gman,

In answer to your questions:

1.) LONG HAIR? Our Lord created us with free will to follow His commandments or not, so if our hair didn't grow we would not be free to choose. Also, some people are exempt from St. Paul's admonition concerning long hair. For example, there are monks or Bahtawi who go into the desert and have taken a Nazerite vow. Anyone on this internet who claims to be a Nazerite can't be serious because a Nazerite is a celibate hermit who forsakes the world and everything in it. They spend night and day in prayer and meditation and don't deal with modern conveniences or the accruement of capital. St. Paul's admonition was directed to people who may have been participating in pagan cults which required the growth of long hair. When they entered the Christian Church they cut it off as a symbol of their forsaking of the cult. This is a similar situation to those who are presently in a cult that believes Selassie is God. Also, the warning had to do with growing long hair to simulate the look of a woman. St. paul didn't want any of that androgynous type business.

2.) CHRIST OR PAUL? Of course we follow Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ (or Iyesus, or Yeshua, same name different languages), but does that meant that we should disregard the word of St. Paul who was truly His Apostle? St. Paul never contradicted Our Lord Jesus. In the Eastern Churches we do not disregard the Saints of the Church, and giving honor to them AFTER God does not take away from the worship of the only Being deserving of Our worship, God. We believe that the saints are inspired by the Holy Spirit of God.

3.) ETHIOPIAN MARRIAGES?
The Ethiopian tradition is that the marriagable age of women is fifteen. This was also true of ancient Hebrew society and many tradtitional African societies. Some people in Ethiopia have been giving their daughters in marriage younger than this age due to economic hardship, but the Church does not condone this, unless the couple remains celibate (and often in separate households) until the proper age (i.e. 15). I did not address this because I thought that it was more or less a criticism of the Church that is not fair. The Church does not have as much power over how poeple run their lives since the rise of the secular regimes which have stripped the Church of it's power. It can condemn these acts, and little more. Basically, the power of the Church is restricted by the current government. It is doing all it can.

Hope this helps,

Nicholas