Body piercing

[fella]

NJClubScouter

 

"I didn't even like it when my wife allowed our daughters to get their ears pierced. Now my oldest daughter (age 20) has a pierced navel."

 

Well, welcome to today's young people!

 

Actually, I think that if piercing presents a safety problem in scouting, then of course the ring or barbell should be removed.

 

But for a boy or girl with an earring I think it's no big deal, so many of them get their ears pierced these days.

 

fella

[NJCubScouter]

fella says:

 

But for a boy or girl with an earring I think it's no big deal, so many of them get their ears pierced these days.

 

I didn't say earrings are a "big deal," either on males or females, it's just that it annoys me a bit, and I fail to understand why anyone would do it, especially for a man or boy. I know it is a "fad," but it's like my mother used to say, If your friends want to jump off a bridge, it doesn't mean you have to do it too. (I think everybody's mother said that.) I'm sure that my attitude is partly a generational thing, and partly the vicarious pain I experience when I see that someone has added an extra hole(s) to their head. It may partly just be me too, I don't like wearing any jewelry, even a watch. I wear my wedding ring only because of the threats that have been made against me if I were to stop wearing it.

 

As for girls wearing earrings, it is more difficult to explain my irritation about that. It is not a generational thing, because girls were wearing earrings when I was a boy, though the average age has probably gotten younger. That particular annoyance mainly applies just to my own daughters, though I recall once when visiting my wife's brother's house, and his wife had had their daughter's ears pierced, and she couldn't have been more than 6 months old. I just thought it was stupid, but fortunately I caught myself before verbalizing my opinion.

[fella]

NJCubScouter:

 

Yes well, you say that earrings on boys AND girls irritate you.

 

All I can say is, get used to it; they're probably going to have it done anyway sooner or later, I guess.

 

As far as I'm concerned, as long as scouters are not hasarding themselves or others with tiny rings or studs in their ears, then they should feel free to go for it, confident in the fact that most people won't take any notice anyhow.

 

Happy New Year!

[Rogue391]

I am a female leader with multiple ear piercings. When camping I wear small post earrings and usually have my hair pulled up so the boys obviously know. When I was a cub leader I would not let the boys camp with earrings due to their 'high'activity level. Now as boy scouts I think they're old enough to show good sense and know what would be too much of a risk to wear camping (ie hoops). As far as the message they might send with an ear piercing... My 16 yr old has his ear pierced and is currently acting as a JASM and troop guide, is a project away from Eagle, is the OA Chapter chief for our district and will be spending his third summer on camp staff this year. This same boy also had a 'sort of' mohawk 2 years ago. I feel that we should choose our battles carefully and please, folks- look beyond the wrapper.

As far as the baggy pants- we do have the boys pull them up to the waist at scout activities. We explained that we have no desire to see their boxers! That sure did the trick!

[packsaddle]

OK, BSA may be behind the times when it comes to policy on piercings and tattoos. Anyone surprised? Normally I would consider this a matter of personal choice, but when practices such as these disqualify a person from being a blood donor (at least for the duration of the incubation period), I have a problem with the practice. There is a real risk and I tend to disapprove. In the comparison between love and hepatitis, for example, it is the hepatitis (or worse) that is forever.

I objected to my daughter's ear piercings. I was ignored. We'll both get over it.

[packsaddle]

OK, BSA may be behind the times...blah, blah, blah. Sorry, I hit the button twice.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[acco40]

I am dead set against any type of self mutilation in the members of my troop. That is why I don't allow anyone, female leaders included, with pierced ears. Also, you can never tell with those circumcised males, poor mutilated fellows set a very bad example. Worst of all are those LASIX souls with mutilated eyeballs.

 

Come on people, get over it. What we don't like (I hate body perforations, and hope my daughter never gets any) and what we should and should not allow is taken care of by the BSA and our COs. The SM and CM should not be setting policy on these matters of personal preference.

[fella]

Rogue391"

 

"RE: Body piercing

Posted: Sunday, February 02, 2003: 2:30:01 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am a female leader with multiple ear piercings. When camping I wear small post earrings and usually have my hair pulled up so the boys obviously know. When I was a cub leader I would not let the boys camp with earrings due to their 'high'activity level. Now as boy scouts I think they're old enough to show good sense and know what would be too much of a risk to wear camping (ie hoops). As far as the message they might send with an ear piercing... My 16 yr old has his ear pierced and is currently acting as a JASM and troop guide, is a project away from Eagle, is the OA Chapter chief for our district and will be spending his third summer on camp staff this year. ... I feel that we should choose our battles carefully"

 

Quite so! Sometimes it's sensible not to prohibit a boy from getting it done.

 

It's pretty innocuous, really.

[Bob White]

I believe that the one great spirit gave each of us all the holes we require. If anyone one chooses to add more then that is an issue between him(her) and the creator. You need to make your own decisions about your own body, the trouble comes when you try to make decisons about someone elses.

BW

[fella]

Bob White:

 

It also says in the Bible about the men and women freed from slavery and willingly serving their master being commanded by their Creator to pierce their ear.

 

To say that the Creator would have given us a hole in the ear-lobe is a bit like saying: If He had wanted us to swim He would have given us web feet.

 

Actually I don't think that ear piercing is a terribly serious matter, either for those who do it or for those who are deprived of it.

 

It's great to do it, it's great not to it.

 

 

[buffalo2]

Curious about that Bible reference - where is that again?

Think I'd like to see it in context.

Thanks!

[fella]

Buffalo2:

 

You asked about the Bible ref. to the pierced ear as the mark of servanthood. Okay, in response:

 

"Exodus 21:6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.

Deuteronomy 15:17 Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise."

 

This mark of servanthood is also referred to in Psalm 40.6:

 

"Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened [Hebrew: digged]: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required."

 

Christians link this Messianically to the atoning work of Christ at the cross, where he

 

"took upon him the form of a servant ... and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow". Philippians 2.7-10

 

So in the imagery of the Bible the pierced ear as a mark of servanthood is significant.

 

(Since you asked. You're welcome.)

[Eamonn]

Haveto admit to not liking body piercing, and tattos. OJ, my son really wants to have his ear/ears done. But not on my watch.

However, sometime back we were preparing for the Jamboree, with yours truly as Scoutmaster. One lad turned up with a ring in his eyebrow, both ears pierced. His hair was, blue, red and pink. Someone had spent a lot of time on the hair, as it was somehow done so it formed little squares.

The Jamboree Troop Committee Chair. Looked at me, and I at him. "You can't let him go looking like that." He said.

Unsure of what to do, I did nothing. But went home and gave it some thought. Here I had a boy who at that time was close to becoming an Eagle Scout, he was the Senior Patrol Leader in his home troop and his parents were ready to spent close to a thousand dollars, to send him to the Jamboree.

There are a lot of wise and well informed people in this forum, but I couldn't think of one "Rule" that would prevent this lad from going to the jamboree.

As time passed, we as a troop met and worked on our gateway, I got to know this lad. He is a super nice kid. I did tease him, about his hair. But it was all in fun.

When he would phone me, I would ask what color his hair was today, and we would laugh, I know that there were times when the color of the day was for my benifit.

Before the event, I asked him if he was planning on wearing all the "Rings."

He looked at me and said "No, I'd only lose them."

As for the hair, he went to the jamboree with it dark with bleached highlights. It looked good, far better then my nice shade of grey.

Sometimes it is hard to get past the things that we don't like or understand. But I would hope that we are all in Scouting for all the kids, not just the ones that we like, or look good.

I have said that OJ, can get his ear pierced,when he is 18, but if he is at home then, he can't wear his ear ring in the house. So for now he is happy with his necklace !!!

[fella]

Eamonn: "OJ, my son really wants to have his ear/ears done."

 

It's your call. But so many boys do it that many people would hardly regard it as a big deal if he had it done.