I Like Your Earring
As a parent I am constantly trying to find a balance point between helpful guidance and appropriate upbringing. Over the course of the lives of our children we have had to talk about many topics such as sexual activity, drugs, smoking, and alcohol.
I never had to worry about body piercings or earrings. Until the senior pastor of our church got an earring.
Now I have to think about helpful guidance as it relates to body piercings and earrings. Particularly in the context of my own values and our Christian faith.
Funny. Sometimes the actions taken by spiritual leaders have unintended outcomes. I am reading about the Christian perspective on earrings for men. What a fun topic. The majority of Christian opinion I have come across condemns the practice. And I can see the slippery slope of legalism creeping in.
Moral relativism. It is everywhere.
Although I did check out some men’s earrings. You know. Just in case I have to get my ears pierced.
It of course begs the question… why on earth would a senior pastor get an earring? Thoughts of “Duh”, “Dumb”, and “just Don’t get it” come to mind…
Mind you – I don’t live in North Toronto anymore… I think if a guy in rural Indiana came to church with an earring, there’d be some definite labeling going on…
Still… especially for a Pastor… what’s the point???
That said – I love your choice in earrings … if you do choose… 🙂
Hey Rod,
Yup… an interesting decision for a senior pastor. Regardless I had a chance to brush up on the whole debate. Made for some interesting reading!
I find it very interesting that something such as poking a tiny hole in your ear to put a small piece of metal through it could become a moral issue, I know they use staples now to hold people together after surgery, I wonder how if that’s *relatively moral* . But regardless it is rather silly.
Hey Steve,
Once I became a parent I discovered a need to think about many interesting moral issues, some minor and some major. You may not have an issue with earrings, others do. And that comes down to personal values.
A surgical staple has a purpose, namely to heal. An earring has a purpose, namely to make a fashion statement, or to show rebellion.
I would not wear an earring given my choice of profession. It would be viewed as inappropriate. And that is in a business context. As a Christian leader, I would just say no to earrings. As Rod said earlier… why bother? It is a trivial issue that generates unnecessary noise.
I agree with your comment to Steve. It would be inappropriate for me to get a nose ring with my choice of profession. I would be viewed as rebellious or going through a mid-life crisis! However, if my children (both male and female) opted for piercings they would be considered “cool”. I realize it’s one’s personal choice but I personnally would have a loss of respect for a Christian Leader who opted to do so.
Ann