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Christian Men & Earrings
by David Leach
I admit, I was curious enough to see if there was any consensus online about this issue. There isn’t. Though I did find a funny line from some unnamed wag that I wish I would have thought of first: "If God wanted you to wear earrings He would have made you a girl."
However, if there was anything near a consensus I would suppose it would be that males wearing earrings is considered a matter "indifferent." Which is to say, Scripture does not forbid it, thus it becomes a matter of taste and preference. Perhaps in the final analysis, that is true, but I confess, being the culturally bound child of the 1950′s that I am – I still have stubborn problems with the practice, which I will list for your consideration.
1. Earrings, at least in my time, were associated with effeminate behavior and homosexuality. Since these types were the first men to wear earrings in our modern culture, you will excuse me if I do not rush to the nearest jeweler to join the happy (gay?) parade. This fact alone ensures for perpetuity my absolute resolve in the matter. No earrings for me, not ever.
2. Earrings are worn to highlight facial beauty, so I am unclear why a man wishes to be thought beautiful. Maybe it’s best to be unclear about some things.
3. Historically, (not absolutely, but generally) earrings were worn by pirates and slaves. My time in the Navy was sufficient for me, and I have no desire to float about the Caribbean growling "arrrrghhh matey." And since I consider myself a slave to no man, and only a servant to God – and God does not require it or even encourage it, I am completely uninterested.
4. If you know me, and chances are likely you do if you are reading this, I am almost always reluctant to follow pop culture into it’s latest transient preferences. I freely admit that I do wonder about men and women who feel compelled to follow every new pop cultural nuance.
5. I think women are grand, super, wonderful beyond words…but I do not want to be a woman. Look like a woman. Act like a woman. Nor do I wish to be part of any process, no matter how seemingly benign and trivial, that blurs the already way too blurred lines between men and women.
6. I am uncool. I like being uncool. I work at it, I yearn for it. If wearing earrings makes one cool, God help me to be the "uncoolest" man in the world.
Chalk me up as an ‘uncool’ reader of your blog. I think it is human nature to draw attention to ourselves, and I’m pretty sure that’s the purpose of ear rings and any other modern fad that we embrace in our day. But as believers, our responsibility, like John the Baptist, is to decrease… allowing the message of the gospel and our Savior (Jesus) to increase, to be a walking testimony of our Lord. As you state, there is nothing biblically wrong with them, I just wonder whether it is profitable. But I guess that could be said for much of what I consume my time with also. God bless.
Amen, Brother! I don’t understand the girly man impulse. The whole “metrosexual” thing is beyond me. But I’m a Bible-believing Southern troglodyte, so what do I know?
I can’t speak for everyone, but only myself….I wore an earring in my wayward misspent youth. For me it was plain and simple rebellion. it was not a gay thing or a woman thing, it was a “bad-boy” thing. The “cool” and “daring” and “dangerous” guys I knew (dopers, drinkers and brawlers) were wearing them, and that’s who I wanted to identify with. That was pre-salvation, by the way.
Is it acceptable for a Christian? Guess it goes back to the heart, but what good and noble heart motive would lead a young “christian” man to want to wear an earring? Look around and see what kind of men wear earrings in our culture. Do you want to be identified (even wrongly) with them? We are to avoid even the appearance of evil. Why copy the world? If it’s “cool”, how do you define “cool?” It is whatever the world loves and admires. And according to scripture, if the world loves you, you do not belong to Christ. A true child of God should not want to be considered “cool”.
Jonathan,
Why is worldliness always defined by some outward, non-conformist behavior? Earrings are worldly? So, let me get this straight: if you wear an earring(which I do) then that means you are full of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life?
(before you answer, I want you to know that I didn’t wear an earring until at least 5 years after I became a Christian and BEFORE that time, I noticed I had a natural inclination for…lusting in with my flesh, my eyes, and a pride of life)
2pc – I am fascinated. Since you have deliberately chosen to wear an earring – and that by your own claim 5 years after you came into the faith – I am curious…..why? I am not being arguementative, and I agreed in my post, “scripture does not forbid it,” You certainly CAN wear one, but I am just wondering, what motivates you? The pull of pop culture? Do you like how you look in the mirror? Wish to fit into some group? Will you wear rings in your cheeks and nose? I do not charge you as being full of pride or any such thing as you note, but I am trying to understand your purpose. It seems to me a man does not wear an earring without SOME purpose. For myself, given the uses and history of earring wearing I noted above, I cannot fathom wearing one “to the Glory of God.” And you?
Deuteronomy 22:5 settles it.
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I am sick and tired of that line being thrown around especially since it comes from the same book that diminutizes woman and their standing in the world. Why is it that we eat pork now when the bible strongly advises/condones the practice. Why are woman seen as inferior to man because they gave into temptation and ate the apple… did Adam not eat the apple after her – what makes his action the lesser evil. I have had both ears pierced for the past 6 months, and have received nothing but hate from former friends, family members and religious leaders. This ‘god’ we follow/worship/adore does he not preech understanding and love. Why them on so many occasions does the Bible encourage us to be God fearing? I do not know what kind of father encourages his children to fear him but he is no father I would wish for. And in my last few years I have truely lost the appeal all together. But since you will no doubt try to twist my words with this same book i encourage you to find a passage that doesn’t make our father sound like an over bearing manipulative womanizer.
It is a choice. A personal one at that. Wearing male earrings has a long history on my island homeland so it’s nothing new. I think in younger cultures it would be harder to make such use acceptable if it was a new idea unlike older cultures where such things are seen as just items no more important or significant than a hat or belt.I have one in my left ear. It’s a Celtic design signifying the Trinity. Small enough to be unobtrusive yet clearly visible. I chose to wear that because I like it and it is a talking point with both christian & non-christian alike.