The WTBTS and Elders have too many stupid rules!

by RULES & REGULATIONS 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • RULES & REGULATIONS
    RULES & REGULATIONS

    I hated Ministry Book Bags.I hated coming out of my home with the book bags looking like I was going to a seminar.So,I starting going to the Ministry School and Sunday Bible meetings holding only the required books for that day in my hand.

    For the Sunday meetings,I would just carry the song book,bible and watchtower magazine in my hand. NO BOOK BAG! For the ministry school,I would just carry just what necessary for the evening. NOTHING MORE! Carried the books in my hand.

    Well,one day two Elders came to my home for a visit to see why I was missing some meetings and why I didn't carry a Ministry Book Bag to the meetings. I told them that since there wasn't that many books to carry for the meetings, I preferred holding them in my hands. They told me that all baptized Jehovah's Witness brothers carried book bags.I would need follow everyone's example. TALK ABOUT HUMAN MAN MADE RULES!

  • wannaexit
    wannaexit
    OMG the stupid rules would fill volumes. What about the one where a brother couldn't say the prayer unless he was wearing a jacket. I can remember an old spare jacket hanging in the vestibule ready to be worn by poor smutck that forgot his.
  • stuckinarut2
    stuckinarut2

    Yep!

    I started to only carry my ipad to the meetings instead of the "elder-bag" (a larger brief case that I always took)

    I was questioned and asked if I still "appreciated the meetings, as I seemed very casual about them now"!

    Seriously!

    I just replied "Why do I need to be cluttered with too much stuff, when everything is in electronic form now?"

    They still viewed me suspiciously! The CO even referred to this when he Deleted me! The term "subversive" was used!!

    Yes...all because of NOT CARRYING A BAG TO THE MEETING!

  • Garrett
    Garrett

    rant

    Yep, those rules were one of the major reasons why I left. There is absolutely no biblical basis for 90% of what the society demands.

    Why book bags? Once I wore a backpack because I used to ride my bike to the hall... Some sisters started calling me a mormon and I was talked to.

    Why do I need to wear a tie?

    Why does my hair have to be a certain length?

    Why can't I have a beard? Mustache? SURE. But beard = devil worshiper

    At one point it was taboo to have electronic devices in the hall, now everyone has them. Now dem Jdubs be like "you don't have an ipad? Gosh, why aren't you following Jehovah's celestial chariot." We all know that I need that ipad to win the hearts of those in the ministry.

    No logos on T-shirts

    no slacks for sisters

    Slits can't be too high OMG

    God forbid the skirt is a little too short :o GASP

    Shoulders? I once heard that sisters aren't to show too much shoulder but I may be wrong.

    No suit jacket at the meeting? Well, that means you can't do microphones, platform, talks, or anything else that involves your being seen by the public... OOPS I mean your fellow brothers and sister who know you and could care less whether or not you have a suit jacket when adjusting a brothers mic. Because, let's face it, there are rarely any new ones coming into those halls... am I right?

    What about yoga pants? :O Death to you! Skinny jeans or anything that might be tight fitting? :O Off with your head at Armageddon! Excuuuuse me for trying to look nice.

    Perfume? NOPE! Someone is gonna die if you put a nice smell on, then that brother's blood will be on your hands.

    While I'm at it, I'm gonna nitpick. I once was embarrassed because I didn't pray before having coffee/tea at Bethel. No drinking those beverages without praying first, because they are considered "food".

    Second beer? What are you an alcoholic?

    Sorry, I'll stop, just got a little wound up is all, my apologies.

    /rant

  • sir82
    sir82

    How about the arcane rules about traveling with "a sister" in your car?

    I can recall instances where I drove " a sister" who was 30 or 40 years my senior, in the back seat of my car, to wherever she had to go. Like, if she were in the front seat, I couldn't resist the urge to fornicate.

    The most extreme case I remember is once I and another "sister" were the only ones out in service on a Sunday morning (afternoon meeting). We did return visits. She drove her own car behind mine, for the whole morning.

  • RULES & REGULATIONS
    RULES & REGULATIONS

    Thank you everyone for those really funny rules! I forgot about some of those.

    sir82:

    I believe you were/are an Elder. Can you tell me why that would of bothered the Elders ( by me not having a Service Book Bag in a meeting where everyone was a Witness?) Was that my local Elders deciding the stupid rule or some stupid unwritten rule around all the congregations?

  • sir82
    sir82

    Sounds like just a bunch of local yahoos enforcing their own rules. I've never heard of "no bookbag = spiritually weak".

    That said - there was some sort of unspoken peer pressure, whenever someone was named as an elder, to get the "elder bag".

    You know what I mean, right? It was the size of a luggage carry-on bag. Came with wheels & a telescoping handle. Made of stiff black vinyl. You could carry both Insight books, a Concordance, a reference Bible, and 3 or 4 bound volumes, and still have room left over for a dozen coconuts.

    I've never even seen one in a store. I have no idea where they come from.

  • RULES & REGULATIONS
    RULES & REGULATIONS

    sir82:

    Is this the bag? Only self-righteous Elders carried these bags. I think this bag carried every book,magazine and tracts that were ever written by the society so they can show how spiritual they were.

  • DesirousOfChange
    DesirousOfChange

    Odd. No one has said a thing to me about not carrying a bag to the meetings anymore.

    Nor have they said anything to me about not being at the meetings anymore.

    I feel so abused and neglected and unloved.

    Doc

  • sir82
    sir82

    No, that's similar, but our guys all have an even bigger one. Like I said, wheels, telescoping handle, the works.

    I always think of it as similar to the guys who drive Hummers - I'm thinking "hmmm, I wonder what they are trying to compensate for?"

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