by Lady Lee 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
We all know JWs must live by many rules. Mostly they are called "principles" because the WTS doesn't want to appear to be like the Scribes and Pharisees that Christ condemned. So they renamed them as something other than "rules". But we all know they are rules. After all, you could get discipled by a judicial committee for breaking them.
So I need a list. What are some of those unwritten rules?
" conscience" was explained to me by an elder. It is a legal loophole to CYA the WTS. Any real jws knows that when you see the words conscience attached to anything it means this- No real jws would ever do this but we have to say this to keep from getting sued or accused of treason by the gov. If you conscience is too liberal we will assume you are not a real jws.
only born-ins are real jws, the folks that started coming in the late 70's and 80's have brought their filthy disgusting sexual habits with them and while we will let them get baptized, we still think we are better than them and they are a blight on Jehovah's clean org.
I don't think that viewpoint is shared by all elders. Some actually take it to mean that we're supposed to have a real conscience that we make our own choices when it comes to certain things.
Baltar
it should mean just what it says, but I am a born in and have been in the org since the 50's. I know what it says, but so many of the older born ins really do see it that way. I would not say that just to be mean b/c I've spent all my life in that religion . I hated to hear my friend tell me what conscience matter really means. It means he said too they can't df you but that would not stop those who knew abut it from marking you and unofficially shunning you. The game is rigged.
I see where you're coming from, Viola. I'm just saying that I've known some that DO take it at face value, but that may be because they are from a younger generation of JWs.
rebel8 posted this 3 yrs ago
Major unwritten rule: Things that the litter-ature says are "conscience matters" are not really so. What that means is only "weak" people do those things. "Conscience matters" are rules, and you better follow them or you will are bloodguilty for stumbling others, therefore marked for death.
We had "special needs talks" about choosing to do things the litter-ature says are "conscience matters" because the *only* reason someone would choose to do them would be because they are loose and spiritually weak.
This was during the time when blood fractions (a "conscience matter") were being refused on my behalf, almost causing my death many times.
Another major unwritten rule: Having fashionable, modest clothing or a new car is a sign of weakness. Taking good care of your material possessions is a sign of materialism.
Buy a 4 door car.
Wear nylons with your dresses/skirts. No bare legs.
You should answer at the meeting regularily. If not, you are viewed as a weakling.
People that go out mid week in service are better than those who just go out on weekends.
No R-Rated movies or M-Rated video games or TV shows.
No working full time, or in a job that requires either a college education or several years of apprenticeship. The time is "better spent pio-sneering".
Investments of any kind are a sign of not trusting in Jehovah. I remember getting some littera-trash, close to when I went into the cancer, that said that the stock market was going to crash AND both gold and silver were going to zero. Not just that it was bad advice (I have yet to see bear markets in both stocks/bonds and in precious metals at the same time), but they were insinuating that it was a sign of not trusting Jehovah.
The need for a white dress shirt. There was an issue with wire-rimmed glasses for a time, too.
Much of the music was taboo. You start out with the directive from the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger that rap and heavy metal are bad. Then you get people that self-righteously draw the border farther away from the "filth", and this continues a while. Before long, there were 225 songs you could listen to (now, it is 135).
