Studies on Christian Headcovering - blogs

"Standing on the Promises of God" blogspot has begun a study of 1 Corinthians 11, as applies to the Christian woman's headcovering. Scroll through the last several entries to find short thoughts and studies on interpretation of this part of scripture.

"The Fundamentalist Wackadoo" blogspot has reposted an article from another personal blog, answering the question, "Why do you wear a headcovering?"

"Interviews with Headcovering Christian Women" is posted at "English 104 Research Blog" blogspot. Several women took part, and answer questions such as: "Do you belong to a church that practices headcovering?", "Why, specifically, do you choose to headcover?", "How has headcovering affected your relationship with God, your friends, and your family?"

Headcoverings for Fun and Non-Profit

I thought this was a really neat little story. Nothing religious or medical about the hats, just a small fee. Read the full story at the Iowa City Press-Citizen: South East's Hat Day delivers Nothing But Nets.

Some children in Africa will be a little better protected from disease-carrying mosquitoes, thanks to the hat-wearing efforts of South East Junior High students.

About a third of the student population, or about 230 students, paid at least 50 cents each to be allowed to wear a hat at school Friday when hats and other head coverings are normally banned. The money that was raised, about $220, will benefit the Nothing But Nets campaign. The effort provides netting to families in Africa to protect them from mosquitoes that transmit often fatal diseases, such as malaria.

Odd News

Did scarf help stop stray bullet? Shiloh woman OK after being struck in head

By JAMI KINTON
News Journal (Central Ohio)

SHILOH -- A simple white scarf may have helped to save a 71-year-old Shiloh woman's life Monday.

Mary Keesy was taken to MedCentral/ Mansfield Hospital shortly after 11 a.m. Monday, after a bullet from a .22-caliber rifle struck the top of her head.

Keesy said she feels lucky to be alive.

"The bullet skidded about four and a half inches and then penetrated through the skin, but I didn't feel any pain," Keesy said. "I had just this thin scarf on my head, but the doctors said it probably had a lot to do with saving me."

Full story at the link above

When Religious Covering Is/Is Not Allowed

Driver pulled from bus over head covering - http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2008/03/25/macgregory-jackman.html

This time, it's a man. Apparently he went through training without needing a covering, but after getting the job, decided that his religion required his head to be covered. He was removed from his job.

I do not know this man's motivation. But it makes me wonder if we, as religious people, sometimes want to get into situations that require us to break our laws, to be like everyone else, maybe. And then we feel guilty and try to impose our personal beliefs on others, who accepted us, really, on the grounds that we did not have those convictions. I honestly feel for the honesty of those who are not religious spiritually, but are "religious" in the way that they do indeed have norms and expectations of behaviour. Do we treat others the way we would like to be treated?

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Muslim Group Seeks Medical, Religious Rights for Virginia Detainee -
http://www.sunherald.com/447/story/450837.html

WASHINGTON, March 25 --
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on state and federal authorities to investigate whether a Muslim woman facing deportation in Virginia is being denied proper medical treatment and the right to wear religiously-mandated attire.

According to the Muslim detainee's family, she has been denied the right to wear an Islamic headscarf (hijab) and is not receiving adequate medical care for renal, liver and mental health problems that require immediate treatment. She is being held at Hampton Roads Regional Jail in Portsmouth, Va., pending deportation to Ethiopia.

It is to be assumed that the rights of this woman have already been denied in this case, though the article does only present the council's investigation, but not whether this had actually happened. I am amazed that there is still any place in the US where people do not understand that many Muslim women prefer to wear a head covering, out of modesty and in deference to their religious beliefs. Or that she would have indeed been denied medical care. On the off chance that I am too optimistic and there are those still in places of importance who don't understand these things, I agree with the council that some education is needed.

Beginners to Headcovering

Veiled Glory, at wordpress.com, is continuing her instructional blog for Christian headcovering, answering the question:

What kind of headcovering should I wear?

I agree with her that it seems the first twin questions one wants answered when the conviction stirs to wear a headcovering is "When do I do it?" and "What should I wear?" This is a good concise article with a few links to help the beginner to assess and get started on their "headcovering journey" as a Christian woman. Please notice that her article does not attempt to "tell you what to do", but to present her understanding and desire, and her preferences. Please check this out.

A Sikh Service

In recognizing that people, men and women, cover their heads for various reasons, both practical and spiritual, one is struck with the very obvious covering worn by those who follow the Sikh religion. Why do these men want to join the armed forces of their country but not take off the turban in exchange for the uniform? is an example of the extent of what many people know about these people.

I came across a visit by a man in Knoxville, TN, to a Sikh Gurdwara. His presentation of the basic facts of what went on there, as well as simple explanation of the faith, is a short work worth reading.

The head covering worn by the men and women of the Sikh religion is worn nearly all the time by choice, and is required at worship time.

Click here to read the article by Brian Long, of knoxnews.com: "Sikh service replicates sense of faith, fellowship felt in India"

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"The turban is our Guru's gift to us. It is how we crown ourselves as the Singhs and Kaurs who sit on the throne of commitment to our own higher consciousness. For men and women alike, this projective identity conveys royalty, grace, and uniqueness. It is a signal to others that we live in the image of Infinity and are dedicated to serving all. The turban doesn't represent anything except complete commitment. When you choose to stand out by tying your turban, you stand fearlessly as one single person standing out from six billion people. It is a most outstanding act." - sikhnet.com

- Click here to read: "Why do Sikhs wear Turbans?", from Sikhnet.com. This website also includes photos and videos of how the various styles of turbans are worn, for your further interest. Photo above also from sikhnet.com

Two Christians Who Cover

I have wanted to link to "Veiled Glory" for some time, but haven't decided what would be the best way to call your attention to this blogger. I will let "Veiled Glory" speak for herself. Please check this latest article, as well as other links from this blog:

Covering for Beginners - When
March 19, 2008 — cbrunette

(Here is the introduction to this article:)

You are here, reading this blog, because you’ve been somehow drawn towards the ancient Christian practice of covering one’s head. There are the usual reasons for the conviction, from reading Scripture in a new light to seeing another woman who covers and becoming intrigued. How ever which way you ended up here, it is clear to you that God has spoken and you must obey. But how? I will go through several questions every woman must clarify, especially if she is not a part of a church that actively promotes covering. Let’s start with,

When do I cover?

Click to the blog to read more.

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Also, see Amy's Place, for several blog entries on head covering by a Christian woman. (I've linked here to her blog articles with the label "headcovering".) It was at Amy's Place that I found this sweet poem:


Head Covering Poem

I have a head covering in public I wear.
I am the one who put it there.
I heard in my heart a voice.
It was then I made my choice.
Some asked who forced this on me.
I tell them it is no one did,
I chose it freely.
I do it in my respect to God.
But you wouldn't know the path I trod.
They may have never experienced his love.
Nor been saved by a blessing from above.
People see how I am dressed and at times they stare.
But so be it,
You know I don't care.
I gave my life to him.
The love and light in my heart shall never dim.
So let them talk and do as they will.
It is for him these things I fulfill.
For it is in my life that I shall spend
Loving my Lord until the end.

Continuing News on Muslim Covering

- More opinion and review on the situation on secular versus religious Turkey that centers around head covering, in : Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel.

- A brief raising of the head covering situation in Germany again, as another state has upheld the ban on the wearing of head scarves by teachers, in : Independent Online. The situation in Europe mostly began with the country of France banning the covering back in 2004, raising much debate and further bans.

- A discussion of the conversions of Latinos and Latinas to Islam, in: The Dallas Morning News, Inc. Includes these statements:

NEW YORK -- When Beatriz Kehdy was growing up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, she felt uncomfortable with the standards of beauty that she says were a part of the culture in which she was raised. An emphasis on external beauty and the body, she says, became increasingly foreign to her own personal values.
Kehdy moved to New York City almost 10 years ago and eventually discovered a sense of place in Islam and in the hijab, or headscarf worn by women in the faith.
"When I wear the hijab, I feel more respected, people talk to me with respect," she said.

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As I study the interests of Muslim Head Coverers, I find that for the most part - from the outside - the wearing of Islamic appearing head covering is taken as a political symbol and not a modest or religious decision, always portrayed as portending an attempted political takeover with view of forcing said coverings on everyone else in the area. But after studying the reasoning behind covering from the point of view of Muslim women that I've found, politics has little to do with it (though I am sure there are those deviations). From what I've read and seen, as in any of the three "Abrahamic" faiths, head covering is a choice - and only in isolated areas are women who do not cover punished with beatings or death. Perhaps women may only do it because everyone else is, or their parents or "clergy" tell them they must, but is this not also the case with many other behaviours, such as dressing modestly, not dating, or going to certain places, etc.?

Covering the head is not a work of salvation, though it seems that many believe that it is because it is so strongly held to by those who see "merit" in it. But it is a sign of faith and humility and obedience toward God, and these attitudes are certainly a part of salvation, aren't they? For without faith, it is impossible to please God.

Russian Orthodox Abbot funeral Friday

JORDANVILLE - Metropolitan Laurus Skurla, 80, died Sunday at the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville.

He was the abbot of the monastery and first hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. He was influential in the May 17 reuniting of the church outside of Russia with the church in Russia.

Skurla is lying in state at the monastery church and can be visited any day this week, the Rev. Roman Krassovsky said.

A divine liturgy will take place at 8 a.m. Friday followed by the abbot’s funeral at 11 a.m. in the main cathedral at the monastery in Jordanville, Krassovsky said. As many as 1,000 people are expected for the funeral – including bishops and dignitaries from all over the world, he said.

The general public is welcome to attend, but women are asked to wear skirts and head coverings, such as hats, handkerchiefs or scarves. Men are asked to wear dressy church clothes, he said.

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It is still often the practice and understanding of members of the Russian Orthodox Church for women to cover their heads during worship. As a conservative body which strives to live as closely to the scriptures as possible, the example in the matter of women covering their heads seems noteworthy.

"A Jewish Movement to Shroud the Female Form"

Is it true that the covering of the head and the entire woman's body, started with dressing modestly in the Jewish faith? More discussion on the Jewish women who have taken dressing modestly to the next step. Quoted in full here.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88381958

The Bryant Park Project, March 17, 2008 · Followers of a spiritual leader in Beit Shemesh, Israel, believe in a strict interpretation of the Torah in which women cover themselves head to toe. Jerusalem-based reporter Sheera Frenkel, who writes for The Times of London, says the look is similar to the burqa many women wear in Afghanistan.

Converts wearing the so-called Jewish burqa, or sal, Frenkel says, are attracting attention in a Jerusalem suburb known for educated, affluent commuters. Frenkel says the movement centers largely in a village outside the town's center, where extremely devout converts from the United States and England have settled. Followers also dot Jerusalem and outposts on the West Bank.

"It's an incredibly warm place," Frenkel says, explaining how unusual the heavy clothing is in Israel. "Here's a woman wearing six layers of clothing."

Frenkel says locals tend to assume that the covered women aren't Jewish. "People think they're Arab women," she explains, noting that they are circulating in areas where strong feelings prevail about the Arab Muslim coverings for women.

Frenkel says that approximately 100 women currently follow the teachings of Keren, the female religious leader who says covering women was originally a Jewish tradition. Keren claims to have seen an image from 400 years ago of Jewish women covered from head to toe, but Frenkel says experts believe there are no historical references to back up her claims. Frenkel also says Keren is not in any way ordained, a circumstance that has drawn ire from area rabbis.

But the women's husbands and relatives are perhaps the most unhappy with the movement. Some men, Frankel says, accuse the covered women of being immodest, because they draw more attention to themselves with their unusual dress.

In Israel, Frenkel says, "modesty is blending in, not drawing attention to yourself."

Headcovering - Stylish

As noted previously, there is an ongoing situation in Turkey between the secular who don't want to appear fundamentalist by allowing their women to wear headscarfs, and the modest and religious women who want to cover their head and hair in public. There is a possible draw though: as this article points out, women can cover and be fashionable.

Check the VOA News article: Religious Headscarf a Fashion Statement in Turkey, at http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-03-17-voa59.cfm

The wearing of a headscarf in accordance to Muslim belief is the center of a major political controversy in Turkey, after the ruling Islamic-rooted AK Party changed the constitution to ease a ban on the wearing of Islamic dress in the country's universities. But Dorian Jones reports for VOA from Istanbul that in Turkey there is more to wearing a headscarf than just religious belief.

. . .

But doesn't wearing brightly colored scarves in fashionable patterns contradict the Muslim habit of covering a woman's head to protect her virtue? Gokcen says her clients do not see the paradox.

"They feel they are being modest by covering themselves, only by covering, . . . they do not need to wear black," said Gokcen. "They still need to be women. . . . Even if they are covered they still want to show their femininity in certain way. I guess they have found this outlet."

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Many women who wear a headcovering, I have found, like to be identified by their style. Even in this article it is pointed out how the Muslim women from the countryside in Turkey will tie the scarf under the chin, while those in the city will wrap it around their neck in a certain way. Jewish women also have certain styles that distinguish their faith. Amish, Mennonite, Catholic mantillas, church hats, etc. - all are not merely a covering (which are not clearly defined styles in any writings), but also have become an outward symbol of a particular type of faith.

And when the style becomes stylish? It could be that this is a reflection of the cultural style of the people with whom one lives - where modesty or humility as refers to spiritual or sexual things shares the headcovering with the woman's desire to "fit in" with her community, or be seen as beautiful on the outside. Some might not see the two as compatible. Do you?

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For more on this, read the blog by Linda Barlow, at: http://www.lindabarlow.com/2008/03/16/trouble-in-turkey/

Long Answer to Christian Headcovering

Sojourner in a Strange Land has continued and futher expounded on Scriptural reasoning for a Christian woman to wear a headcovering, according to 1 Corinthians 11 and various parallel texts, at her blog here: "The Long Answer To The Headcovering Question"

I suggest that you read this article, to help you understand the reason for a Christian woman to cover her head.

What About Dubai?

"The United Arab Emirates is an Islamic country. Sometimes it's hard to tell, especially here in Dubai, which is a surprise for some Muslims who come here.

Marketplace's Amy Scott reports."

Click for a short Marketplace read or listen. Part of the problem is that women who claim to be following Muslim tenets for modesty in headcovering have begun following the modern secular West, and do not cover, unless, for a few, while praying.

The Latest on Turkey

Anyone who follows the news regarding headcoverings will be aware of the difficulties that the people of Turkey have with this religious understanding. Deeply longing to be accepted as part of the Secular West, the powers in Turkey want to have public wearing of the headcoverings by women banned. For years women in university were not allowed to attend classes with a head covering. Some intelligent albeit religious women just didn't attend. Some wore wigs to cover their hair, using a "legalism" to get around both laws. Today, women are allowed to cover in university, but it is a shaky situation. The latest article that I've come across bears that out.

Prosecutor moves to outlaw Turkey's ruling party - Summary
www.earthtimes.org, The Earth Times

Blogging on Making and Wearing Christian Headcovering

In my webpage link list on Christian headcoverings, I link to the article: The Woman's Head Covering, by Leonard E. Linsted. Recently, another blogger has been writing concerning the Christian woman's headcovering, and also links to that website. Sojourner in a Strange Land also posted an article called: "The Hidden Power Of A Woman" which links to another very thorough article on the Christian woman's headcovering, and beyond: by Roman Miller, taken from: Truth in Heart.com. Thanks for posting these links, and helping us to realize that we are all sojourning in this strange land together.

Also blogging on Christian headcovering is Blessed Motherhood, who has written and provided photos to help those who would like to make their own covering. Thank you so much for providing this helpful and easy information.

Winter Head Covering Safety

Lots of accidents happen in icy weather to people who are simply trying to walk from one place to another. From Michigan, some tips for being safe during the winter include :

Wear head covering that allows you to see where you are going and side to side for traffic.

Read more Winter safety tips from the National Safety Council in "More injuries this winter," an article in MLive.com. "Everything Michigan" Posted by Lisa Carolin, March 07, 2008

Jewish Trends

Going under cover: the Jewish women who are taking the veil

timesonline.co.uk, March 7, 2008
Sheera Frenkel in Beit Shemesh, Israel

Several cars slow and one stops when Sarah walks down the street in her home town of Beit Shemesh, an ultra-orthodox Jewish enclave west of Jerusalem.

On this morning, the streets teem with women herding their children to school in the modest garb and head-coverings befitting their religious beliefs. For years, Sarah walked among them similarly dressed, but today a dark cloth is secured across her face, hiding everything save her eyes. It resembles the head-to-toe covering that is associated with religious Muslim women in the Gulf States.

“People in cars driving by often stop and stare. Some people are rude — they shout things at me because they think I am Arab,” said Sarah (not her real name).

Sarah is part of a budding movement of about 100 Jewish women in this city who have begun covering their bodies. Some cover just their hair and neck; others wrap their entire face, save their eyes, with the loose cloth. They call their head-covering a sal, refusing to acknowledge the resemblance to its Muslim twin, the hijab. In Beit Shemesh, the political line is strictly right wing, with many of the religious leaders advocating expulsion of Arabs from the biblical boundaries of the land of Israel. But the two communities may have more in common than they think.

Orthodox Jewish women have long concealed their hair with a scarf or wig upon marriage. Muslim women, who don a covering upon reaching puberty, traditionally sheath their necks as well as their hair. Depending on the country, the covering could be fashioned into a number of variations such as the chador, a loose cloak worn by women in Iran, or the burka, an enveloping garment that allows only for mesh netting over the eyes, worn in Afghanistan.

“The full body, or full face covering that people think is only part of the Arab world actually started with Jewish women,” said a woman who asked to be identified by her first initial, M.

Photo from the article in The Times online.

Read the full article by clicking on the link in the title.

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For more on the Jewish headcovering, from one lady's blog, please read:
It's Time For...ASK A JEW!, by "metalia", a wife and working mother who covers at synagogue and has a large assortment of hats, according to the blog entry, in which she answers a lot of questions about Judaism, as she understands things, and even puts a disclaimer at the end to remind you that she's not claiming to know everything. Here's part of what she wrote, but you can read her answers to many questions about Jewish Orthodoxy at her blog:

Essentially, Orthodox Jewish women cover their hair after they get married for reasons of modesty. There are two factors that serve as the basis for this requirement: One is that hair is considered--for lack of a better word-- "sexay", and it’s a woman's literal crowning glory, so the general idea there is that the woman covers it so only her husband (and immediate family, depending upon her customs) can see it. The other rationale for the rule is that hair covering is simply an outward, visual sign that a woman is married.

Your point that the wigs can (and for the most part, DO) look better than a woman's real hair is well-taken. In fact, some Orthodox women actually don't wear wigs (choosing instead to wear only hats/scarves) for the reasons that you cited; namely, that they feel uncomfortable doing something that is supposed to embody modesty while wearing a wig that looks ten times better than their real hair ever could. Also, if you are someone who believes hair should be covered solely to be an outward, obvious sign of marriage, you probably would wear hats exclusively, since that's a lot more obvious than a wig. Oh, and I should point out that there are many women who switch back and forth between hats and wigs.

Without going into too much detail, there are TONS of variations on the intricacies of hair covering. There are questions on whether the rule requires HAIR covering (i.e., covering all of your hair), or HEAD covering (covering the crown of your head, and allowing your hair to stick out underneath). Some women will ensure that all their hair is covered when they're in public, but will uncover it in their house, no matter who's there. Some, as noted, don't let anyone see it but their husbands. As with most things in life, people do what they feel is right for them.

About This Blog

I started "Those Headcoverings" at blogger to accompany my study in head coverings at my newly created "Those Headcoverings" at google page creator.

I had started up a website and blog when I began studying the practice of head covering over a year ago, but the previous host site was not organized in such a way as to make the sharing of information very easy. For example, when I posted an entry on a certain type of headcovering, there was no labeling system in place to "keep together" all entries on that subject. Nor could I create one page per subject area. Since Google is now experimenting with web pages, I've taken the information that I had posted to the other site, cleaned it up, and put it in a hopefully more organized fashion. I do hope that I'll be able to include a photo album for the website soon.

In this blog, I hope to continue what I had started at the old web site, and - when I have the time - post links to news items, blog entries or announcements of new websites (which will probably be added to one of the "ThoseHeadcoverings" google web pages).

Please contact me with any questions, comments or other pertinent information concerning head covering, such as really good web sites or blogs on the subject, or neat pictures. Feedback is appreciated.