Beard quote from WT 1975

by joey jojo 7 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • joey jojo
    joey jojo
    Extreme hair styles can easily lead one into a trap of the Devil also, and cause others to stumble. For example, a young man in the United States was making fine progress in his study of the Bible, and he was moved to share with an experienced Witness in preaching to others about the good things he was learning from the Bible. From early youth he had let his beard grow, and since some in the business community wore beards, he felt that his wearing one in preaching to others would be acceptable generally. But in speaking to a lady he was unable to do more than introduce himself, when she said: “I’m sorry, young man, I do not want to become involved in student revolt.” No amount of explanation after this sufficed to clear up the misimpression. After the conversation ended with the closing of the door, he asked the experienced Witness what had happened. He was invited to consider his appearance in relation to what he claimed to be, a servant of God. Not wanting to be responsible for even one person’s being stumbled so as to miss the way to everlasting life, this new Kingdom publisher shaved off his beard.

    w75 8/15 pp. 499-504

    Yes, having a beard once meant you could be responsible for someones eternal death.

  • Phizzy
    Phizzy

    I remember that Article well, and being in the U.K that seemed so USA centric, the example of the fictitious lady, that I decided to grow a beard ! I kept it for well over a decade, all the time serving as an appointed man here, with never a comment from Elders or visiting C.O's.

    I was invited to give Public Talks in nearby Congregations too.

    It was different here, then, in those days, I'm not sure if the attitude changed some years later, but some Elders had beards then. And even in recent years guys with beards were appointed as Elders, long before the current relaxation of rules took place.

    It always amused me, and still does, how the Org. and its members use the old "stumbling" rubbish, one wise Elder said to me he had been accused of "stumbling" someone ,wrongly, it was an excuse for the family to stay away from Meetings, but he said " I do not expect perfection from them, they cannot do so from me"..

    That put that "stumbling" nonsense in perspective for me, and boy, gave me some freedom !

  • Rivergang
    Rivergang

    Back in the day, we all heard that story. Whether it actually happened, of course, is another matter entirely.

    If W. Schnell is to be believed (as he claims in 30 Years a Watchtower Slave) this thing they had about beards was all just a power trip. Many had taken to imitating CT Russell by wearing a “goatee” type beard. After Russell’s death Boozerford Rutherford forbade beards, just to remind the rank-and-file that he was now running the show.

  • Phizzy
    Phizzy

    Spot on Rivergang, and Knorr continued the anti-beard trend as he wished the Org. to emulate, as closely as possible , Corporate America.

    Once again the Org. is way behind the times, as beards are less popular in the general Populace now than some years ago, when the Hipster beard trend was popular.

    They have succeeded in fact in maintaining the status quo of the org looking to the general public like a bunch of weirdos, so many beards now that they are more like the Amish than the general populace.

  • dropoffyourkeylee
    dropoffyourkeylee

    I read something recently that touches on this subject that I had never heard before. I've been reading the book 'Epidemics and Society' by Frank Snowden, and in the chapter about Tuberculosis, he comments that in the early 1900's it was commonly believed that going cleanshaven was a protection against contracting and spreading TB. Made me wonder if this could have been one of the reasons Rutherford was against beards.

    Just a thought

  • moomanchu
    moomanchu

    If Jesus didn't grow a beard, what right do we have to grow one !!!!

    I wonder if Jesus used Schick or Gillette?


  • moomanchu
    moomanchu

    Dropoffyourkeylee

    I doubt it.

    https://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/beards-jehovahs-witnesses.php

    Search JW.org for 1974 Yearbook page 98

  • TonusOH
    TonusOH

    Wait... growing a beard was considered an "extreme hair style???"

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