Hi Tresbella
I have been ds for about 18 months now but when I was "in the truth" there were plenty of brothers in our congregation who had beards, I never remember it being frowned on at all!
As for your mum telling you that Jesus never had a beard, oh my god what literature has she been reading, even the society's publication of the greatest man book has pictures of Jesus with a beard, I just think that your mum is being ever so slightly strange!
I think that if you really want to take another bible to the meetings then go ahead, like someone else said the KJ version is a very good one, I personally never used it cause I would hardly pay attention to the meetings but have heard that it is good
The current president is Milton G Henschal as far as I know, do you really attend the meetings?
It is true that the Elders do have Publications that are just for them but surely they aren't as stupid as to publish it on the web!
If you have doubts about beliefs then I suggest that you either just quit it and leave or you speak to someone you do really respect, I don't personally think that you want to be there any more otherwise you wouldn't be on this site speaking to all who are no longer witnesses!