Grooming as a Witness

by Jules Saturn 13 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Jules Saturn

  Growing up as a teenager, I would occasionally get some counseling for having my hair a bit too long by a couple of elders in the congregation. One time I cut my hair shorter than usual and one elder said I was cutting it too short! So it made me feel like anything I did wouldn't satisfy them. Something I've always wanted to do is grow my hair out and donate it to anyone who needs it, but obviously I'm unable to because of Watchtower's stance regarding hair length, even though that's something that isn't even mentioned in the Bible about how your hair should be styled and what length it should be. And it's crazy because I can imagine myself doing it, but at the same visualize people look at me like I'm crazy or avoiding me or even counseling for wanting to do something nice for people who can benefit from it. Anyone know of a male Witness that's ever done this? I'm sure if it's done, this person would probably be disqualified from going out on field service or participating. We have this one brother in my congregation who was formerly an elder and wears a goatee but he is able to go out on field service and participate during the book or watchtower study. However, ask anyone and they'll say that this "brother" is "off his rocker" which I think is pretty judgmental. The whole grooming situation I'm sure can easily make someone wake up because of how complicated it is.

  ~Jules
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  jws

  Grew up in the 70's and all I wanted was to have long hair. Can't stand it now. It feels too heavy on my head and with 100+ degree days quite often in summer, too hot. Strangely now, I prefer a clean cut now. Probably exactly like my hall and parents would have loved when I was a teen. But I do wear a Van Dyke. Which is like a goatee with the mustache too. Which would be unacceptable.
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  moreconfusedthanever

  My partner grew a goatee. One day one of the elders visited him with a slip for a bible reading talk in the hall. He said to him "this is your talk but you will have to shave if you want to give it". He told the elder to find someone else to give the talk.

  My mum always said "look at the news readers, how they appear to the public is how we should appear". That worked until they started to come on TV wearing beards. Hahaha So now it is "what is acceptable in the business community?"

  There seems to be so much control and rules around how we look. Jehovah is the reader of hearts.
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  Rainbow_Troll

  I grew out my hair after I was convicted of apostasy at 14 and informally shunned. Even though I still had to attend the meeting 3 times a week, it felt great to be able to stick it to them with my long ponytail ! And yes, I was relentlessly pressured to get it cut, but what could they do? They had nothing left to threaten me with.
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  zeb

  I was wearing rings and I was about to be 'counselled' when I left for good.

  11th Commandment. "Thou shall not be an individual."
  
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  dogon

  This is their MO. Its never good enough. They are always Neg. keeps the rank and file on edge thinking they are not good enough and need to keep working on being closer to the cult way. I remember an idiot of an elder Dick Schroeder who was not only dumb you could never get an atta boy from him. It was always you need to do this. So glad I left years ago. I wish I had never been in. I blame my parents and grandparents. They could see the lies as easy as I did.
  
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  Giordano

  Jules the WTBT$ conflates grooming issues into their religious Dogma.

  Dogma is:

  1. a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.

     The WT has not been able to separate grooming issues from their religious beliefs. It's as if we are all children with little or no sense about our appearance.
     

     
     

     This really started under Rutherford who thought a beard was a symbol of the Russell era and those that still cultivated a beard were in defiance of the changes he thought were appropriate.
     

     
     

     This is true with all high control religions be it the Mormons, the Amish, really conservative Jews etc.
     

     
     

     There is a 'look' that every high control religions use as a shield. Conforming to their look sends a message that they are in agreement.
     
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  deegee

  This really started under Rutherford who thought a beard was a symbol of the Russell era ------Giordano.

  All the pictures I've ever seen of Russell show him wearing a beard.
  
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  Incognito

  I'm sure if it's done, this person would probably be disqualified from going out on field service or participating.
  

  Sounds to me, this would be an incentive.
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  JW_Rogue

  My belief is that the org doesn't like these hairstyles/beards because it could lead to you identifying with a group of people other than JWs. It's the same reason they don't want young people to dress like skaters, rockers, surfers, athletes, etc. They want everyone who's not a JW to be part of the "out" group.