This is from a recent article about Malawi, and the caption calls the man "Brother Welosi Mbendera".
Another Rare Beard Sighting
by neat blue dog 12 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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RubaDub
If their KH has a "library" or "back room", he will likely be brought in after the meeting and encouraged to shave it so as not to stumble the other people in the neighborhood. They might think he rides a Harley, has a Satanic tattoo on his back and does drugs.
Also, the sister has a "green" hat that may be too worldly in their opinion. It may bring too much attention to her.
Note: I bet he got that tooth knocked out in a bar fight with a rival group.
Rub a Dub
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bsmart
Bar fight with the Mormans!!!!.
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Finkelstein
For a man to wear a beard is a sin before God
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Finkelstein
........... but brother I cant afford a shaver right now !
............well then you cant go out in service or give talks until you do, beards are considered an act of worldly uncleanliness within the organization .
You want to look righteous before Jehovah dont you, your aware of the day of judgement coming soon ?
............I guess so, I'll get a shave somewhere brother.
............Good, I'll lend you mine if you like
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Solzhenitsyn
"...why even some elders have beards..."
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sir82
"Oh, JWs in Africa can get away with beards...but not here."
Spoken or thought by 95% of JWs in the world.
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princecharmant
First, Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. Brother Welosi is dressed quite decently in the midst of endemic poverty (probably second-hand clothing imported from wherever). He has a "beard", but a lot of that goes with age in Southern Africa. He actually looks the better for it since said "beard" matches what hair is left on his head. The sister is not wearing a hat - it's a "head scarf" commonly worn by women of all ages throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
Please, always remember the context. More than a third of humanity only manages to scrape by and cannot afford certain "luxuries" considered nothing by those who can. There is no point mocking the poor who only happen to have been born where surviving is more a matter of luck than anything else, or lampooning a person in whose shoes we've never walked even if, in our opinion, they are in the "wrong" religion. Oh, about that "knocked out" tooth? Were he in a society with affordable medical care and had the means, Brother Welosi would most likely have had that replaced. Overall, considering his "robust" looks, he's come a long way in a country where life expectancy at birth is 50.
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Finkelstein
There is no point mocking the poor, that's not the intent but to knock the stupidity of this enforced rule of conduct concerning men's appearance which the WTS/JWS made and held to for a long time.
The WTS made this rule of conduct because it wanted its public sales representatives to look clean, wholesome and righteous in the public's eye.
That's the real reason.
Same goes with hair length.
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Finkelstein
Scripturaly this is how men are to look , men are not to cut their hair on the sides of their head.
