I suppose the first question to address is why anybody would want to dye their hair green in the first place. The short answer is, they want to express themselves, that is, their unique, inner self, and they want other people to notice (and hopefully appreciate) their uniqueness. They want to stand out, and green hair certainly stands out in a way dishwater brown hair does not. So also tattoos, piercings, exotic hairstyles, clothing, and makeup can be used to make a person stand out. Is there anything with that? With calling attention to oneself?
Not necessarily. But it is not necessarily a good thing, either.
If one believes that individuals, deep down, are truly good and interesting and admirable, and that the more genuine and honest a look we all get at a person’s inner self the more truly good and interesting and admirable they will be shown to be, then individual self-expression of the sort in question is much to be valued. Expressive individualism celebrates the true and genuine self, rather than the façade that adherence to cultural norms seeks to present, and if this is a good thing, then the more true and inner selves we get on display the better.
But what if individuals, deep down, are not necessarily good or interesting or admirable? What if they are boring or rude or offensive or self-absorbed or ugly? What if there are elements of our true selves that, if others could see them, would be embarrassing, or would cause others not to like us much? What if people who wear the façade of cultural normativity are just frankly easier to live with, and to deal with? What if significant elements of our true inner selves are best left hidden from all but those who are closest to us—or in some cases, from all except God? In that case, expressing our true and inner selves to the world is not a thing always to be yearned for, but a thing most often to be avoided.
Which is why Christianity does not value dress and makeup and mannerisms which are designed to make individuals stand out. It’s not that these things are bad in and of themselves—green hair might be just fine in the Emerald City. But trying to stand out, not by being excellent at something, but just by being different or unusual or even shocking, is not necessarily all that commendable. Christianity instead favors modesty and humility and yes, conformity. The façade that Christians should want to share with the world is not the true inner being that we are, but rather a humble and modest version of the person God wants us to be. That person may not always be very true to what’s really inside, but that person is a whole lot easier for others to get along with!
James D. Burns
Pastor, First Lutheran Church
Benton, Arkansas
First Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) 