I always read with interest when the question of beards comes up. Growing up in a conservative witness family in the 70's I was also taught that a beard is a sign of "rebellion".
I may be mistaken, but isn't there a scripture in the old testament that directs men NOT to shave their beards?
Someone mentioned in an earlier post that some companies also prohibit facial hair. Yes, that is certainly true. Many "worldly" businesses have dress codes that prohibit beards and goatees, some even prohibit mustaches. There are also businesses that still won't hire a man with long hair. Western Auto was one of those. I had to cut my ponytail off, there was no option to tuck it under my hat.
I have been "worldly" for almost 10 years now, and have never once heard one single remark from a "worldly" person about beards. I have even mentioned this to my manager at work, who wears a neatly trimmed beard and looks much better with it than without, and he was incredulous that someone would think he was a rebel because he wears a beard.
I wonder if we will ever see a QFR on the subject?
mike.
Posts by Bendrr
-
46URGENT , Got meeting tonight(Beards)
by StifflersErSlayersBrother inanyone got any good information as to why dubs dont like beards?
in 18 years, i have yet to understand why.
if its brought up tonight by anyone, what should i say?
-
-
Bendrr
-
22
Possibility vs Probability of JW 'Action'
by VeniceIT inyesterday alanf posted an excellent parody of wt propoganda.
the thread was very interesting and a debate was underway as to whether he was way off base and just saying things out of hatred, or if there is some basis to think it's a possiblity, scary thought.. i have no intention of re-starting or starting a debate at this time (ok who am i and what have i don't to venice, jk hahhaha).
i simply would like to share my insights on the jw attitude toward apostates.. when i was a dedicated jw and had been asked that question by alan, 'would you kill apostates if the wts told you too?
-
-
Bendrr
I read Alan's "article" and I was buying it as for real also. Now I have re-read it and it is an excellent piece of work. Alan, you are good bro!
Scary in a way, because while I strongly disagree that JW's will ever be ordered to physical violence they could very well be unofficially motivated to action against "apostates". Even Brooklyn couldn't find a way to start having "apostates" killed by the publishers. But they very well could make our lives hell if they wanted to. Surveillance, harassment at work and on the internet and telephone, vandalism of our homes and vehicles. Think your mail is safe? Nope. They could raid your mailbox easily, and a post office box probably isn't safe if a JW works at the post office. Realize that Witnesses work for businesses such as the credit reporting agencies, insurance companies, banks, hospitals, the local board of education, and even the IRS. You really don't know WHO sees your name and recognizes it.
That article of Alan's is not so much humor as a warning.
mike. -
16
Kings of North and South?
by Stephanus inaustralian troops boarding a norwegian ship??
is this the beginning of the end?.
doom!
-
-
Bendrr
The kings of the north and south prophecy is yet to be fullfilled.
Sooner or later Canada is going to reveal themselves as a totalitarian socialist military power with the goal of global domination. Their secret nuclear deployment program is well underway. (I've seen this myself). Right under our noses, Canadian nuclear weapons are being staged in the US, travelling down I-75 disguised as Oldsmobiles. The canadian plates give them away. And using old people as couriers, why they should be ashamed!
mike. -
174
get a life -- 10 facts
by joelbear ini thought it would be interesting for people to just post a few things about themselves so we can get to know each other just a bit.. try posting 10 facts about your life.. joel.
1. i was born and raised in south georgia.. 2. my favorite subject in school was math.. 3. i was in the fulltime service (bethel and pioneer) for 4 years.. 4. my favorite color is blue.. 5. mitch and i have been together over 12 years.. 6. we live in a suburb of atlanta georgia.. 7. we love to eat out and have friends over for dinner and board games.. 8. the only sport i was ever any good at is tennis.. 9. my favorite tv show of all time is the simpsons.. 10. we are both naturists and wish we could lay on the beach naked every day.
-
-
Bendrr
Thank you Brother Scorpion for that upbuilding encouragement. Now for the second talk in our symposium "700 More Things to Fear in the Time of the End", Brother Bendrr from the J.D.'s 24-hour drive-thru pawn and gun auto parts pharmaceutical adult gift bait and tackle discount cigarette outlet congregation will deliver the timely message "Burn those 700 things or Perish at Armageddon".
I never heard the chess rule in my time served. It would be cool for someone to collect all the trivial rules like that into a book and get it published. It could be named "The Complete Unabridged Lawbook of Jehovahs Witnesses".
mike -
174
get a life -- 10 facts
by joelbear ini thought it would be interesting for people to just post a few things about themselves so we can get to know each other just a bit.. try posting 10 facts about your life.. joel.
1. i was born and raised in south georgia.. 2. my favorite subject in school was math.. 3. i was in the fulltime service (bethel and pioneer) for 4 years.. 4. my favorite color is blue.. 5. mitch and i have been together over 12 years.. 6. we live in a suburb of atlanta georgia.. 7. we love to eat out and have friends over for dinner and board games.. 8. the only sport i was ever any good at is tennis.. 9. my favorite tv show of all time is the simpsons.. 10. we are both naturists and wish we could lay on the beach naked every day.
-
-
Bendrr
What a great idea for a thread, Joel. I'm going to get up to Atlanta sometime and we need to get together!
Ok, here's my 10
1. I'm 29. Born a witness and left at age 20. Mom and stepdad still in, so is my brother. They at least respect how I feel and we are on good terms, but I don't talk to my brother very much.
2. I'm single, live alone, and actually enjoy being by myself. Well almost alone, I have a young pearl cockatiel named Hannibal Bender.
3. I enjoy classic rock and maybe a little country here and there. I like movies period. No favorite, just as no favorite band, book, or color. But I do have a favorite author and that is Steven King.
4. In 93 when I had to cut my hair to get a job, I swore that was the last time I would. A few years later I walked out of a part time job because the manager told me I had to get a haircut. When I lost my love Pat, I cut the top and sides to piss her off, but am growing it back and from henceforth it will grow.
5. LESS THAN 3 YEARS UNTIL THE OLSEN TWINS ARE LEGAL!
6. There is no item #6.
7. I love to cook and my grill is my favorite possession. I am still very much a novice, but I am learning all the time.
8. I do plan to find that special girl someday. Much as I like being alone, I do want to find "her".
9. I want to travel. I've lived in Georgia all my life and want to see the rest of the world. I would like to visit England first. I would also like to visit Japan and China.
10. I am an auto technician. Not a mechanic, a technician. I got my start at good old Western Auto as a tire changer. Midas got me into exhaust work and there I met my best friend and mentor, Jamie Bailey and his family. From Midas, I went to Meineke where the local franchise owner David Mobley took the time to teach me to be a professional instead of a mechanic. From Meineke, I have ended up at Raffield Tire Masters newest store in Northwest Macon-the VERY wealthy section of town. In 1999, the highest paid technician at Raffields' 7 stores earned $76,000. He is an alignment and brakes technician just like me. So for now my goal is to bust my ass and be the first technician in Macon to hit $100,000 a year. Maybe that sounds selfish but what the hell?
mike. -
15
how do i get a divorce when no one has.......
by jazz incommited adultery my wife and i are headed in that direction what should i tell the brothers?
we are doing so because she just doesnt trust me anymore ?
-
-
Bendrr
You really should give more to go on here. A post like yours just isn't enough to say do this or do that.
Let me ask you a few questions. First and foremost, do you have children? You have to consider them first if you are thinking of a divorce.
What has made you consider divorce, and is it something you both have talked about?
Do you think there is infidelity on her part? The remark you made that she doesn't trust you anymore kind of makes me wonder.
But again, like I said if you have kids you have to think of them first and base your decision on them. Not you or the organization, the kids.
mike. -
23
elderly people, not married, living together?
by Mulan ini would like some opinions on a situation that seems to be arising in my family.. since my mother is now a widow, and her income will be much less, she may not be able to afford to stay where she is, even with the financial assistance she gets from the family.
so we have talked about her moving in with us.
the problem is, my father, her ex husband lives with us too.
-
-
Bendrr
I'm suprised you talked to the elders in the first place. First of all it is none of their business. Second of all, you lost the advantage when you talked to an elder beforehand. Remember in the eyes of an elder, that was asking permission and giving him{them} the power.
Go for it regardless of the reply. Put them on the defensive if they do raise questions. Hey she's almost 90 and so is he, do you guys want to drag a 90 year old woman in front of a committee?
Despite the stories we hear, you'd be hard pressed to find the heartless bastard who would do that.
Take care of your family first, Marilyn.
mike -
28
This Article from the Sep KM is very interesting
by chester ini thought this article from the september 2001 kingdom ministry was very interesting.. get out there and sell those books!!!.
is it an obstacle to preaching?.
most people lead busy lives.
-
-
Bendrr
So who will be giving this talk at your hall? Oh we all know this scenario. Brother A is a very faithful witness who always puts in more than the congregation's average of hours, maybe even pioneers. Lives in a very modest simple home, many times a rental, and more often than not a trailer. He's a blue collar worker and makes the bare minimum to support himself and his family.
But Brother A won't be giving the talk, nor will his example be mentioned.
Brother B lives on the other side of town from Brother A. You know, the "nice" part of town. Brother B owns-not rents-a very nice house and publishers always enjoy luxurious rides in field service in his Lincoln. Having completed college and worked long and hard to achieve his position, he now enjoys the fruits of his labor.
Brother B will give the talk of course! Who better to tell us to get by with next to nothing than him?
mike. -
20
Cruel Pre-1975 Teaching Point - Persecution
by Amazing inpersecution: sometime around late 1973 early 1974, when jws everywhere were in eager anticipation of armageddon breaking out, we also feared something else.
prior to armageddon, there would be the great tribulation, and just about this time we expected heavy persecution, so much so, that is was hard to help bible studies (newbies) to get over this fear.. service meeting part: during a service meeting, the elder giving the part was speaking about such persecution and of course all this was prefaced with our obedience to jehovah and his organization, doing all the works, meetings, etc.
.... ... as he spoke, there was suddenly loud banging on all of our entry-exit doors.
-
-
Bendrr
You sure make me remember the "creative" Service Meeting parts! Creative elders coming up with their own dramas, one we had used to take a roving microphone into the audience like Donahue.
It was stunts like the one above that made The Empire clamp down on meeting format. To stifle independent thought, you must also stifle creativity.
mike. -
53
What song do you want played at your funeral?
by ballistic inwhat song do you want playing at your funeral?.
i'll be having "going underground" by the jam.
i was too far out... and not waving but drowning - stevie smith
-
-
Bendrr
Well, it won't be a funeral. My ashes will fly in the wind over Monterey Bay in California so as to follow my grandfather's final journey.
No service, prayer, or eulogy. Just my closest friends to share a keg and a cookout, no pun intended.
Songs?
Courage by Manowar
Dreams I'll Never See by Molly Hatchet
and Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd to annoy my best friend one last time.
I'll leave you with the lyrics to "Courage".
"Courage" by Manowar.
Some want to say hope is lost
see me stand alone
I can't do what others may want
then I'll have no home.So for now wave goodbye
leave your hands held high
hear this song of courage long into the nightSo for now wave goodbye
leave your hands held high
hear this song of courage long into the nightAnd the wind will bear my cry
To all who hope to fly
Hear this song of courage long into the nightBattles are fought by those
with the courage to believe
They are won by those who find the heart
Find the heart to shareThis heart that fills the soul
Will point the way to victory
If there's a fight then I'll be there
I'll be there!So for now wave goodbye
Leave your hands held high
Hear this song of courage long into the night.And the wind will bear my cry
to all who hope to fly.
Lift your wings up high my friends
Fearless to the end!So for now say goodbye
Leave your hands held high
Hear this song of courage long into the night.