The Bible shall not be outwitted: “TOP KNOT GO DOWN” (even Phyllis Schlafly’s)

The Bible says that women are to be submissive, silent, and modest. “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided [twisted together] hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” (I Timothy 2:9)

I have found even more specific instructions about how submissive, christian women are commanded by Jesus himself to fix their hair: “Top knot go down!” (Mark 13.15, KJV). All women, from the

sophisticated young ladies of the Gay ‘90s, to the young African American women of today emulating the styles of their ancestors, to Phyllis Schlafly adorning herself with “big hair” and pearls and costly array, are called by God to let their hair down, to let it hang without adornment and not twisted together, to let their hair be part of their shamefacedness and sobriety—in short, to be MODEST and SILENT!


The “top knot” is obviously particularly offensive to God. Phyllis, oh, Phyllis Schlafly, how can you dress so contrary to Biblical teaching? How can you so flaunt the Biblical base of American Values. Jesus says clearly, unequivocally, “Top knot go down!” The Apostle Paul explains what Jesus meant: “…modest apparel…not with broided hair…, or gold, or pearls or costly array…” Oh, Phyllis Schlafly, your picture breaks my Eagle Forum heart—look at that broided hair, those pearls, those gold earrings, in short, that costly array. To say nothing of the fact that this is a “publicity” photo, advertising for the times when you “…teach…usurp authority over the man…[do not] be in silence.”

This is exactly what the “liberals” do, Phyllis Schlafly. They say one thing and do the other. They allow worldliness to creep into their thinking, and then, suddenly, without realizing how it happened, they are secular humanists with no place to hide. They do not know (at least they act as if they don’t know) our Lord Jesus Christ and His American Values. Please, Phyllis Schlafly, forsake your evil ways. At least let your “top knot come down.” UNBROID your hair! Take off your pearls. Please, Phyllis Schlafly, don’t be a hypocrite. Whom can I count on if not on you?

My real fear for you, Phyllis Schlafly, is that you undoubtedly are going to hell because you are choosing an alternative lifestyle. I’m sure you can find an organization that will lead you out of your un-Biblical, non-Christian way of life. You can make the EXODUS through the sea of non-subjection, onto the dry land of shamefacedness and sobriety. I will pray for you, Phyllis Schlafly. I will pray. But until you unbroid your hair, you cannot speak or hold office in my church. I was so hoping to learn from you how Jesus wants Americans to act.

I love you, Phyllis Schlafly, but I hate your sin.

I am grateful to my maternal grandmother, Elizabeth May Miller Peck (1889-1974), who, when I was a child, regaled me with the story of how her minister in the Baptist church when she was a teen-ager preached sermons proving that God did not want girls to dress immodestly and used Mark 13.15 as his text. (See my comment below for an explanation of the text; or, if you look it up yourself, be sure to use the King James Version of the Bible.)

As far as I can tell, this is exactly the kind of errant nonsense fundamentalists use to explain their rigidity—one might say, their “blasphemy against the Spirit” (Matthew 12.31)—that is, the denial that the Holy Spirit can move and work, inspire and direct, in anyone’s life, quite apart from the rules fundamentalists need in order to make all things black or white. My grandmother’s pastor knew what he wanted to prove Biblically, and he found a way to do it. Those who “proof-text” their BELIEFS (notice, “beliefs,” not “faith”), whether it be about homosexuality, abortion, or the “rapture,” engage in the same activity.

Jesus cautions against judging other people (in addition to saying simply, “don’t do it”). In Matthew’s gospel, when he is challenged by the fundamentalists about whether or not it's proper to “work” for food on the Sabbath, he reminds them that the temple priests did it all the time. His point was that legalisms work against God’s Spirit and against the purposes of the Gospel:

“‘I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. But if you had known what this means, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice,” you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.’”

That, it seems to me, is what the fundamentalists are afraid of. If we let the Son of Man simply rule in our lives instead of following proscriptions and rules, who knows where that might lead. Perhaps to grace?