As a woman in the truth what went through your head when you realized that us sister had to cover our heads?

by life is to short 30 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  life is to short

  OK I was raised in the "truth" but no one ever studied with me. My parents were abusive and I got nothing from them or anyone in the "truth" no bible study any attention nothing from anyone.

  I read the Great Teacher book to myself at the age of seven, and when I was in my mid teens I started studying on my own with no help from anyone nor any answers my questions expect to be rebuked if I asked the wrong question so I quit asking it was God's chosen religion after all who was I to question anything. I was baptized at the age of 12 by force from my parents and the elders went along with it, I did not have a clue what I was doing or getting into. Stupidly I bought into it being God's true religion I could kick myself now.

  OK so I did not know the head coving thing at all. No one told me and I was never around when a sister had to do it. So there was this woman in the hall in her late 20's and she was a problem case not sure if she was baptized but none of the elders or their wives wanted to deal with her so they gave her to me to sort of study with, like go over the meeting parts with her to encourage her.

  So this one day I meet for service and this older elder who was in his early 70's was the only one out I was about 17 at the time. So him and I went alone thinking back that was stupid on his part but anyway we went to this lady's home. I conducted the sort of study and this elder looked at me and said where is your head covering. I looked at him like he was nuts. I said head covering? What do you mean head covering? He said the Angel's are watching. Now at this point I was really thinking he was a little touched in the head and was joking with me. I kind of laughed and said 'woman need to wear head covering?' He was starting to get upset with me and I was thinking OK I had better go along with this just for now because I am kind of stuck here.

  Anyway I came home and sure enough it was right there in the publications I just had never noticed. It really bothered me though because I felt it really put us as woman down in the religion and I just could not wrap my mind around a God of love expecting woman to do that. I was thinking this is what backwards religions like the Amish do. Seriously the "true religion" requires this of us.

  So was I alone in my thoughts just wondering.

  LITS
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  mouthy

  Well I learned very early in the study with two women ,,that I must cover my head if I prayed in front of any man
  & being the faithful follower of the MEN!!! of the WT I did just that. Wore a hat when I took the CO with me
  on my study,when I prayed at home( in front of my unbelieving hubby) i would put the Tea cosy on my head
  ( the kids knew why--- the old man laughed & made fun of me...I am surprised you were never taught ,
  that is ONE

  thing the men in the WT LOVE to teach women are inferior,why do you think we were never allowed to face
  the congregation??? had to face each other!!! POWER FOR MEN!!!!! NOT GOD!!!! MEN!!!!!
  Now you know we were followers of MEN!!!!
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  life is to short

  You are so right Mouthy. I think part of my problem was my parents they were so strange that the JW's seemed sane. Plus I was told from the time I could remember that the world was a horrible place, I knew home was a horrible so the KH seemed to be the only sane place I could be.

  I never had contact with anyone who was not a JW growing up who did not harm me so I clung to the JW's as my hope. I wish I had,had more courage.

  LITS
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  VIII

  When my mom put a napkin (paper, very cheap from the grocery store) on her head because a young boy was in the room and she was leading the prayer, I knew this was totally f-cked up. Totally. I was about 9 at the time. I giggled and got a dirty glare. Then a slap in the car for not showing respect to that young boy.

  When I went to college and learned about Muslims and learned that they kept women down the same way, I never looked back and never went back. I was out. I tried to explain to my mom that JWs were very similar to the Muslims that way--she would scream at me to STFU. Hopeless.
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  RosePetal

  LITS please check your PMs

  RosePetal
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  dgp

  Marked.
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  OUTLAW

  I can remember no men at a Book Study..Just a few little boys..

  The woman had to cover her head because male children were present..

  LOL!!..

  I was just a little kid..I thought the woman looked ridiculous with a tissue on her head..

  .............................. ...OUTLAW
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  BluesBrother

  Am I allowed to comment?

  When I have considered this point, even in the days when I was "in", I could never find any justification, except that "the Bible says so" so of course we had "the sisters" do it, when necessary. Speaking with family who were affected by this rule, they also say that they bristled inwardly but accepted it because "the Bible says so" ........Funnily enough, in private they are the most condemnatory about Muslim women wearing even the headscarf,not a veil, calling it chauvinism. I have tried in vain to point out that the WT rules are rooted in the same thing but logic appears to be not a part of the dub mentality.

  Incidentally, the WTS has recently extended the rule to include "Sisters " who translate for the deaf.....
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  blondie

  The woman had to cover her head because male children were present..

  Actually, it was because it was a congregation organized meeting. If a sister were studying with a woman and unbaptized male children were present, she would not have to wear a headcovering. If there had been only women present for the book study, the sister supervising (women cannot "conduct"), would still wear a headcovering because she was representing the congregation in the place of a baptized brother.

  ***w027/15p.27QuestionsFromReaders

  ***

  While sharing in certain congregation activities, Christian women may need to wear a head covering. At a midweek meeting for field service, for example, there may only be Christian sisters present, no baptized males. There may be other occasions when no baptized males are present at a congregation meeting. If a sister has to handle duties usually performed by a brother at a congregationally arranged meeting or meeting for field service, she should wear a head covering.

  *** w60 3/15 pp. 191-192 Questions From Readers ***

  ?Isitnecessaryforasistertocoverherheadwhenprayinginthepresenceofadedicatedbrothernotherhusband?IsitnecessaryforhertodosowhenconductingaBiblestudyundersuchacircumstance,asinthepresenceofaservantofthecongregationwhoistrainingherorwhenthecircuitservantaccompaniesher?—M.S.,U.S.A.

  There appears to be no reason why a dedicated woman should ever lead in prayer in the presence of adult dedicated males. (1 Cor. 11:3) At the Brooklyn Bethel home no sisters are ever called on to lead the family in prayer. So long as an adult dedicated male is present, in the congregation or in the home, he should represent the rest in petition to Jehovah God. If an undedicated husband wishes his wife to lead in audible prayer, she may do so, but then out of respect for his headship she should have her head covered. (1 Cor. 11:5, 10) When the husband is absent but dedicated male minors, sons, are present, the mother should also have her head covered if she prays. At such times it would be at her discretion either to offer the prayer herself or ask one of her dedicated sons to offer it. But never should an unbaptized son represent dedicated members of the family in prayer.When only dedicated mother and dedicated daughters are present in the home, the mother may call on one of her dedicated daughters to pray if she so desires. In such cases none need cover her head.

  There may be instances, however, when it is advisable for a sister to conduct a home Bible study in the presence of a dedicated brother, such as those mentioned in the question; or she may be conducting a home Bible study with a brother newly baptized and who still needs help. What then? In such cases the dedicated brother should offer the prayer, and the sister may conduct the study with her head covered. This she does out of respect for theocratic order because he, as well as she, is a member of the congregation of God, and in the congregation the man should do the teaching. (1 Tim. 2:11, 12) If a dedicated sister is conducting a study with her undedicated husband or with another person but in the presence of her undedicated husband, she should also have her head covered. This would be in recognition of the fact that the husband ought to be the one giving Bible education in the presence of his family as represented by his wife.

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  OUTLAW

  Thanks Blondie!..

  .............................. ...OUTLAW