the ...." until I found out what was going on. I guess the temple had to make a temporary exception to the no beards policy, as a few of the men were workers there. LOL!

[_Rambo]

A few years ago my stake put on a theatrical performance called Savior of the World. The men who participated were told to grow real beards to make their costume look more authentic. Most of the men who did were very active and in leadership positions in the ward and stake. It was funny because all of a sudden all the leaders had beards. I was like "What the ...." until I found out what was going on. I guess the temple had to make a temporary exception to the no beards policy, as a few of the men were workers there. LOL!

haha this reminds me of a picture of Jesus we had on our bathroom mirror on the mission. Under the picture we had the quote have you recieved his image in your countenance. I kept making me think I should grow a bread, get colored contacts, lose some weight, by a red robe, wear some old sandles, and grow my hair or get a wig. The only reason I couldn't recieve his image is I can't grow a beard or I would be sporting the Jesus look right now! That would be great becoming an apostate but looking like Jesus.

[_Runtu]

I'm the opposite. I enjoy being kind of apostate around my family. At sunday dinners I tell them I went to the gym and I bought something at a store. They ask me what I did so I tell them. My dad is crazy about golfing and if it is a beautiful day out on a Sunday I usually go golfing and I try to make my dad jealous. Yup I'm a mean son but he could go golfing on a sunday if he wanted to as well. I really think he knows that the church is full of crap.

I think the next thing I will do around my parents is wear a wife beater. Million dollars my mom will say something and won't want me wearing it in her house.

Maybe this means I really have moved on, but I don't go out of my way either way to adhere or flaunt Mormon rules. I don't define myself by them or against them anymore, so I just wear and eat and drink and do what I want and what I think is right.

Besides, I like my parents and don't see any reason to piss them off. :-)

[_Fence Sitter]

A few years ago my stake put on a theatrical performance called Savior of the World. The men who participated were told to grow real beards to make their costume look more authentic. Most of the men who did were very active and in leadership positions in the ward and stake. It was funny because all of a sudden all the leaders had beards. I was like "What the ...." until I found out what was going on. I guess the temple had to make a temporary exception to the no beards policy, as a few of the men were workers there. LOL!

Wait, there is a no beard policy at the temple? You can't get in if you have a beard?
Seriously?

[_just me]

I'm the opposite. I enjoy being kind of apostate around my family. At sunday dinners I tell them I went to the gym and I bought something at a store. They ask me what I did so I tell them. My dad is crazy about golfing and if it is a beautiful day out on a Sunday I usually go golfing and I try to make my dad jealous. Yup I'm a mean son but he could go golfing on a sunday if he wanted to as well. I really think he knows that the church is full of crap.

I think the next thing I will do around my parents is wear a wife beater. Million dollars my mom will say something and won't want me wearing it in her house.

Maybe this means I really have moved on, but I don't go out of my way either way to adhere or flaunt Mormon rules. I don't define myself by them or against them anymore, so I just wear and eat and drink and do what I want and what I think is right.

Besides, I like my parents and don't see any reason to piss them off. :-)

That's so awesome. What's it like being normal?

Actually, my problem is that I live with my parents so unless I adhere to all the LDS standards they are gonna see me be not-lds. It keeps me from living how I want to live. [sarcasm on] You know, all the tats I want to get and all the drunken parties I want to have. It cramps my style. [/sarcasm]

Zee, my TBM H just grew out his beard for 10 days. It was over a vacation we had. I liked up to about day 7. Beyond that was not to my taste. He tried a goatee for about an hour before he shaved it all off. I didn't even notice at first. LOL I think I could have gotten used to that. I don't like a full beard unless it is just a few days scruff. I guess that is what I learned from his experiment.

[_zeezrom]

I just learned my wife likes me with a beard better. So there you have it!

Oh, and my daughter likes it too.

Done deal. Next time I post a shirtless picture of me mowing the lawn on Sunday, I will have a beard. Get ready!