Posts by bafh

98

Beards - September 2016 Watchtower

by Listener in

the issue of whether beards are acceptable or not is addressed in the september 2016 watchtower - well sort of.

it is as clear as mud as to whether they are allowed in places like australia, usa and britain.. 17. what are some factors that may affect whether a brother wears a beard?17 what about the propriety of brothers wearing a beard?

the mosaic law required men to wear a beard.

bafh

If God didn't want men to have beards, he wouldn't have created them with beards.

As a woman, I was always much more concerned about why it wasn't ok for me to wear pants since that has become accepted business attire which is what I was told was always the standards...

SO glad, I don't have to justify why I don't wear skirts - although my mom (TruBeliever Pioneer) the other day did say, "you're a business woman, I'm surprised you don't wear more skirts." I just told her, that most business women I knew, unless they were very corporate, wore pants, not skirts. She was puzzled.

174

Awake #4/2016: Homosexuality

by Designer Stubble in

the new awake is up on jw.orgwith the legalization of gay marriage in many countries, they decided it was time to show: "what does thebible say about homosexuality?

"does the bible promote prejudice?still, some people would say that the bible promotes prejudice against homosexuals and that those who adhere to itsmoral code are intolerant.

‘the bible was written at a time when people were narrow-minded,’ they claim.

bafh

They are careful in this article to make the distinction between behavior and the person - so in theory that works - but as we all know, that is not reflected in how it is actually carried out in most congregations. Although, my mom ( a regular pioneer & true believer) did mention they have an openly gay brother in their congregation and everyone is fine with it. So who knows, ( I live in Portland, after all) - maybe there are pockets of people where they are actually applying some bible principals. :-)

12

David Schafer imitates Steven Lett

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

friends,.

watch this jw.org video with "helper" david schafer.

the topic is care for your parents.

bafh

I happen to know David - pretty well - and he's not imitating any one. That's just his normal manner.

I was distracted during the video because I kept looking at his hair and wondering how he got it that way and how long it took him every morning to fluff it and keep it standing up like that.

How much hairspray must he use?

18

Kingdom Hall Attenders: Consider Stopping the Use of Loaded Language

by OnTheWayOut in

it's been a long time since i attended, but i understand that many of you still go to the kingdom hall for your various reasons.. a huge thing that helped me in my mentally breaking from their beliefs was to stop using their terms that put you, virtually automatically, into their thought mode.. using terms like "the truth," jw's feel special about themselves and this helps them separate themselves from "the world.

" by incorporating loaded language, jw's learn not to think, but merely to memorize words and phrases instead of analyzing a situation.. the reasons someone misses meetings is because they are "spiritually weak.

" they might be involved in "worldly thinking.".

bafh

I like this post. Language is powerful and shapes the way we think. Inside of language we find culture, social norms, concepts that only exist inside that language, etc.

It is good to change the way we language things because language shapes reality, including the way we think - which then shapes how we feel and behave.

Nice post OnTheWayOut!

31

Fade question: New Cong or stay.

by Darkknight757 in

i have a question with regard to fading.

the wife and i have plans to move to another hall and continue our fade from the organization.

we are already missing quite a few meetings and we are not reporting time.

bafh

Move your cards to the new hall. Attend one, maybe two meetings, and then never show up again.

Done deal.

OR

Move. Don't go anywhere. (this is what I did)

Done Deal. :-)

28

Anthony Morris claims "dogmatic" does not apply to GB.

by Sanchy in

jw
friends

so i was scrolling through the latest morning worship videos and found our good friend tony m. explaining why the gb is not dogmatic.

.

you can find hirs reasoning at around the 3:30 mark here..

bafh

First of all, he starts out inviting you to examine the word in the original language, but then doesn't bother to finish that thought so you could understand what he then compares it to.

Then, it basically says, the GB isn't dogmatic (although the definition fits them to a T) because it's a group. So, groups can't be dogmatic?

So glad I don't have to try and turn my brain into a pretzel trying to agree with this very convoluted "dogma".

33

2016-4-4-BOE!--Scanning and Sending Medical Records through Emails!

by Atlantis in

i was always under the impression that only "licensed" persons had the authority to do this.. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

2016-4-4-boe scanning and sending medical records through emails!.

.. this is the last paragraph of the main body of the boe without the top and bottom, which revealed the congregation and information which could expose our source.. .. "therefore, brothers, i appeal to you to make sure that a copy of the new add for every publisher is kept in alphabetical order, perhaps using an a-z filing system to expedite it's location and so that it can be kept neat, clean and legible for scanning and emailing for up to 4 years, after which a new copy should be completed.

bafh

Don't they consult their lawyers before they decide on policy, or are their lawyers really that bad? OR do they think this is yet another law that does not apply to them?

103

NEW BLOOD CARD w/ FORCED COMPLIANCE also LEGALISM

by apocalypse in

i have looked around and i don't see this covered, so i am starting a thread.. 1) the new "blood card" goes beyond being just a "blood card".. 2) a new edict concerning compliance.. pay attention to the changes.. first, the new card is termed "advance decision to refuse specified medical treatment".

the big change with the card itself is that it includes an 'override' of your "power of attorney".

this is huge.

bafh

This isn't new, the Blood Cards have always said those things, at least in Washington. It varies by state what they can and cannot say, so maybe the rules in your state changed?

10

As a JW: major personal blunders

by Hecce in

to make mistakes is human, to make mistakes dictated by faith is also human but foolish.

i am pretty sure that as jws we all have made decisions that later on we regretted, in some cases they have been minor and in others they had profound effect in our life; major items were like blood and education related.

i am going to post one decision that was a major disaster for the person involved and if you know of something similar please contribute.. in a spanish speaking country where "machismo" was the norm and it was common for a man to have several mistresses, there was a sister married to a wealthy man and they had four children.

bafh

That is one of the biggest problems with the insular nature of the congregations - no personal boundaries. The most "spiritual" people think it well within their rights to provide all sorts of unsolicited and uneducated advice under the guise of "keeping the congregation clean" or "helping" someone who is otherwise viewed as "weak".

I am sure that if I ever lost my mind and went back, I'd get into all sorts of trouble for ignoring the advice or otherwise telling people to mind their own business.

Glad I don't have to worry about it.

33

Disturbing/Puzzling Skit at JW Function Last Night Plus Odd Choice of Music

by Cadellin in

so i attended a fairly large jw gathering last night with my active, elder husband.

it was a good-by party for a former special pioneer couple who have been demoted to reg pios and have now moved to a larger city to find work.

anyway, there was music and skits.

bafh

Funny about "Imagine" I've heard JWs explain that song by saying Lennon must have had a JW Witness to him in order for him to write it. They hear it as what the New World will be like....

But I agree, it is probably at the very least agnostic if not atheist.