ana_dote- In regards to the hugging thing - BULLSH*T and I'll tell you why. According to the JW's/bible/whatev....marriage is a THREEFOLD CORD. Man + woman + GOD = marriage. By a married couple joining together by hands or a general embrace, it is acknowledging and initiating that special bond that should exist among the THREE. Besides, even if it's true that prayer should be a holy moment between an individual and God alone, aren't married people supposed to be ONE FLESH? By respectfully embracing, they are showing their respect and recognition of the unique bond they share with God.
Good point.
Blondie-We can illustrate this in the matter of dress. The Bible requirement—God’s requirement—is that a Christian’s clothing must be neat and clean, well-arranged and not betraying a lack of "modesty and soundness of mind." (1 Timothy 2:9; 3:2) Obviously, then, the elders in one congregation went "beyond the things that are written" a few years ago by requiring every public speaker in their congregation to wear a white shirt, even though pastel colors were generally acceptable in that country. Guest speakers who showed up with a colored shirt were asked to change into one of several white shirts kept in the Kingdom Hall for just such emergencies. How careful we have to be in order not to impose our personal taste on others! And how appropriate Paul’s counsel: "Let your reasonableness become known to all men"!—Philippians 4:5.
If you would have told me this was taken from a WT, I would have called you a liar. SD-7 couldnt have wrote it any better. I can't believe they printed this. Nowadays, CO's and DO's still verbally request require you wear white shirts during assemblies and conventions. I've helped out on stage work for assemblies, and I've seen brothers get removed for not dressing conservatively enough. Translation: their shirt twas not white.
I was planning on blowing off my next Circuit Assembly, but I'm dying to go now!! Just to see what nonsense is going to spewed from the platform.