Hello Beroea,
I think that perhaps the silliest rules are those arbitrary ones of dress and grooming. The only true Scriptural parameters on dress are neatness and modesty.
Apart from that, the continuing disapproval of beards is but one indication of how sadly out-of-touch the leadership. It's common knowledge that a well-tended beard bears no stigma whatsoever.
However, with this issue as with so many others, money often influences the Society's attitude. I recall one specific, prominent instance of this in regard to facial hair.
Remember the Society's film ``Heritage'' of the early sixties? It was produced by a local brother, one Timothy Galfas, St. Galfas, a wealthy, highly successful photograper and producer (he even did several of Rod Serling's ``Night Gallery'' episodes).
He sported -- and flaunted -- a goatee in the early sixties, when it was considered particularly abhorrent, conducted the WT and gave talks on the circuit assemblies. Why? Because of his prominence, wealth, and generosity to many high-level Bethelites, including Knorr and Henschel. His colleagues on the local servant body couldn't understand how well regarded he was since months would go by without his having gone out door to door.
I understand he later crashed and burned, ``truth''-wise.
Also, I love the semantics used to justify the use of ties and suits... when is it ``adhering to local standards for businessmen''
or ``conforming to worldly standards?''..... Whenever the Society says it is, of course.
