What's the deal with beards????

bittersweet

Ok, so my brother in law, a former elder, decided to grow a beard a while ago. He initially grew it because he had a small rash he was trying to cover up, but that has since gone, and he has kept the beard. He kept the beard because it made such a fuss that he decided if he shaved it off it would be like giving in to the brothers. He has been told he is a bad spiritual head to his family, that he is setting a bad example for his children, and that he is not being a humble follower because he won't follow the brothers instructions. All of this over facial hair. My brother in law is from England, and he said it's not a big deal over there. He has asked the brothers to show him where it states in the bible one cannot have a beard. Of course there is nothing. Apparantly the last time it was addressed by the society was back in the 70's. Now a days many professional people have beards. We are no longer plagued by those crazy hippies who gave the beard a bad name, so what's the deal?? Personally I find the whole thing hilarious.

AlmostAtheist

There's no good answer on it, meaning none they would admit to. The real answer is simply obedience and conformity. They said "Jump" and he didn't give the requisite "How high?"

I smell an ex-elder/ex-JW in the offing... ;-)

Dave

AlmostAtheist

As an aside, the only mention of beards on the Watchtower site is in regard to the wildebeest: "With a long whitish beard under the chin, a dark mane on the neck, and a tail like that of a horse, the wildebeest resembles a combination of several different animals."

I suppose they wouldn't want to go around preaching looking like a wildebeest!

Dave

Wordly Andre

I always wondered about that, in some pictures of Jesus he kind of has a beard, I mean if you look at most bible pictures most men had beards. I don't see what the big deal over having a beard is other than just another way for them to control you.

ButtLight

I always thought that was the dumbest rule of all. If you live in an area where beards are "popular" so to speak, its ok. If most do not wear them, you cant!!!!!!! Dumb dumb dumb!

My cousin was constantly in the back room, cause he would leave work and go strait to the hall, and they said his 5 oclock shadow wasnt acceptable!!!!! What a bunch of tards!

fullofdoubtnow

The "rules" seem to vary from congregation to congregation in this country. In the kh I attended, if a man wanted to wear a beard, he wouldn't get any privileges, yet the congergation that shared the kh with us appointed a bearded brother as an ms, and later an elder.

JH

It's plain and simple, If Jesus shows up with a beard, he has to cut it or be Disfellowshipped !!!

Finally-Free

It's one of the Watchtower's unwritten rules - unwritten because the fools know they don't have a leg to stand on. Watchtower literature doesn't actually come out and forbid beards. They also conveniently ignore the scripture in the Old Testament that says a man should wear a beard. I forget where it is, but someone with a Watchtower CD could find it easily enough. Jesus had a beard. The apostles had beards. Russell had a beard. Oh yeah, I forgot. The Watchtower has the authority to overrule Jesus, and Jehovah - the creator of beards.

W

Wordly Andre

Russel had a beard?? humm must have been new light on beards

JH

On the back cover of the song book, all these old men have beards. Does this mean if one of them didn't have a beard, he'd be disfellowshipped in his time?

What's the deal with beards????

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