Stop the presses! According to the head of the Russian branch of a Christian church beards can protect you from being gay.

Metropolitan Kornily (that’s a name? Sounds more like a Williamsburg brunch spot)… anyway, he’s the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, and explained men should stop shaving to

“protect themselves from homosexuality.“

He told The Moscow Times that beards mean that a man is less likely to be “corrupted” by a same-sex relationship.

“God gave us the rules: it is written that God created everyone with a beard. We can not imagine Christ or some saint without a beard. One should not oppose its creator.“

He explains the beard’s special status has

“completely disappeared from the Catholic West.“

Of course Russian President Vladmir Putin supports Kornily. Is this a backhanded slam at Putin? He always appears clean-shaven.

Guess they don’t have bears in Russia… not gay ones, anyway.

If you look at gay males in this country the last 15 years, this idea appears to have had the opposite effect. (via Gay Star News)