The wonders of a beard — this defining characteristic of so many individuals we hold dear — change
the facial landscape from something plain to an almost mythic presence.
What would Gandalf be without his cascade of gray whiskers?
It becomes an extension of his character.
"Gandalf?"
"Bilbo Baggins."
The same goes for Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series: his beard provides gravitas
to an already mysterious and enigmatic wizard.
"Of course it's happening inside your head Harry.
Why should that mean that it's not real?"
Even in American history, the beard has found its moments of importance.
Would Abraham Lincoln have achieved his status as president of the United States without
one?
Not according to Grace Bedell, an 11-year-old girl in 1860 who told Honest Abe that he'd
look better with whiskers because of his thin face.
About 33% of American men have facial hair, and 55% worldwide, according to Modern Gentlemen.
For some of these wearers, a beard is a religious requirement, like with Sikhs, who keep their
beards uncut.
In the Amish culture, spirituality plays only a partial role in the decision for embracing
the bristly world of the unshaven.
Facial hair also offers insight into who Amish men are in their society.
For the Amish, a North American religious sect in the Old Order Amish Mennonite Church,
a shaggy visage represents the embracing of a religious practice and provides a social
cue.
The group, which began in the late 17th century, followed the teachings of Anabaptist leader
Jakob Ammann who advocated eschewing fashionable clothing and believed that liars should suffer
excommunication and then be shunned by their communities.
He also banned any beard trimming.
The Amish lifestyle embraces the German word Gelassenheit, which basically means a self-surrendering
to a higher authority; pride and attention-seeking are discouraged and humility is paramount.
Another concept practiced is order, a group of rules that dictates Amish life, including
technology use — or the lack thereof, since some of the more conservative Amish still
live as people did 300 years ago, and even fuel their lamplight with propane rather than
electricity.
"The Amish live what's called a plain life, but the boundaries of plain can be blurry."
Men, typically, don an Amish-style hat and vest while women always wear long, modest
dresses and a head covering, with their uncut hair pulled into a bun.
Amish men also grow long distinctive beards without mustaches.
Part of the reason for this is because they closely follow the Bible, which says, for
instance, in Leviticus 19:27, “Do not cut the hair at the sides of your
head or clip off the edges of your beard."
The facial hair honors their Christian ancestors from the Bible, where growing whiskers was
the norm and signaled a boy's passage into manhood.
The Amish are pacifists or, as they would say, they embrace nonresistance, since they
seek to avoid confrontation in general life, not just on the battlefield.
Because of this stance, Amish do not serve as police officers or in the military, and
they avoid interactions with the legal system.
Historically, they sought to distinguish themselves from those in the military by their appearance
— which is why they wear their beard without a mustache.
British troops were actually required to have facial hair above the lip in the 1800s — a
rule that stayed intact until World War I when clean-shaven countenances fit under the
gas masks better.
Now, you'll see most individuals involved in military service without mustaches.
Despite the ending of that tradition, the Amish still continued shaving under their
nose.
Adopting a beard also provides a social signal, indicating a boy has become a married man
since the Amish never use wedding rings.
The beard growing begins after the ceremony, and the wedded man will grow it for the remainder
of his life without ever shaving it.
This act symbolizes his marriage's longevity.
What happens when Amish men can't grow beards?
After all, about 24% of Americans surveyed in a Body Logic poll could not.
That's alright, since following the rules of the Amish faith requires merely not shaving
a beard.
As long as that occurs, the Amish man is successfully adhering to his religion's strictures, even
with that smooth face.
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