by Shane 49 Replies latest jw friends
In other words:
Bible- no prohibitions on beards
WTS- Special privileges(not in bible) will not be had by men with beards
TR
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
--Benjamin Franklin, 1759
Hmmm, I think I understand:
"At the same time, on matters of grooming, we do agree that this should be left to an individual's personal decision."1. Wearing a bear is a personal decision.
when it comes to one being considered for special privileges in the congregation, we feel an obligation to leave this with the local body of elders2. No privileges will be denied so long as the local elders say the beard is ok.
CONCLUTION:
Even though it is OK to wear a beard, the person may have restrictions imposed for doing so.
In Scotland it is acceptable, in the community, to wear a beard.
Whilst not uncommon for brothers to grow them, it would restrict you.
Brothers are neither used as visiting speakers, nor on Assembly parts. It also slows down an individual's "spiritual growth".
Sadly, mine will not last long because my wife hates it. Alledgedly it's like kissing a brush...
...I should have followed up by asking her when she last tried kissing a brush!
The letter seemed balanced. It is true about the different cultures and what is accepted or not in that culture. I was thinking about the men wearing skirts. This is accepted in many islands of the Pacific and men wear them to the Kingdom Hall and have priviledges. Would this be accepted in the US? No it would not.
Henry P,
So if Jesus visited a KH today, he would not be allowed to speak from the platform?
Where, as TR pointed out, in the Bible does it say that a man wearing a beard in ineligible to teach?
Now, I actually DO think there is a scripture somewhere that says men shouldn't dress like women, or vice versa, but I could be wrong.... and then one has to ask like which women, or which men, where? And if somebody came in tribal dress of some sort to address a congregation, what would be the harm? The world is NOT Western, after all.
Methinks you miss the point: A JW man cannot progress, no matter how excellent a teacher, speaker, administrator (or mike handler! ) he might be if he dares to wear a beard. No matter if he is a wonderful footstep follower of Christ (WAIT!!! That would mean WEARING a beard!!!!) ... he would not "be used."
outnfree
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts -- John Wooden
I think this topics has been covered so I won't repeat what everyone else has said. It is typical "double speak" from the GB. One can interrupt the letter either way depending on who reads it. Some could read it and say there they say its OK "A well-trimmed beard in itself would not preclude one from being in the Theocratic Ministry School, sharing in the ministry, or being baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Nor should a Christian be shunned simply for wearing a beard since this is not considered as being disorderly in one's conduct."
Than on the other hand an elder would read "At the same time, on matters of grooming, we do agree that this should be left to an individual's personal decision. While a certain style of grooming, such as wearing a beard, does not pre-vent a person from being valued as one of Jehovah's servants in the Christian congregation, it may have some effect on the extent he can be used for additional privileges, depending on the local sentiment."
Typical cult mind manipulating techniques used here. I remember years ago writing a letter to the GB and getting the same type of "double speak" response. A few years ago I grew a beard to see what they would say, and you should have seen the looks I got. What a bunch of 2 faced, judgmental AH. It was a good test for me to see how shallow the dubs are. The only good thing is they never bugged me to go out and bang on doors...
Will
"I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man's reasoning powers are not above the monkey's."
Mark Twain
Jesus had a beard because that was the custom in those days and it was acceptable by someone that served God full time. Would Jesus have a beard if he were on Earth today? Maybe, but Jesus was humble and would not do anything to stumble his brothers, especially something so minute as having a beard.
The letter is balanced in saying that if you want to grow a beard, fine. Now about the privileges, they leave it up to each individual body of elders, who know the friends in their own congregations better than the brothers in Bethel. I don't see anything wrong with that. Notice that the elders would not be involved in deciding for the individual, that decision is up to him. The elders would only be involved in analyzing if it would be appropriate for that individual to have privileges of service in the congregation.
My personal view on the matter is that if the individual so desperately seeks privileges in the congregation to serve his fellow brothers and sisters, then he would not want to do anything that would cause them to stumble. He still has one of the biggest privileges, sharing in the ministry
.
Henry -
Did Cornelius or any other Gentile Christian men have beards? Did the apostles make them grow one so as not to stumble anyone?
What a suprise that letter is.
I don't know about other places, but I've never heard anything negative from "worldlings" about neatly-kept beards. My boss wears one, and he's just about the nicest guy you'd want to meet. I've seen a picture of him without a beard, and trust me - on some people a beard adds to their appearance. Take for example Sean Connery. Much better looking with a beard.
Do you think the Society will ever relax standards for the length of mens' hair?
Mike.
"You can't have everything, where would you put it?" -- Steven Wright
I don't know if they had beards or not, so I can't comment on your reasoning. I do know that the apostles did not force them to grow one if they didn't. Again, we must adapt to our culture and what is acceptable or not.
