by B_Deserter 31 Replies latest jw experiences
I think if Jesus came back right now and examined the organisation using his Father's name, He would be disgusted as he was with the Scribes and Pharasees. All those thousands of rules that burden the people - rules that come from man not God.
This statement hits the nail on the head! The TRUTH about "the truth (TM)".
How I would love to shove this comment in the face of the next hounder who tries to corner me at my place of employment.
brothers cannot have beards (the beard rule I think is pretty much US-only though)
Nope. The beards were (an still is, I guess) an issue here in Norway as well. If you had a beard, or something other hairy stuff in your face, you were not to have any privileges. One new brother in my hall (really nice guy with adorable family, also new), had a moustache for a long time. One day he shaved it off. Two weeks later (or so it seemed) he was an MS.
I can't remember any dress rules, though.
Its the same here in Britain.
I remember seeing a brother in the Kingdom Hall being told by an Elder, that as long as he had a beard, he would not be allowed on the platform. Also that no one would be allowed to work with him on the field ministry. The guy only had a small goatee !!
Yet I had a mustache all the time I was a JW , no one ever told me to shave it off or even made a comment, even when I became a Min Servant.
We had the usual brothers had to wear suits rule. But we could wear whatever coloured shirt we liked. I never ever wore white shirts.
There was a rule about ties, they had to be plain and dark colours. Then a CO turned up who wore the most brightly coloured, patterned ties you can imagine. The Elders never said a word after he had been.
But I have learnt how things can be different in other congregations. Each one seems to make up its own rules on dress, depending on the attitude of the local Elders.
In Australia if a young man decides to grow facial hair it is seen as a sign of rebellion. Simple as that.
I wonder how much Gilette and similar companies are paying the WT to keep this unfair rule understandig
kifoy
When i was a Ministerial Servant i grew a beard and i was told that i would never make Elder if i kept it. That pleased my wife because she did not want me to make elder....she was slowly on the way out. We are now long out of the Watchtower and at the moment she is giving me some grief because i have grown a beard....mind you it is grey and ginger.
Was it not Judge Rutherford who brought in the rule about beards in order to move away from Pastor Russell who had a cracker.
Eddie
Stupid rules, from stupid old men
Where I live, beards are forbidden. Moustaches are ok, though, so many of the brothas grow these big, awful porn-star 'staches to compensate for lack of beardiness. They all look like Jason Lee from My Name Is Earl, dressed up in a polyester suit. It strikes me as a silly, pointless rule.
Two of my brothers are still JWs. One has a mustache, which doesn't seem to be a problem. The other, who I suspect is a fader, used to have a beard. My mom didn't like it, and kept trying to think of ways to get him to shave. Telling him he'd get more "privileges" in the congregation didn't work, so she came up with another tactic. This brother has a dimple that is exactly like the one our long-dead paternal grandmother had.
So one day Mom says to J, "I know you like wearing a beard, but I miss seeing Grandma D's dimple."
And J says, "Dig her up."
The cool part is that my mom thought that was really funny. The uncool part is that between her and the congregation, he was eventually pressured into shaving his beard.
beards are okay where i live. (GB)
elders have 'taches. most bro's wear mix of bright shirts/ suits. a couple of the older men dont always wear suits when giving their items from the platform. elder in neighbouring hall has full beard, everybody seems chilled about it.
concentrate on the important things - i say.
Beards are a huge no where I live....which seems ridiculous especially when you see business men with nicely trimmed beards all over the place......
How do JW's defend this position?
I don't think any of the arguments they used to float in support of their policy are still valid today.
(i.e. Beards are associated with 1960's hippie counter culture.)
Today, doctors, lawyers, engineers, architects, and many other (male) professionals all have beards.
I was recently at a Microsoft seminar and realized that I was the only man in the room without a beard
