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Brother_Bliss

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  1. Haha
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Mrs.Blessed in Witness memes   
  2. Haha
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Mrs.Blessed in Witness memes   
  3. Haha
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Mrs.Blessed in Witness memes   
  4. Haha
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Patience87 in Witness memes   
  5. Haha
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Patience87 in Witness memes   
  6. Haha
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Pjdriver in Witness memes   
    This depicts well how some of our over sensitive brothers and sisters feel after making a Freudian slip
     

  7. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    Some just wanted some assurance. You can use an app on your phone to give anyone a beard, including your wives and children, lol.
     
     
    There is no Proverbs 29:30 
  8. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    I've got the mustache/goatee, circle beard going on, and I will say may resting face looks evil, lol. It forces me to smile more
  9. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    I've never been to SKE, but usually the rules are about not posting notes or recordings.
  10. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    Somewhat. My wife likes clean shaven, but she tells everyone that she's "gonna let me do what I want" lol 
  11. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    I will say I now look much older when just a few weeks ago I looked much younger, lol.
     
    Time to play with the beard dye
     
  12. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    I was sick for 3 weeks, so I had a head start. Brothers and sisters see my facial hair and are like "Man that was fast!" lol
     
     
    ... and in a baptist congregation full of beards. The head honcho, whatever the baptists call him, probably sports one too, lol.
  13. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    Basically you are correct. Keep in mind that was 7 years ago. A lot changes in 7 years. The beards & congregation privileges issue has been coming up again and again for the last couple decades, but we still clung to the principle about not potentially stumbling others as the reason not to grow a beard. In some countries, facial hair became culturally acceptable faster than in other countries. This is why we were told that it depends on your local culture and up to the local elders to decide.
     
    In reality, nobody on the face of the planet actually cared except for these older generation JW's who had lived most of their adult lives with the "beards may stumble someone" mentality. And as it turns out, this desire to "not potentially stumble someone" was actually the very thing doing the stumbling.
     
  14. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    All 128 posts (good Lord!) about whether angels still retain their beards after dematerializing every other part of their body 🙄 has been split off into it's own thread here...
     
    https://jwtalk.net/topic/56806-do-angels-have-beards-in-heaven-split-off-from-2023-gb-update-8/
     
  15. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    If someone didn't attend meetings regularly for whatever reason, then yes I think you could consider them "on the fence" spiritually and in need of encouragement.
     
    If someone attended a meeting with a beard all these years faithfully, then you could assume that they were indeed spiritually secure in their relationship with Jehovah. 
     
    Remember, there was never a "no beard" rule. But it was taboo, and because it was taboo those sporting one were not considered "exemplary" which held them back from reaching out for privileges. Not every brother is interested in such privileges, and were happy to attend meetings and go out in the ministry with their beard. The beard alone was never a reflection of their spirituality - which is the point that the GB Update addressed.
     
    Now, on the other hand, if someone was weak to begin with, then the beard issue was a stumbling block. A young newly baptized brother became inactive right after his baptism. Me and another brother would visit him regularly to try and encourage him. When we FINALLY got him to come to a meeting, after the program Brother Anti-Beard Elder goes over to him, mentions his facial hair, and tells him he should know better. We hadn't seen this brother in months, and after that, we never saw him again. 
     
    The same Elder had a student that was somewhat progressive and had attended a few meetings. The student comes to me at one meeting and asks me about why nobody has facial hair, because his teacher pointed at his mustache/goatee after one study session and said to him "You know, the day is coming when you're going to have to shave that thing off your face". I tried to explain that he can sport his facial hair all he wants, that it's just this brothers strong opinion and we occasionally have a bearded brother and neighboring congregations have bearded brothers, but alas, this was around the last time we ever saw this student attend a meeting.
     
    ^ Those are just 2 of many examples I have see with my own eyes and heard with my own ears how the taboo surrounding facial hair can be a stumbling block to those who are weak. Personally, I would have kept my mouth shut about facial hair and let the student draw his own conclusions, because I don't feel like being fitted for a millstone around my neck, lol. But the GB Update to settle the issue of beards being allowed even for appointed men was necessary, because in this day and age it would be easy to hear "JW's can't have beards" (which was NEVER true) and conclude we don't have the truth, because you can read the exact opposite in the scriptures.
  16. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    We're gonna rival the Amish
     
  17. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    I would lean towards saying you are right. Dress and grooming was one of his favorite topics to get out the whip and polish it up, lol
     
    I feel like there is a pattern here of when someone is no longer on the Governing Body, big changes happen, which would make sense because I believe they all have to mutually agree on everything.
  18. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    I've been sick since the end of November so I got a head start. I'm in Qapla's Zoom meeting right now showing off my facial hair
     
     
  19. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    Ah, but see, that wasn't me. If you look back in those previous posts I linked to, I said I had no problem with the expectation that appointed men be clean shaven. 
     
    Remember, there never was a "no beard" rule for everyday publishers, but it was taboo. We've had bearded publishers on the school and out in the ministry in my area for years and years, though they sometimes had to deal with snide comments from friends who had strong feelings. Brother Lett mentioned people with such feelings, and how they should listen to Jesus when he said "stop judging by the outward appearance". And with that, the taboo has been lifted.
     
     
    Well stated 😉
  20. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    Neither was it read at ours. But everyone is aware of it. I've been out for 3 weeks due to a cold/sinus infection followed by covid, so I had a head start with my mustache-goatee combo. Our presiding overseer, who knows I've been dieting and losing weight and working on my health, looks at me and says "Man! That was fast! I want to know what kind of vitamins you are taking!" lol  
     
     
    Simliar circumstances here. Former brother anti-beard nazi suddenly seemed to be complimenting about the 6 or 7 of us who showed up with facial hair. Almost like magic, lol.
  21. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    I'm sorry that you feel that the tone of my post was along the lines of what brother Lett counseled against. I have to disagree that it was. I've been a member of this community for 17 years and in another JW community for 21 years and I have participated in a lot of "Beard" topics/discussions and have always voiced the same opinion.
     
    See for yourself...
    https://jwtalk.net/search/?q=taboo beards&quick=1&author=Brother_Bliss&updated_after=any&sortby=newest&search_and_or=and
     
    Brother Lett said not to feel vindicated nor to boast "See, I was right all along", and I am neither boasting nor saying such a thing. I am simply adding to the same conversation we've been having on this topic for over a decade.
  22. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in 2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!   
    This has been a long time coming. Brothers have ALWAYS been allowed to grow a beard and still be on the school and still go in the ministry. But it continued to be a stupid social taboo among Jehovah's people, so it wasn't considered "exemplary". Therefore, no privileges of any kind, not even carrying a microphone. 
     
    Years ago, the GB tried to soften this stance in a Watchtower article, saying "it's up to each BOE to decide on a local level". Well, given that the bulk of your elders are from the previous generation and they have to decide things uniformly, it's no surprise that didn't change anything.
     
    This is exactly what we knew it would take. Although I thought they would start slipping in bearded brothers in magazines art and broadcast footage to prepare us first, instead of just coming right out with an announcement. But now that this is out, I think it's the best way to have done it. Brother Let handled the subject perfectly, and touched on all the bases.
     
  23. Haha
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from ChrisC in Witness memes   
  24. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in YouTube Classics (Post a video... any video!)   
    That was entertaining. The voices had to have been over dubbed. I like when they both look at the camera and say "Hey, what's up creeper!"
  25. Like
    Brother_Bliss got a reaction from Andrey in YouTube Classics (Post a video... any video!)   
    Nasty!

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