Name Some Stupid Organization/ Congregation Rules

by minimus 60 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  WTWizard

  All of which is a complete waste of money. I had several shirts that were colored, either fully or striped. There were some white shirts with thin blue stripes running vertically, and those had to go. Also, pale yellow shirts with a tan suit. I had to waste the money on pure-white shirts.

  They also had a specific style of dress shoes in mind. These had to be full lace-up Oxford shoes, not penny loafers. Usually they were impractical for spending long periods on one's feet--good thing the hounders could never see the $9 insoles I put in them to make them more comfortable. I couldn't see pio-sneering in those things without real good insoles, even $25 insoles. Obviously, sneakers were out of the question; as were the kind of work shoes that I got at L.L.Bean (and are extremely comfortable, comparing with sneakers, even without insoles).
• 

  FlyingHighNow

  They tried to pressure me into making my boy give up wearing a necklace. "Brothers do not wear necklaces." I told them I wanted proof of such a policy. "Well there's this article about a brother who was going to be mugged. He was told to give up his jewelry and he told the mugger JW men do not wear it, other than a wedding band or medic alert bracelet." I let my son keep wearing his necklace. I added this to my list of things that make me go hmmm.
• 

  VampireDCLXV

  I think they make too big a deal about cleavage. I LIKE cleavage, A LOT.

  V665
• 

  FlyingHighNow

  Unless it's unintentional, cleavage can seem like an obvious attempt to be alluring. They don't like women being too obvious about their sexuality.
• 

  minimus

  We had an elder that always was being counseled by the others elders for wearing "loud" ties. (Personally, I thought he looked like a moron, but I never got involved with that).
• 

  blondie

  The vast majority of these qualify under "gnat straining" while the elders and the rank and file were gulping down camels.
• 

  agonus

  I always thought it was stupid that they wouldn't let you join the U.N. - not even for a lousy library card... ;P
• 

  ReallyTrulyAthena

  Great topic, this is fun!

  Stay after the meetings and enjoy the lovely fellowship.

  For a girl that has gone to bed at 8 her entire life, service meeting night was much like a Nazi torture room.

  Magwitch, that is SO TRUE. I could never understand keeping young children out late on week-nights like that (unless on the rare occasions, the 'rents told us we were going out afterwards to the local Perkins restaurant for a dessert - then, of course, it was GREAT!) But most of the time, I was SOOOO bored (and probably why I have a huge imagination now). But also probably why my entire life I've never slept well either!

  Vampire - you naughty undead, you. LOL!
• 

  caliber

  Two, it's a control issue. If you willingly, uncomplainingly follow arbitrary rules on every little thing from the color of your tie to the fabric of your skirt to how clean your shoes are, then odds are you'll obey in most any other matter. If you flinch at the counsel or resist changing to adhere to the code, then it sends a signal to the elders that you aren't fully with the program. They'll keep an eye on you and try to work to get you in line

  So from the WT's prospective , it's not silly or stupid at all !!

  On the other side of the coin those with apostate leanings know who to approach at an assemblies ! Many years ago I was approached

  by a "brother " at an assembly with some very negative comments (nevertheless true ) about the WTS...why ? because I was wearing a wine colored blazer ! (He knew from my dress , that I must have "independent leanings ")
• 

  St George of England

  Someone mentioned that these rules vary between congregations; I wonder if they are also vary between countries.

  Here in the UK the only one of these rules I have come across is a neighbouring congregation insisted on the white shirt rule for visiting, and presumably, local Public speakers.

  I have attended, and still attend meetings in sports jackets, slacks, various coloured shirts, even silly ties for a joke. In my younger days I turned up in M/c boots and leather jacket. My hair has varied from very long to very short. No-one has EVER commented on my attire. As regards T-shirts with logos, a few years ago I turned up at KH for the Memorial practice session, one brother was wearing jeans and a T-shirt advertising his local (bawdy) pub!

  Maybe we are so short of brothers here we just turn a blind eye and use what we have. Our congregation number keeps falling and elders/Ms keep resigning.

  George