RULES

[Dustparticle]

It is becoming the norm to wear a mask, stay a distance and keep your hands clean for Jehovah's people and not the world. It is possible down the line we might be recognized as being one of Jehovah's Witnesses by doing what we are told..  Physical lives is at stake, so is our spiritual lives too. Time will tell. Malachi 3:18

[Katty]

The brothers have told us to be, generally more cautious than the world; they have also told us not to make rules for ourselves and others.
A letter had to be read, for example, after the meeting one evening reminding the friends not to pressure their brothers and sisters to make personal decisions such as taking the vaccine...I'm guessing because there's likely a problem within Jehovah's organization of people pressuring their brothers.
When it comes to mask mandates, if I see one of my brothers or sisters not wearing a mask, I'm going to go ahead and assume they might have a medical exemption. Here in the UK, despite the fact that they're generally stricter regarding lockdown and mask mandates than in many states in the US, many public spaces will still announce you must wear a mask.."Unless you are medically exempt from wearing a mask". For instance, I imagine many of our brothers and sisters likely suffer from asthma. While some people with asthma might be able to handle mask wearing, some people cannot. When it comes to taking an inhaler, seconds matter, and you might not think that it takes a long time to get the mask off your face to put an inhaler to your mouth, but when fumbling under the panic of oxygen deprivation, I'm sure it can be agony.
In short, masks might be a visible sign that someone is doing as their told, but not wearing a mask is not necessarily a sign that someone is not doing as they're told as they may very well be legally exempt, and still be doing as they're told. And while, such groups might be put in a special category that is directed to not leave the house for most things, you can't expect someone to never leave the house. People have to make their doctor's appointments, after all. 

 

I'm only bringing this up, because ever since this pandemic has started, so many of the brothers have interpreted "be more cautious than the world" as "If A is barred by government officials, than to be 'more cautious' the friends must had B, C, and D to the collective set of rules to follow, and that gives us the right to be judgmental to the people who don't follow those rules we made for ourselves." It's been incredibly irritating. I was called out on facebook once for not wanting to judge my brothers who don't wear masks, when it wasn't even mandated to do so yet. I'm not going to judge my brothers for a personal choice they make!!!! Collectively, we've been less judgmental towards parents who refuse to vaccinate their children for diseases with a higher mortality rate than Covid-19 than we have for people we see not wearing masks, or for people who go around with their children unmasked. After a year of this, I find this judgmental attitude to be entirely unbearable! Jesus never said "Stop judging...oh, unless you believe lives are at stake, then it's okay." It's "Stop judging" period. I believe our spiritual well being is much more important than our physical; yes, it's important to be compliant with government mandates, to be cautious to not have a casual attitude, but it's also equally important to not have a judgmental attitude towards people when we believe they are being uncompliant or showing a casual attitude, especially when we don't have all the facts about their situation or the thought process behind the decision they made. You all don't think Satan could be exploiting our own views towards the pandemic, our own fears and cautiousness to drive a wedge between us to divide us? I've never seen any current event ever since I've come into the truth that has prove to be such a divisive influence in the congregation than this pandemic. 
 

[Qapla]

3 minutes ago, Katty said:

if I see one of my brothers or sisters not wearing a mask, I'm going to go ahead and assume they might have a medical exemption. Here in the UK, despite the fact that they're generally stricter regarding lockdown and mask mandates than in many states in the US, many public spaces will still announce you must wear a mask.."Unless you are medically exempt from wearing a mask". For instance, I imagine many of our brothers and sisters likely suffer from asthma. While some people with asthma might be able to handle mask wearing, some people cannot. When it comes to taking an inhaler, seconds matter, and you might not think that it takes a long time to get the mask off your face to put an inhaler to your mouth, but when fumbling under the panic of oxygen deprivation, I'm sure it can be agony.

 

The difficulty or irritation of properly wearing a mask is one of the reasons my brother wears a full face shield. It allows him to breath better, allows quick and easy access to your mouth and nose and, at least in the US, qualifies as a "face covering" since it does make it so that any "moisture" coming from the mouth is not directed into the air.

 

While there are legitimate reason a "mask" causes some people difficulty, I find many use that as an "excuse" not to wear any face covering.

 

It is true that the FDS have told us not to make rules, to some extent (like we are told not to meet in person for meetings or to do in person ministry [rule]) but they have given us direction about showing love toward others - like the admonition about not wearing fragrances - some look for ways around it and do as they please.