What are some Watchtower rules and customs that have no biblical basis?

by jwfacts 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  jwfacts

  
  There are a lot of customs that JWs cant do without any clear scriptural backing (off course there is always some infered scriptural principle to back up what they say)

  When I was a teenager my study conductor disciplined me for burning incense, reading me some Mosaic laws that obviously do not apply to Christians. Though this was a personal opinion not a Watchtower ruling.

  Some that i can think of are;

  • No beards
  • Having to wear a suit when doing the microphones in summer (this seems to vary amongst congregations)
  • Wearing a tie Witnessing
  • Being disfellowshipped for talking to disfellowshipped people (the inferred scripture is "loose conduct" of all things)
  • No smoking
  • No gambling
  • Being disfellowshipped for taking blood
  • No large gatherings (what a joke, even Jesus attended a large wedding with copious amounts of alcohol that he himself provided)

  What are some others, and if you can quote from some Watchtowers that would be even better.
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  Mysterious

  Requiring sisters to wear skirts/dresses, banning of body piercings, not allowing earrings on men, requiring men to have short hair, theocractic ministry school, mandatory meeting attendance, commenting at meetings, supplementary literature being required. (Damn Im helpless here is there a quotes mirror available anyone know where the latest one is?)
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  Leolaia

  Having to wear a suit when doing the microphones in summer

  I love to compare their snotty dress code with the garb exhibited by John the Baptist:

  "John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey" (Matthew 3:4).

  Such theocratic grooming!
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  carla

  Maybe the question should be- If you can, name just one rule or custom of the jw's that has a biblical basis
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  Inquisitor

  In the exceptional circumstance where a meeting has to be conducted by sisters (there is no baptized male present), the JW custom is to have conducting sister wear a head covering. *** w02 7/15 p. 26 Questions From Readers *** In what situations is it appropriate for a Christian woman to wear a head covering for spiritual reasons?
  
  "Every woman that prays or prophesies with her head uncovered shames her head," wrote the apostle Paul. Why? Because of the divine principle of headship: "The head of a woman is the man." Praying or preaching in the Christian congregation is normally the responsibility of a man. Hence, when a Christian woman cares for matters pertaining to worship that ordinarily would be performed by her husband or by a baptized man, she should wear a head covering.—1 Corinthians 11:3-10.
  
  Paul was explicitly critical of the woman who "prays or prophecies" without a head-covering. The scriptures say nothing about a woman wearing head cover to lead a congregational meeting. Of course, a fast-thinking JW would quickly defend the Watchtower Society saying that they have successfully discerned that the spirit of the Law is for a sister to show respect by wearing a head covering.
  
  But they forget that Paul outrightly FORBIDS a woman from teaching, head covering or not.
  1 Timothy 2:12 states," I (Paul) do not permit a woman to teach, or to exercise authority over a man, but to be in silence."
  So if we're being true to scriptural authority (Pauline authority anyway) and we regard leading a congregation meeting as a form or teaching, the inevitable conclusion is that sisters may not conduct meetings at all, ever, nadda. But we know that it is in the Organization's interest to keep the show running by making concessions to our much opressed, sheep-like sisters. Concessions that have no biblical basis. INQ
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  Stephanus

  Going door-to-door with printed literature.

  Time cards

  Not providing food for the masses at assemblies; Jesus fed the 5000

  Taking authority over demons in Jehovah's name

  Addressing God as Jehovah in prayer; Jesus always used "Father", even in the pattern prayer.
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  Reefton Jack

  The no beard rule has no biblical basis - nor any other basis from what I can see:

  - i.e for one thing ,the Jews were actually forbidden to shave their beards off. So, yes, Jesus and the Apostles were bearded.

  - The WT Society's prohibition on beards extends to countries, such as Papua New Guinea, where the custom always has been for most men to wear a beard.(So much for "stumbling" some one).

  Is it anything to do with the power struggle that developed following the death of C.T. Russell, as some have claimed? (Charles Russell wore a beard - the Drunken Judge didn't).

  More than anything else, this led to my breaking with them in the end:

  - The penny finally dropped that we were all allowing ourselves to be hemmed in by just so many man-made rules. On its own, maybe not too bad - except that some of these man-made rules (eg. the one on blood transfusions) are life threatening.
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  peacefulpete

  John wore a camel-hair sport coatt. A bit warm for summer in the desert but always in style.
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  loosie

  Jesus attended a large wedding with copious amounts of alcohol that he himself provided)

  So Jesus was the bartender?!?!?!

  I haven't found a bibical basis for:

  - the chaperone rule especially when driving in a car

  - not sitting next to each other in the hall unless you are married.

  - no chewing gum rule

  - oral sex
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  greendawn

  Expelling those that call Jesus Lord, this is in fact what the apostles did, to them He was their Lord.
  
  Calling themselves JWs something that the Jews themselves never did though the words "you will be my witnesses" were directed to them. Of course the Jews realised that they were to witness (and be able to verify) his glory and power rather than be called his witnesses.