Watchtower says Dos and Don'ts are out

by ozziepost 25 Replies latest jw friends

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  ozziepost

  Among the latest instructions to the rank and file Witnesses is this one:

  "Following Bible principles, we will avoid trying to live (or demand others to live) by an extensive and rigid set of dos and don'ts that go beyond the teachings of the Bible." (The Watchtower - issue of April 15,2002, page 22, para 15)

  It's anticipated that scores of rules and regulations formerly applied in the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses will be erased.

  Well, you'd be justified in coming to that conclusion, wouldn't you?

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  "If our hopes for peace are placed in the hands of imperfect people, they are bound to evaporate."

  
  - Ron Hutchcraft Surviving the Storms of Stress
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  Amazing

  Hey Ozzie: Thanks for that quote. I am going to place it on my profile ... this is priceless to have because JWs then cannot argue against this when trying to defend the many rules and regulations codified by the Watchtower Society.
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  Satanus

  Ozzie

  You are running ahead of jehovahs chariot like org again by actually enterpreting their words yourself. Don't you know that you aren't qualified to do that? How presumptuous to assume that they really meant what they said. It's no wonder you didn't remain in there;)

  SS
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  dmouse

  "Following Bible principles, we will avoid trying to live (or demand others to live) by an extensive and rigid set of dos and don'ts that go beyond the teachings of the Bible." (The Watchtower - issue of April 15,2002, page 22, para 15)

  This statement is completely meaningless.

  The dos and donts of the JW religion will continue unabated.
  Their rules are 'based on bible principles'. For example, sisters DO NOT wear short skirts because it goes against the bible principle of being modest.
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  Francois

  Seems I remember they applied "bible principles" when they CAME UP WITH all the present rules and regs.

  I want to see them wiggle around their facial hair regs.

  I was told I could no longer be a reader during the WT study because I did not meet the elder's "platform regulations" 'cause of my well trimmed, clean, and in my opinion, handsome beard. When I asked where they got the authority, they said it wasn't a biblical injunction, it was organizational, I asked, "where is the scripture that gives you the right to enforce your private organizational rules when the bible was silent on the issue."

  That question they couldn't answer. Nor could they answer all the follow-on questions, corollaries, and other stuff where there's no wiggle room. They followed up that my conscience would have to give way to the conscience of the body of elders. (remember the scripture about eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols?) When I asked the scriptural backup for that, they had no answer either. "Be seein' ya," I said. That was almost 30 years ago. This should be fun.

  Francois

  NOTE TO GOVERNING BODY: You've been challenged to a debate, boys. Dont you have ANY balls?
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  doinmypart

  In the past WTS has printed that there is no room for human standards, personal ideas imposed on others, yada yada yada. But for some reason this doesn't seem ever be applied. Elders still get on the platform or call somebody into the backroom and express their opinion. If one has a differing opinion they feel as if that person is not a "spiritual man".

  I agree w/you Ozzie, I would like to see all of the unwritten rules go out the door. I think the bros & sis would appreciate it as well. It seems as if they (we) are all simply tired and weighed down. Something has got to give!
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  ozziepost

  It's not just the unwritten rules; the written ones are many and varied. How many times have you seen a speaker give a talk with a bound volume on the speaker's stand? Why? Because that's where the rules are! He couldn't read them from the Bible, so he has to rely on a big brown book.

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  "If our hopes for peace are placed in the hands of imperfect people, they are bound to evaporate."

  
  - Ron Hutchcraft Surviving the Storms of Stress
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  Scully

  I wonder if the first "rule" to go will be mandatory field service and meeting attendance....

  and then reporting time and placements to the WTS

  Then there's the dress code.... I'd like to see sisters wearing pant-suits to meetings and in service (if they even continue going)

  and the "car code"

  and the "rule" about disagreeing with the WTS

  and the other "rule" about shunning

  and the one about .....

  there's a HUGE list, so let's get started

  Love, Scully

  UADNA-C (Unseen Apostate Directorate of North America-Canada)
  
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  yumbby

  They say they are going to throw out the dos and don'ts, but in a very recent post where a letter to the elders was posted, they sure had some very specific do's and don'ts. Dont' talk to a sister on the phone, dont meet with her alone etc. etc.
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  pandora

  Don't have enjoyable sex with your spouse.