Beards vs. Shunning announcements

by slimboyfat 29 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  slimboyfat

  During Lett’s announcement that beards are now allowed he elaborated at some length how brothers ought to feel and react to the change in policy. He warned brothers not to resent not being able to grow beards earlier if they had wished to do so. He also warned brothers who supported the old policy not to allow themselves to wonder what the point of doing so was now that it has changed.

  Yet when Sanderson announced the change to how disfellowshipped people are treated he didn’t elaborate on how people might feel about the change and how they should react. Is this because the Governing Body believes people will be more upset and conflicted about the beard change than the change in how disfellowshipped people are treated? This seems unlikely. Maybe they recognise that it such an emotive subject for many Witnesses who have totally shunned relatives for years that they better tread carefully.
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  TxNVSue2023

  The weird thing is that now 90% of the men have beards! Just because you CAN doesn't mean you Should.

  I just find beards to be slovenly, untidy & lazy looking. But it's funny how now everyone has one.
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  TonusOH

  It might be that the restrictions on beards always seemed unnecessary and arbitrary. It sounds perfectly reasonable to me that a brother would wonder why they had to wait this long to be given permission to grow a beard.

  I remember an elder who had a small tuft of hair right under his lower lip. Just a square-shaped bit of hair. I know that he was admonished a couple of times about it, but it apparently was a line in the sand for him. I can't help but think that it was a rebellious act on his part. He must have wanted to have a beard so badly! I would imagine that he probably started to grow his out the moment they said it was allowed. And I wonder if he feels the same way- that there was no reason to order him not to grow one all this time. To him, Lett's words must feel a bit personal.
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  Scully

  I wonder how many JWs who have been shunning DFd and DAd family members and friends for years are going to feel reluctant about reaching out to touch base with those folks, and what their reaction will be when those family members and friends tell them to pound sand?

  Honestly how does one approach that?

  "Hey! Long time no chat! We just got New Light™ that we can talk to you again... isn't that great?"

  *click*

  "hello? hello?"

  *crickets*
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  peacefulpete

  Members of my family who left/exiled got a call from a JW sibling yesterday. No socializing just an invite to "special talk" being given by her husband. All it accomplished is demonstrate that the controls are still in place. Of course I didn't get one, they regard me as dangerous. I'm ok with that.
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  notsurewheretogo

  Maybe they recognise that it such an emotive subject for many Witnesses who have totally shunned relatives for years that they better tread carefully.

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  I think this is spot on given there have been meeting items on shunning and folks were crying in the audience.
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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  So this is true. This is part of why I logged back in. I saw on FB a few weeks ago that beards and man buns are okay now.
  smh.
  okay.
  
  
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  slimboyfat

  I think this is spot on given there have been meeting items on shunning and folks were crying in the audience.

  Have you seen that happen? How did the elder handle it?
  
  I did see a sister run out the hall crying when her daughter was disfellowshipped, but not during a Watchtower.
  
  I read about another “funny” case, if you can call it that, where the announcements were being handled by an older brother who was not on top of things and he mixed up names and announced that a regular pioneer sister had been disfellowshipped by mistake. That pioneer sister ran out the hall crying and the elders had to apologise.
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  daniel-p

  Eh, I didn't read into it as closely. I think they lumped these changes together, to take the heat and focus off of the DF'd communication change, which is a way, way bigger deal that is sure to confuse and enrage a lot of people.
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  Beth Sarim

  Becoming a " nicer , gentler kinder religion".

  Yes.

  In a way. For $$$$