beards& baptism

by siy 12 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  siy

  whats the hang up wit beards & baptism,?? i remember just before i was baptized back in the late 80s i had a meeting with 3 elders about it

  having a bit of a gorge Michel going on.

  i pointed out the obvious the jesus had one ( & was accepted by God) Russel had one ( & was accepted by God) & a brother in the con had one!! the comment was made " he is not doing as will as we would like" i think they blamed the beard!!

  where dose this dislike come from & has it changed?? after i was baptised i let grow back! but if long hair is the glory of women why is not the beard the glory of man?? ( i can understand some wonabe sister not being let take the plunge if she has a bit of a goaty going on)
• 

  llbh

  I have no idea but I used to organise talks for our cong and invited and they had a discussion at group level whether people would be offended if a brother with abeard gave a talk; I pointed out that this was a loaded question and that the reverse question should be asked; namely would you be ofended if a brother with a beard was not invited to give a talk. Needless to say they only asked the loaded question! I very soon after was given another job nad should have seen just how even in the smallest detail they try and control people's lives.

  There is no scriptutral ground over banning beards just predjudice

  regards llbh
• 

  REBORNAGAIN

  Any church against beards, is flat out, a cult. Nothing more to say!

  LINDA
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  WingCommander

  I have an answer for the entire "Beard" contriversy. Long ago, when Rutherford broke away from the original Bible Students (now considered Russellites I believe), Rutherford proclaimed from his drunken loft that beards were banned, as it was seen as a symbol of loyalty to C.T. Russell and the Bible Students.

  After a while, it was just accepted, and made an unwritten rule. Over the years, especially in the '70's, beards became a symbol of "The World", and were not be grown. The fact that Jesus most probably had one doesn't seem to faze even the most loyal witnesses. It's wrong, because the unwritten rule of the FDS says its wrong, didn't you know?

  I'm not BS'ing here, the whole start of the facial growth ban came from Rutherford not wanting people to associate JW's with Bible Students. (Russellites)

  Hope this helps!

  - Wing Commander

  PS: Can you say, "Controlling Cult?" I knew you could!
• 

  sweetface2233

  The same rule applies to employees in the hospitality field in the United States. My ex used to work in the Engineering Dept of a hotel. Beards and/or goatees were forbidden and side burns could not extend below the earlobe.

  Doesn't the JW guideline have something to do w/ the United States "view" of a clean-cut male? I know that in other countries JW males are allowed to have beards, as long as it meets their country's standard.
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  JeffT

  What Wing commander said was what I've been told as well. At the time I was baptized (1973) there was all kinds of talk about hippies and not looking like the world. I grew my beard back when I left in 1988. I've had it ever since. Neither work nor my church cares.
• 

  eclipse

  I have an answer for the entire "Beard" contriversy. Long ago, when Rutherford broke away from the original Bible Students (now considered Russellites I believe), Rutherford proclaimed from his drunken loft that beards were banned, as it was seen as a symbol of loyalty to C.T. Russell and the Bible Students.

  After a while, it was just accepted, and made an unwritten rule. Over the years, especially in the '70's, beards became a symbol of "The World", and were not be grown. The fact that Jesus most probably had one doesn't seem to faze even the most loyal witnesses. It's wrong, because the unwritten rule of the FDS says its wrong, didn't you know?

  I'm not BS'ing here, the whole start of the facial growth ban came from Rutherford not wanting people to associate JW's with Bible Students. (Russellites)

  Hope this helps!

  - Wing Commander

  PS: Can you say, "Controlling Cult?" I knew you could!

  I second that, wing.

  I also read , where Rutherford told a bethelite who had grown a beard ''to shave that damn thing off''and don't come down to dinner until he does.(or something to that effect)

  The softened version is in a yearbook, ('75?) '' he asked the brother to remove his beard, and when he did so, he was welcome back to dine with the bethel family'' (or words to that effect)

  This is from memory, there was a thread on here about it.
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  Burger Time

  Funny thing is in England Mustaches were so normal that it couldn't be enforced at those branches! In the 70's when mustaches came back in to style it was OK to have SOME facial hair...
• 

  BluesBrother

  Beards were a hot topic over here too. Not as a pre baptism rule bt definately for M/S and elders. Latterly I seen one or two in the congo's so I don't think it is as strict as it was (Worldliness gets in everywhere!)

  A couple of WT quotes:

  * w75 8/15 pp. 500-501 par. 9 Do Not Let Yourself Be Ensnared by Fads and Entertainment *

  "*Extreme hair styles can easily lead one into a trap of the Devil also, and cause others to stumble. For example, a young man in the United States was making fine progress in his study of the Bible, and he was moved to share with an experienced Witness in preaching to others about the good things he was learning from the Bible. From early youth he had let his beard grow, and since some in the business community wore beards, he felt that his wearing one in preaching to others would be acceptable generally. But in speaking to a lady he was unable to do more than introduce himself, when she said: "I’m sorry, young man, I do not want to become involved in student revolt." No amount of explanation after this sufficed to clear up the misimpression. After the conversation ended with the closing of the door, he asked the experienced Witness what had happened. He was invited to consider his appearance in relation to what he claimed to be, a servant of God. Not wanting to be responsible for even one person’s being stumbled so as to miss the way to everlasting life, this new Kingdom publisher shaved off his beard. Would you be willing to do the same or to make similar adjustments if your appearance gave the wrong impression in a certain community?"

  g00 1/22 p. 24 A Close Shave **[ an Awake article on shavers and shaving]

  *"The clean-shaven look continued through the 18th century. But then, by the mid-to-late 19th century, the pendulum began to swing the other way. Hence, photographs of C. T. Russell, the first president of the Watch Tower Society, and fellow Christian W. E. Van Amburgh show both men wearing stylish, well-trimmed beards that were dignified and appropriate for their time. In the early part of the 20th century, however, shaving enjoyed a resurgence of popularity that has endured in most countries to our day."
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  llbh

  When I first started going to meetings i was very obviously a hippie - remember them? i had long hair.. and was told very clearly that although i had no longer had short hair it was not short enough. Funny thing the person who was so strict about this was having an affair with a pioneer sister at the time!

  last heard he is back pioneering and an elder. I should have seen the warning signals. but then i would not have had three lovely children Hindsight!

  llbh