Looking at my avatar, which is not me by the way, sort of made think that it seems to me that the organisation has the unfortunate knack of making big issues out of trivial, non-issues.
Take beards for instance, an long time favorite for discussion on this board. One of the only two times in nearly 50 years in the 'truth' that I ever got counselled, I was always a 'goody two shoes' in those days, was over taking the Ministry School wearing a full beard. What happened was that I had been on holiday, and as I wasn't as grey in those days, always like to grow my beard for a week or two. I came back home but didn't shave it off immediately, and ended up taking the school, and if I remember rightly, a Service meeting part. So, I got the private counsel treatment.
A brother was assigned to approach me about the incident, at the behest of a number on the body of elders, remember I was an elder too at the time, so this sort of thing is always a bit clandestine. He quoted that ancient Watchtower about a beard brother on the work one day being told by the lady of the house that he looked like a drafting dodging hippie (not an exact quote I have hyped it up slightly). Anyway he went on a bit about it. I wasn't too bothered about it and was always a loyal witness at the time but I did point out that Charles Russell wore a beard and that as far as I was concerned the no beard policy was more of a reflection of right wing American thinking; the reason GIs are clean shaven and have cropped hair is to make them look the same and conform. As I said, I wasn't too bothered by the incident or the counsel as I had already shaved my beard off by that time. The 'counsel' was given about a month after the 'incident' and by the Sunday following that dark Thursday of the sight of a bearded elder on the platform I had already shaved it off.
So as far as I was concerned at the time it was a bit of a non issue, and now I don't go to the meeting, guess what? Most of the times I don't wear a beard and certainly am not offended by others who do.
I should mention other non issues, sisters having to wear dresses or skirts to the meeting, pre teen kids being made to look stupid by having to wear a suit, shirt and tie to the meetings.
None of these things have anything to do with our spirituality or our quest to find God and our place in this universe, which are the important things that religion should be helping it adherents with.
Eyeslice (a bit like Salman Rushtie but without the beard or the talent)
Making big issues of non issues
by eyeslice 4 Replies latest jw friends
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eyeslice
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wha happened?
Here on the westside of Los Angeles it's a little more tolerated. I knew an MS with a goatie. Alot of the brothers, (including myself before I left). have a soul patch
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MissingLink
It's all about forcing people to "make a stand" and be different. If you can control them in little things, then you can control them in big things.
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Tyrone van leyen
Everyone at the kingdumb hell, should wear fake beards in protest at the next meeting. If they wern't so serious it might be funny.
Hell we got wars going on, food prices rising, aids crisis in Africa, fuel costs soaring, global warming, economic meltdowns, and rioting.
God dammit, shave that beard! Can't you see the evil?
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wha happened?
shaving of the beard is the JW equivalent of putting aluminum foil on your head