There were so many, but at the time it just seemed normal. I think that's the worst part, we accepted arbitrary rules, handed over control of our lives. And by lives I mean everything - dress, grooming, cars, homes, jobs, relationships, every part of our lives were ruled by someone else's whim. *shakes head*. I can't believe I was ever that person.
What "Rules" Did The Elders In Your KH Make?
by minimus 52 Replies latest jw friends
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LongHairGal
MINIMUS:
There were a lot of little rules that I didn't think about including the usual:.. men needed a tie and jacket; no slacks for women even if it was freezing out; dress shoes; no denim.
In the early years in my first congregation they criticized me for a slit in the front of my longish skirt.
In later years there was emphasis on looking "business like", which I thought was hypocritical since they are really against careers/business. I assumed it was because they wanted to attract well-heeled members in the public who might have become accustomed to certain JW women who looked like shabby bag ladies.
There was also a campaign of criticism against several young ladies and even a somewhat older sister in the hall who had those dresses with the frilly or slanted hem ('90s)...I believe a couple of heavier older sisters too unhealthy to wear stylish clothing were at the heart of this. One of the criticized sisters showed me the "offending" dress. Nothing wrong with it. The shortest part was below her knee.
Later, there was also a campaign against sisters who showed cleavage (I don't think it was deliberate but a woman with big breasts always has to watch). I suspected a specific elder and his dowdy wife were behind this.
Somebody's opinion or issues are at the heart of it. I tended to think it was a bias against attractive and stylish women who were supposed to "try harder" to be modest.
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minimus
I had a circuit assembly part and I had my daughter's best friend in the demonstration and she had the longest skirt you could ever picture with a small slit on the side not quite going to the knee and they went ballistic
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LongHairGal
MINIMUS:
Yeah, they are totally MENTAL about this. I'm so glad all this is behind me. And it's not because I wanted to dress sexy or stand out. This was all about how they tried to make me feel.
I feel sorry for the born-ins on the forum who are suffering through all this stupidity in this controlling and meddling religion!
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stuckinarut2
OH Yes!
This thread has me both shivering nervously with PTSD and laughing at the same time because of the ridiculousness of some local "rules"...
1) Sisters will NOT wear boots - because "prostitutes wear boots!"
2) Brothers who do not get a minimum of 7 hours on their reports will "NOT hold microphone duties". 10 hours for the sound cabinet.
3) Full suit only on the stage or while doing "assignments". NO sportscoats.
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ToesUp
I think that all WT will have left are all the rule making ass@oles. I hope they all enjoy each other's company! They are going to devour each other. Lol
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LongHairGal
STUCK IN A RUT:
I wore short black boots in the winter. No way was I going to wear dress shoes in cold inclement weather.
I made enough concessions at the time to be in this stupid religion.
On a related topic about rules:...when I got a newer car at some point, some busybody older sister said: "I hope it's a 4 door so it's good for service."... To which I replied: "It's nobody's business whether it's a 2 or 4 door unless THEY are making my car payments."
I didn't care what these morons thought about anything after a certain point.
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stillin
There was no seat belt law when we got married. My wife would cuddle up close and I'd put my arm around her shoulder on the bench type front seat of my car while we were about town. When we got called into the back room about it, they said that outsiders don't know that we are married and we might stumble them. It just looks bad, they said.
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millie210
My hall -
No jeans skirts for sisters - even in field service.
The white dress shirt rule also
No cowboy boots
No ear piercings beyond one per ear (sisters only - need I even say that?)
No 2 door cars (not spiritual)
ah, those were the days!
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John Davis
Actually, Level the playing field, the issue over copyright is not a CO pet peeve thing. That came from the Branch, there have been reminders that copyrighted material cannot be used without the permission of the copyright owner even if the owner is the Organization. the use of the lyrics, the logo or other items cannot be used without the express permission of the branch or the corporation that owns the copyright.