# Why Do The Women On Christian Broadcasting Have Such Big Hairdos? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 28, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441 "2003-07-28T14:53:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/1 "2003-07-28T14:53:42Z")
I’ve noticed that the women on the Christian television networks almost always have big, bouffant hairdos. Why is this? Is this type of hairstyle common in the regions they come from?? And why do they wear heavy clown make-up? Do they think that this will encourage people to send them their money?? I would bet that people would send in more money if they weren’t wearing so much make-up. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![TeaRoses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@TeaRoses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaRoses)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/2 "2003-07-28T15:04:42Z")
I heard once from a Christian woman that there is actually a Biblical reason for this and it has to do with the Bible verse in Corinthians: “But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for [her] hair is given her for a covering” i.e. she piles the hair on top of her head as a covering for her head. I googled for a good discussion of this but I just couldn’t find one. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/3 "2003-07-28T16:05:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TeaRoses \* > \*\*I heard once from a Christian woman that there is actually a Biblical reason for this and it has to do with the Bible verse in Corinthians: “But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for [her] hair is given her for a covering” i.e. she piles the hair on top of her head as a covering for her head. I googled for a good discussion of this but I just couldn’t find one. \*\* That’s because you are insane. Okay, not insane, just way off. There is a verse about long hair being to a woman’s glory, but I don’t think it has anything to do with why the Christian women the OP sees on TV have big hair. I think it’s just a coincidence. They think it looks good. I’ve seen plenty of women on Christian broadcasting that have “normal” hair. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/4 "2003-07-28T16:27:50Z")
Note: I don’t mean to offend anyone, but I do live in Alabama. That being said, Why do they dress like that? Consider their audience. Who gives the most money to televangelists? The undereducated, poor, old people. I’m sure rich, educated give money too, but who is going to be most swayed by the pitch of “Send me your money, and I’ll make sure God blesses you.” My mom can’t see very well anymore, but that make-up sure shows up well on screen. Just my thougts - and for those of you who don’t know who we’re talking about, meet [Jan Crouch](http://members.tripod.com/~anxietyny/jeezusjan.html) ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/5 "2003-07-28T16:35:10Z")
Good lord, DeVena! Surely those are wigs, right? ---
**Author:** ![thinline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@thinline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinline)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/6 "2003-07-28T16:52:54Z")
Hell, it’s so peoples will think they have bigger heads thus more brains. Therefore they don’t seem as pea-brained as they really are. It could be drugs or lack of medication in this case too. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/7 "2003-07-28T17:00:06Z")
Many female christian braodcasters are southern ladies of a certain age. At one time big hair was very popular in the south, think of Dolly Parton or Loretta Lynn 30 years ago. These ladies seem to be stuck in that era and the people around them are too nice to let them know. I have heard these bouffants referred to as Phds - Pentecostal Hair Dos. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/8 "2003-07-28T17:18:42Z")
Here are the leading female personnel on the Christian Broadcasting Network. None have particularly “large” hair: [Terry Meeuwsen](http://cbn.com/700club/behindthescenes/terrymeeuwsen.asp), _co-host, The 700 Club, Living The Life_ [Lisa Ryan](http://cbn.com/700club/behindthescenes/lisaryan.asp), _co-host, The 700 Club_ [Kristi Watts](http://cbn.com/700club/behindthescenes/kristiwatts.asp), _co-host, The 700 Club_ The leading female presence on the Eternal World Television Network _can’t_ have tall hair: [Sister Angelica](http://www.ewtn.com/tv/classics.htm) ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/9 "2003-07-28T17:31:54Z")
> [@](#): > > Just my thougts - and for those of you who don’t know who we’re talking about, meet Jan Crouch MY EYES!!! MY EYES!!! Once the retinal damage has healed, I may be able to see again but that image will haunt me until my dying days. ---
**Author:** ![TeaRoses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@TeaRoses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaRoses)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/10 "2003-07-28T17:41:40Z")
I guess these posts aren’t all really directed at me, but for the record I wasn’t trying to imply that all fundamentalist Christian women do this or that it is universally regarded as Biblically based. But I did hear from a Christian woman that some women choose the hairstyle for this reason. She said it on a message board that was shut down years ago. I did look further for a cite, and not finding one does very much make me wonder. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/11 "2003-07-28T17:53:47Z")
Jesus came unto them in a dream. one similiar to the one in which he visited Don King and commanded “thee to pileth thine hair biggeth and frizzy upon thine head, lest I smite you.” ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/12 "2003-07-28T17:59:49Z")
The fuller context of _1 Corinthians_ 11 reveals a different message: > [@](#): > > Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head — it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/13 "2003-07-28T18:47:18Z")
More Jan Crouch, since the Tripod site got SDMBed. [![](http://www.aloha.net/~mikesch/Nairobi.jpg) ](http://www.aloha.net/~mikesch/Nairobi.jpg) [![](https://www.tbn.org/about/newsletter/0006/000614.jpg) ](https://www.tbn.org/about/newsletter/0006/000614.jpg) [http://www.setfree.org/images/jan.jpg](http://www.setfree.org/images/jan.jpg) She’s got big hair, I’ll admit. How about others out there, though? There used to be Tammy Faye Baker, of course. [Terry Meeuwsen](http://cbn.com/700club/behindthescenes/terrymeeuwsen.asp) doesn’t have huge hair, but it is big in a middle-class Dothan, Alabama housewife sort of way. From the December 1992 edition of Texas Monthly, in an article called [www.texasmonthly.com/archive/w301992BigHairFeb03.php+christian+%22big+hair%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8](http://216.239.37.104/search?q=cache:vQYuZ8gxRVQJ:%5Burl)"]Hooray for Big Hair!: > [@](#): > > Big Hair, however, is not restricted to rich women who have a lot of time on their hands. Ladies who live in trailer homes on the edge of town still make weekly trips to the beauty shop for beehives. Post-punk girls who populate downtown nightclubs tousle and mousse their hair until it looks like a temper tantrum. Cool teenage Hispanic girls prefer Mall Bangs, in which one half of their bangs shoots straight up over their heads and the other half swoops down over their foreheads. Stern fundamentalist Christian women, dutifully following the Apostle Paul’s command in I Corinthians (“If a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her”), show up for church in plain high-necked dresses with great mounds of hair billowing around their heads like sheep. Every God-fearing Texas woman learned early in life the true significance of the Bible story in which Mary Magdalene was forgiven of her sins after drying Jesus’ feet with her hair. Mary Magdalene had Big Hair. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/14 "2003-07-28T19:26:18Z")
“Every God-fearing Texas woman learned early in life the true significance of the Bible story in which Mary Magdalene was forgiven of her sins after drying Jesus’ feet with her hair. Mary Magdalene had Big Hair.” Which means, by extension, that Jesus had big feet. And you know what they say about guys with big feet…Jesus was packing in his loincloth. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/15 "2003-07-28T20:07:34Z")
There’s the verse about long hair being the glory of women, but there’s also the general principle of women existing in order to sexually attract men. Many of these women believe it’s to the glory of God if they are as sexually attractive as possible. I base this assertion on comments I’ve heard over the years, and the amount of time and effort spent “doing themselves up” by fundamentalist women of my acquiantance. Of course, sexually attractive is in the eye of the beholder. All us urban sophisticate types are appalled by the looks of Jan Crouch or Tammy Faye. But we’re not Paul Crouch or Jim Bakker. There’s no accounting for taste. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/16 "2003-07-28T20:08:41Z")
Terry Meeuwsen’s hair is neither particularly Southern (she’s from Wisconsin) nor big. Her hairstyle is common among women over forty. Compare her to these Congresswomen: [Tammy Baldwin](http://tammybaldwin.house.gov/) (WI) [Shelley Berkley](http://www.house.gov/berkley/) (NV) [Barbara Cubin](http://www.house.gov/cubin/photos.html) (WY) [Anna G. Eshoo](http://www-eshoo.house.gov/bio.html) (CA) [Jane Harman](http://www.house.gov/harman/) (CA) [Marcy Kaptur](http://www.house.gov/kaptur/index.shtml) (OH) [Nita M. Lowey](http://www.house.gov/lowey/) (NY) [Carolyn B. Maloney](http://www.house.gov/maloney/) (NY) [Juanita Millender-McDonald](http://www.house.gov/millender-mcdonald/) (CA) [Grace F. Napolitano](http://www.napolitano.house.gov/) (CA) [Lucille Roybal-Allard](http://www.house.gov/roybal-allard/) (CA) [Ellen Tauscher](http://www.house.gov/tauscher/) (CA) [Maxine Waters](http://www.house.gov/waters/) (CA) [Diane Watson](http://www.house.gov/watson/) (CA) ---
**Author:** ![Survey1215](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Survey1215](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Survey1215)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/17 "2003-07-28T20:08:43Z")
kd lang says “the bigger the hair, the closer to God.” I read that in an interview about ten years ago, and every time I see Jan Crouch while flipping through cable tv, I think of it. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/18 "2003-07-28T20:21:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by plnnr \* > \*\*Which means, by extension, that Jesus had big feet. And you know what they say about guys with big feet…Jesus was packing in his loincloth. \*\* “Ladies and gentlemen… It’s the Loin Tarp of Turin!” ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/19 "2003-07-28T21:08:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by plnnr \* > \*\*Which means, by extension, that Jesus had big feet. And you know what they say about guys with big feet…Jesus was packing in his loincloth. \*\* Ezekiel 47:4 - “Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins.” Indeed. (Yes, I know it’s part of the OT, but still … it’s prophecy!) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441/20 "2003-07-28T21:11:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DeVena \* > \*\*Just my thougts - and for those of you who don’t know who we’re talking about, meet [Jan Crouch](http://members.tripod.com/~anxietyny/jeezusjan.html) \*\* Holy _crap_, but that’s a funny site! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-women-on-christian-broadcasting-have-such-big-hairdos/191441.md?page=2)