The General Overseer of Livingspring Chapel International, Pastor Femi Emmanuel has taken a swipe at young men who wear long beards. He described the art of wearing such beards as promoting the evil brand of terrorism.
Pastor Emmanuel made the submission while responding to a plea by a lady during his online programme called Turning Point on Wednesday, November 24.
The lady had requested that Pastor Emmanuel should help appeal to her husband to stop wearing beards.
She said when she married her husband, he always maintained low-cut and never had beards. It was on that basis according to the lady that she fell in love with her husband. She said she never liked men who wore beards.
The lady then appealed to Pastor Emmanuel to help talk to her husband to stop wearing beards.
Responding, Pastor Emmanuel said it was not only the lady’s husband that should be addressed but all men especially Christian men who wear long beards.
He said it is wrong for Christian men to wear beards like an escapee from Osama Bin Ladin’s camp.
While noting that wearing beards is now in vogue especially among young men, he said, “it is not everything that is vogue that a Christian should copy. It is so bad now that some men even apply creams to grow their beards. It makes them look like terrorists, like Boko Haram, AL-QAEDA
Long beards, logo of terrorists
Why should a child of God wear such an evil brand? Wearing long beards is the logo of terrorists. That means you are supporting the terrorist It is their signature tune. For that alone no child of God should go near it.”
He admonished that a child of God should look simple. “Some people complain that they normally have bums when they shave their beards, then they should cut it low. But to have long beards like terrorists is wrong” he said.
He stressed further that wearing long beards does not represent God. “I will suggest that we trim our beards low. I will not allow any of my pastors to wear long beards. If he can not take it, he should resign. He either resigns or cut his beards low. The spirit of God should even tell you that you need to look simple and not weird.”
Pastor Emmanuel also responded to a question about praying naked. An inquirer had asked if it was good for a woman to pray naked with her daughters surrounding her.
The Church leader said it is wrong. “What is the meaning of that. That is sending the wrong signal. What is the woman trying to prove? Is that for spirituality or a ritual? She is damaging the psyche of the innocent girl.”