Beards are one of the unwritten rules, except for the following quote:
Watchtower 1968 May 1 pp.286-288
In recent years in many lands a beard or long hair on a man attracts immediate notice and may, in the minds of the majority, classify such a person undesirably with extremists or as rebels against society. God’s ministers want to avoid making any impression that would take attention away from their ministry or hinder anyone from listening to the truth.
The other way the WTS refers to beards is in a string of life experience articles where the bearded man converts and explains why he shaved.
jwfacts
JoinedPosts by jwfacts
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39
beards not a rule but!!!
by frogit inhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4666132.stm .
this caught my eyes and reminded me when as a ministerial servant that we had to go into the back room for instructions from the po (not very clever man), he tried his best to explain to us ms and elders about the wearing of beards in the congregation.
he must have gone on and on for 30 minutes about not having beards, but kept impressing that this was not a rule, but beards should not be worn, but its not a rule, just dont expect to have any privileges if you grow one on your face and wear it (sounds like you wear it like a tie he he) but we are not making it a rule, just dont wear a beard.
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jwfacts
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Speaking in tongues
by Stewart75 inthere's something which has crossed my mind too often, after doing some research, meeting people myself- i have become more convinced that speaking in tongues was mis interpretered wrongly by the pentecostals.
i would be interested to hear jw's view of speaking in tongues and why jehovah witness classify them as one of the christodom.
which of their any of their customs/traditions which bible doesnt support, i am just trying to make myself aware, with help if possible.. clarification would be much appreciated
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jwfacts
WTS says gifts of the spirit were done away with the death of the apostles, based on misinterpretting 1 Cor 13.
Watchtower 1958 January 15 p.45 Overseers in Apocalyptic Times
Today we are not living in apostolic times. Long before our time, when the apostolic days ended almost nineteen hundred years ago, the miraculous gifts and manifestations of the Holy Spirit passed away.”
1 Corinthians 13:8-13; "8 Love never fails. But whether there are [gifts of] prophesying, they will be done away with; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will be done away with. 9 For we have partial knowledge and we prophesy partially; 10 but when that which is complete arrives, that which is partial will be done away with. 11 When I was a babe, I used to speak as a babe, to think as a babe, to reason as a babe; but now that I have become a man, I have done away with the [traits] of a babe. 12 For at present we see in hazy outline by means of a metal mirror, but then it will be face to face. At present I know partially, but then I shall know accurately even as I am accurately known. 13 Now, however, there remain faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
This scripture says that these gifts would end at some point in time. It then goes on to show that this will occur when that which is complete arrives. The Watchtower says it is the bible that is the complete thing and that with the completion of the bible in 98 A.D. the gifts were no longer needed. This is wrong if one reads the whole scripture. Paul says he saw with a hazy mirror but at some stage would see ‘face to face’. What could that mean? Paul did not live to see the completion of the bible. He was not saying that when the bible is completed he would know accurately. It was to be when he sees Jesus in heaven. The scripture also says the gifts would not be done away with until we see accurately. Even now the Organisation admits it sees only partially. Accurate knowledge will not be known until one meets Jesus face to face. That which is complete has not yet arrived and so it is necessary for gifts of the spirit to continue.
There is a further reason it is incorrect to say that ‘that which is complete’ has already arrived and that the gifts of the Holy Spirit have already been ‘done away with’. This can not be correct because Joel prophesied that the Holy Spirit would still be manifest in the Last Days. In the Society’s own words,
Watchtower 1958 January 15 p. 45 Overseers in Apocalyptic Times
“We are living also in the time of final fulfilment of the prophecy to which the apostle Peter referred on the day of Pentecost, namely: “It shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit.” (Joel 2:28, 29)”
Peter quoted these words of Joel and applied them to the gifts of the Spirit appearing in the last days;
Acts 2:15-18
“These people are, in fact, not drunk, as you suppose, for it is the third hour of the day. On the contrary, this is what was said through the prophet Joel, ‘”And in the last days,” God says, “I shall pour out some of my spirit upon every sort of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy and your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams, and even upon my men slaves and upon my women slaves I will pour out some of my spirit in those days and they will prophesy.’”
It is also historically inaccurate to say the gifts ended with the death of the apostles. In Justin Martyrs Second Apology chapter VI it shows that 50 years after the death of the last apostle healing and exorcisms were continuing to be done by the Christians;
“For numberless demoniacs throughout the whole world, and in your city, many of our Christian men exorcising them in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, have healed and do heal, rendering helpless and driving the possessing devils out of the men, though they could not be cured by all the other exorcists, and those who used incantations and drugs.”
The Witness explanation of 1Corinthians is also a contradiction of their own beliefs. On the one hand the Witnesses say that their teachings change because that which is perfect is not here. On the other hand they say that the gifts of the Holy Spirit have been done away with because that which is complete or perfect has arrived.
1 Corinthians 13:9 (New American Standard Bible) says;
“10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.”
Proclaimers p.121
“Did they believe that they had all the answers, the full light of truth? To that question Brother Russell pointedly answered: “Certainly not; nor will we have until the ‘perfect day.’” (Prov. 4:18, KJ) Frequently they referred to their Scriptural beliefs as “present truth”—not with any idea that truth itself changes but rather with the thought that their understanding of it was progressive.”
Notice Russell showed that the perfect day is not here, and believed that Truth can not be known until the perfect day arrives in the future. -
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Inventing new rituals
by Narkissos inone tragic mistake (i think) in the modern western world is to reduce the notion of religion to beliefs or doctrines.
and perhaps morals.
ritual is actually more central to religion, in a wider historical and geographical perspective, than any of the above.
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jwfacts
I am waiting for you to release a book Narkissos, is one on the way?
I personally like the ritual of African tribal religions and some Born Again religions where people dance in a frenzy until they collaspe in a spasming heap of spiritual enlightenment. Looks like fun, though I am yet to partake. -
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What is Apostasy ?
by Acurardx2007 ini have researched the word apostasy, and it makes the statement about one changing beliefs and speaking out against one's current religion.
as a matter of fact at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/apostasy raymond franz is noted as an apostate of christianity.
however my question is, is it apostasy when it is the truth for instance the society was part of the un?
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jwfacts
Apostasy in the New Testament is linked to the man of lawless and the Antichrist. Therefore, by diverting worship from the Christ to the Father only the Watchtower Society is by definition Apostate in the biblical sense.
Anyone that leave the WTS is an Apostate of the WTS, but no where in the bible is that wrong, it is only wrong to leave the teachings of Jesus. -
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Christians - Do you believe the flood occurred?
by AlmostAtheist inwhen i was a bible believer, i accepted the flood.
the frozen mammoths and seashells on mountaintops were "evidence", but the only needed proof was simply that the bible said so.
as a christian, do you believe the flood story?.
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jwfacts
I did the public talk on the flood, and so researched a lot about it. I have heaps of information that one day I hope to collate. Basically a global flood is impossible for many reasons.
I believe in a local flood. The existence of global flood stories shows that there have been major floods globally. One reason for this is suggested that at the end of the ice age 10,000 years ago, as large chunks of ice broke away the water trapped behind them released great walls of water.
The bible contains the flood story as there is evidence of a great flood in the region, and the lesson is there as a warning to follow God. Inspiration? -
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Will DA'ing myself be better for my children's future?
by indoubt inbackground
i have been fading away, and considered fully "inactive" for over 2 years now.
my wife is still a very active jw, and she brings my 2 children (5 & 3) to the meetings and service on a regular basis.
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jwfacts
Why D/A yourself in writing, you are then just following WTS rules. Your actions show that you are no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and the children will know that as they grow up. I think the position you are in currently is best, as it confuses people, so they sort of talk to you but sort of don't know if they should.
When your children are a couple of years older they will start asking you questions, that will mean they are old enough for the answers. Then you can slowly explain the truth. By their teens they will not want to be JWs either. -
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Raymond Franz
by KW13 inraymond franz was a member of the governing body and was a jw for many years till he left.. he wrote a book which provides a great insight into jw's but what is really good about it is he isn't bitter when he comes across and so far i am really enjoying the read.. also in there are copies of letters sent from him to the society or the other way around and i recommend anyone who can find it should read it!.
http://www.watchtowerinformationservice.org/cocbr.htm.
i am only just into it and i am hooked.
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jwfacts
I have written to Raymond Franz by email to thank him in the past. He replied with a lenghty letter. I have also recently sent him some information that I thought he would want to know, again he replied with a lengthy email.
What I received in the letters were some of the most inspiring and pertinent information I have personally received, and really encouraged moving on with a sucessful life rather than dwell in the bitter past.
His wife has not been very well recently. He has friends all over the globe and still travels to meet with and help people.
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Coke, Enron, transparency and the end of the WTS
by jwfacts incoke's zero marketing campaign has been criticized as a failure for using a contrived blog site, amid complaints about not being transparent.
enron's collapse led to a string of new laws such as sarbanes oxley to ensure transparency in corporate dealings.
however the wts does everything it can not to be transparent.
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jwfacts
Hi Woodsman, the site is jwfacts.com
When i get the chance to collate it all i will put together the full judicial process along with various legal options a person has in getting out of the organisation, though the WTS has most of their bases covered now -
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Coke, Enron, transparency and the end of the WTS
by jwfacts incoke's zero marketing campaign has been criticized as a failure for using a contrived blog site, amid complaints about not being transparent.
enron's collapse led to a string of new laws such as sarbanes oxley to ensure transparency in corporate dealings.
however the wts does everything it can not to be transparent.
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jwfacts
Coke's Zero marketing campaign has been criticized as a failure for using a contrived blog site, amid complaints about not being transparent. Enron's collapse led to a string of new laws such as Sarbanes Oxley to ensure transparency in corporate dealings. However the WTS does everything it can not to be transparent. Some things are:
- Not publishing Studies in the Scriptures or any other key older publications that are of historical importance to the WTS
- Refusing to put anything in writing to the person involved in a judicial committee, nor tape it or allow an observer
- Refusing to name the authors of their publications
- Trying to prevent members from researching via the Internet and other means
- Vigourous condemnation of access to 'apostate' information
As can be seen by a steady decline in growth of the organisation, people are no longer willing to have the wool pulled over their eyes, and do want to know the truth. The truth is of no benefit to the long term future for the organisation.
I have sent an email to my branch asking for all my publisher records based on my rights under the Australian Privacy Act 1988. It will be interesting to see what their response is.
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What if a publisher would prefer Yahweh?
by DannyBloem inhttp://www.watchtower.org/library/na/article_02.htm.
when it came to god's name, instead of putting the proper vowel signs around it, in most cases they put other vowel signs to remind the reader that he should say 'adhonai'.
from this came the spelling iehouah, and, eventually, jehovah became the accepted pronunciation of the divine name in english.
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jwfacts
Excellent point, as is the pointt about the Sabbath. Keeping the Sabbath is biblical as it was instituded prior to the Mosaic Law, that is why Mormons and 7th day Adventists keep the Sabbath.
If a JW got in trouble for using Yahweh or saying they keep the Sabbath it is a clear indication that they WTS is to be followed in favour of the bible.