We are back with James L Doran, AKA @renegadepriest. James is a public speaking instructor, beardsman, actor, communicator and blogger. We have a lot to talk about including his latest blog and video posts, Christopher Oldstone-Moore's new book, “Of Beards and Men”, upcoming beard competitions and more.
Barry:
Hi James, thanks for joining us today.
James:
My pleasure! Thank you for having me.
Barry:
James, before we get started, I’ve been wondering what your name @renegadepriest is all about. Maybe you can talk about that a bit. It’s an intriguing name.
James:
Absolutely! I would love to talk about it. I have actually been giving it a great deal of thought lately. I first heard this phrase, "renegade priests" in a Bob Dylan song, Changing of the Guards, from his 1978 album, Street Legal.
Barry:
You know, at one time I was a huge Dylan fan, knew a number of his songs by heart, even the difficult ones. Knew Subterranean Homesick Blues, which was a tough one, from beginning to end:
Johnny's in the basement
Mixing up the medicine
I'm on the pavement
Thinking about the government
The man in the trench coat
Badge out, laid off
Says he's got a bad cough
Wants to get it paid off
Knew the whole thing. I would blow people away with that. But go ahead, I digress. Nice that it started with Dylan...
James:
Subterranean Homesick Blues is a really catchy tune! That one was a hard one to learn. I remember I was so proud when I finally learned Like a Rolling Stone. But, yeah, let’s not go down the Bob Dylan rabbit trail or we may never return.
Barry:
Agreed, back to your name, Renegade Priest.
James:
Here is the portion of the lyrics from that song from which that phrase (“renegade priests”) is taken:
I stumbled to my feet
I rode past destruction in the ditches
With the stitches still mending beneath a heart-shaped tattoo
Renegade priests and treacherous young witches
Were handing out the flowers that I'd given to you.
Barry:
Well, like many of Dylan’s lyrics, there is really no way in the world to know what that means!
James:
So true! I don’t even think Dylan knows what it means and it is funny watching him respond to people who ask him about the meaning of his songs on the rare occasions where he gives an interview.
Barry:
I know, I’ve seen one or two of those. So you are not trying to explain the whole song here. It’s just the phrase, “renegade priests”?
James:
Exactly! I really like the juxtaposition of these two words because they seem a contradiction, but are quite meaningful to me in my own life. On the one hand, I was raised with a great deal of traditional and religious values but on the other hand, I have also preferred to go my own way asserting my independence and free spirit.
While I do not consider the terms "renegade" and "priest" to be mutually exclusive, I also do not consider them to be in agreement with one another. Paradoxically, even with my free spirit and desire to go against the norm in many ways, my traditional values still guide me and influence me every step of the way even as I violate conventional expectations of me as a man, as a spiritual man, as a bearded man, as a human being.
You see, I think that there is black and white and a whole lot of gray and so it’s about a feeling of rightness with this phrase. It seems to embody my spirit as best as words can do. The appearance of a negative connotation is the point. I embrace skepticism and questioning preconceived notions and embedded paradigms within our human psyche that have been passed down from generation to generation. Do not be a contrarian, but I say question everything and be prepared for the answer or the uncertainty of no answer.
Barry:
So, and I’m drawing on impressions from conversations we’ve had as much as what you are saying now, would you agree that “renegade priest” is a restless seeker of truth? A man who holds on to some core religious beliefs but rebels against convention seeking more truth, more happiness, more authenticity, more meaning - and will search it out with an open mind - does that sound about right?
James:
That sounds pretty spot on! However, to be a renegade about it, I struggle with that term, “religious beliefs”, even though I know that there is some good there. Religion has held such a stronghold on our lives (for better or for worse) and sometimes my resistance to what I was taught is that of a restless child who wants to break free from the authority of their parents just for the sake of a little bit of independence.
Barry:
I understand. I would point out that all restlessness may not be childlike though. There is a healthy and dare I say, religious restlessness that yearns for more, that approaches something divine and won’t be bound by conventions. It seeks something higher and is not just running away.
James:
I am glad you said that. I sometimes feel like I am being childish with my resistance, but you are absolutely right that it is healthy to search for truth and to seek it out. It’s an inner struggle to find the right balance, and I think my beard is a manifestation of this inner struggle and yearning to express my inner self in an outward way. To some, facial hair may be nothing more than hair that grows on one’s face, but to many (myself included) it is much more symbolic and meaningful. It also gives me that measure of independence that I seek and and helps me break with conventions that might keep me from being true to myself.
Barry:
James, I feel we have found ourselves in the heart of your most recent blog post: “To Thine Own Self Be True”, What do you think?
James:
I think you are absolutely right. My beard is a simple, yet difficult way to be true to myself. It is simple because it grows on its own without any effort on my part. It is difficult because of the many negative connotations and stereotypes that come with it. In my recent blog post, I specifically mentioned how difficult it can be within the job market to express yourself with a beard, body piercings, or tattoos. There is always the constant struggle between compromise and authenticity.
Barry:
Right, it’s tough and sometimes it’s hard to find the balance. I have had a beard now for over 20 years. Sometimes I let it grow free. Sometimes I trim it when I feel the need to. BTW - I’m not sure those feelings are always right. It’s different things that convinced me at times to trim my beard, not anyone forcing me. I did it to fit in better, get along. However, I have not shaved my beard all these years and I don’t think I ever will, even though it’s getting gray and I’d look ten years younger without it. I guess that’s my balance. Keep it at all costs, trim it if I need to. But I have to tell you, I am being inspired by guys like you and I just might let it grow full. There’s a voice inside that’s saying to do it.
James:
I think you are spot on when you talk about the subtle influences that cause you to go back-and-forth between trimming your beard and letting it grow full. I think that is as close as we can get to being true to ourselves without anyone forcing us to trim or shave our beards. There will always be those subtle influences but as long as we ultimately make the decision, we are being true. And you know that I agree with that voice. Let it grow!
Barry:
I just might. Talking to you is inspiring me. I feel a bit of the camaraderie that you and others speak about in the beard community. Having a conversation like this that is personal, yet universal is a surprise to me - I am surprised that our common interest in beards brought us here, speaking about things that are so core, so real. You know, New York is one of the fashion centers of the world and so we tend to look at things from that perspective. You’ve opened my eyes. I think I understand the pull you feel to go to the beard competitions and meet and talk to the beardsmen there. It’s really something, a very pleasant surprise.
James:
It is also a surprise to me because I have not only been restless in the sense of trying to “find myself” (do people still say that?), but also within the workplace. I mentioned in my blog that I have not yet found a career where I feel like I really fit, at least not for long. Not that going to facial hair competitions is a career, but it is certainly a step in the right direction for me to do something with my time that I can enjoy and that I find meaningful. I think that is what I am looking for in a career. And within any context, meeting likeminded people who also bring their own experiences and perspectives is a great way to enjoy any personal journey.
Barry:
I hear you. You know James, I think that sometimes we expect too much from work, we identify with it too much. I think the more we see ourselves as first and foremost spiritual beings and seek the light in our daily lives, no matter what we have to do to make a living, the easier it gets. Of course, I agree that the ideal is not to have any conflict. I think we all aspire to that and I wish you success with that of course, very much success.
You know James, it’s hard to believe, it went so fast, but we are pretty much out of time. We are just starting to scratch the surface and we didn’t even get to the book or the upcoming beard competitions. I guess that will have to wait for next time. Thanks again for being such a great brand advocate for OneDTQ Beard Care. We really appreciate everything you do and are excited about the upcoming beard competitions. Would you like to sum up or add anything before we sign off?
James:
Yes, I would just like to say that it is always a pleasure speaking with you, Barry. That is one thing I like about having a beard. It makes for an easy conversation starter. Talking about the weather is so overdone. After we get a conversation going, we can learn more about one another as human beings; spiritual beings. Thanks again for having me.
Barry:
Always a pleasure James! Speak to you soon...
Please visit James’ latest blog post and video:
Blog post: To Thine Own Self Be True
Video: Does Facial Hair Make the Man?
Photo By:
Jeffrey Moustache jeffreymoustache.com
