Now the next part of the long hair argument goes something like this. "Christ was a Nazarene and Nazarene's had long hair.  This argument comes from a basic misunderstanding of the difference between a Nazarene and a Nazirite.  Nazarene is derived from Nazareth, which is a city. Calling Jesus a Nazarene is like calling someone from New York a New Yorker (no offense intended Lord).  It is nothing more. Matthew 2:23, "And He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene."  So then what is a Nazirite and why could they wear their hair long?  We have to go to Numbers 6 to discuss this.  Numbers 6:2-5, "Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, 'when a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to dedicate himself to the Lord, he shall abstain from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar, whether made from wine or strong drink, neither shall he drink any grape juice, nor eat fresh or dried grapes.  'All the days of his separation he shall not eat anything that is produced by the grapevine, from the seeds even to the skin.  'All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall pass over his head.  He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the Lord; he shall let the locks of hair on his head grow long."  That is a Nazirite, one who is devoted, one who is consecrated to the Lord for a period of time.  So we can see Jesus was a Nazarene and not a Nazirite.  I don't know to many men with long hair that have made and are keeping some sort of special vow to the Lord.  And I dare say most men with long hair are not abstaining from drinking wine and strong drink.  Having hung around with long hairs in my youth I must say that exactly the opposite is true.  We had long hair and unfortunately we were familiar with wine and strong drink.  Jesus was not a Nazirite.  So Jesus did not have long hair.  No Jew would have long hair, unless he was a Nazirite and then his hair would only be long for a period of time, just until he had completed his vow.
       Still not convinced that long hair is wrong?  It is not a sin per-say but it is against nature and the natural order of things.  Here is the Biblical proof.  I Corinthians 11:14-16, "Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.  But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God."  Someone might say, because of verse 16, that long hair is ok. Well, yes and no. It says, "...if any man be contentious, we have no such custom...". If you are going to be contentious, which is another way of saying rebellious, which is equated with witchcraft in I Samuel 15: 23, "for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry...", then why be here at all?  The very act of contention leads us to sin.  If you come into the house of God with a rebellious heart, stubborn heart, or contentious heart over something as trivial as hair, how much honor do you suppose God will bring onto your longhaired head?  If we are to become and be the image of Christ where is there room for contention and rebellion and stubbornness.  What else are you contentious about brother?
       I would like to move on to body piercing.  I could only find sparse references to piercing yourself, such as Leviticus 19: 28, "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead..." and that may be making reference to certain pagan religious ceremonies of some sort.  But if the two practices are even remotely similar why would you associate your body with something so pagan that dishonors our Lord. Besides, we have the image that we are supposed to conform to which is Jesus Christ our Lord.  So why don't we take a look at body piercing and Jesus Christ. Jesus got pierced. Jesus got pierced a lot. Matthew 27:22, "Pilate saith unto them, what shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?  They all say unto him, Let him be crucified."  Matthew 27: 26, "then he released Barabbas for them; but Jesus he scourged and delivered over to be crucified."  Scourged is being whipped until you bleed.  You are literally cut to ribbons with a whip.  Healing leaves huge scares.  Christ didn't heal though.  Those wounds were left open and were forced up against that rugged splintered cross as He hung there.  That is body piercing to the Lord.  Crucified, well we all know the body piercing that crucifixion involves.  Huge nails pierced His hands and feet.  Driven through His body with hammers.  That is body piercing to the Lord our God. Matthew 27: 29, "And after weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on His head..." These were no ordinary rose bush type thorns, although rose thorns would hurt a lot too. They were from a thorn bush