2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!

[Pjdriver]

2 hours ago, JonE said:

This is a real test of spiritual maturity for some!

What I find funny about that is, it’s usually the ones who have been in the truth the longest and viewed as mature. That’s the power of suggestion. 

About 2 years ago, I was in a car group with an older pioneer elder and his wife, and I mentioned beards are not viewed as they were 30-50 years ago....with hippos and bikers being the only ones with beards.

 

The elder was quiet but his wife, who is the sweetest thing on earth says; “Oh Burt, Oh no....a beard would not be appropriate......”  Her voice was so soft and concerned that I even had such a

thought of this evil thing. I almost had to agree with her.  

 

PS. I haven’t said anything to her yet, but I’m going to have fun teasing her. We have about 3 elders with beards and 4 MS.

When I see her,  I’ll say:

 

"Look at all these beards!

Can you believe these people?

What are they thinking?” 

 

 

[DancesWithWife]

From 2014 after I had just had my second shoulder surgery. There is a lot of pain physically and emotionally behind my smile. I lost my income, our car was unable to be repaired due to no income. I had a small amount of money coming in which paid our rent and utilities. My wife and I were struggling. Even in tough times Debbie and I have found moments to smile. I was not physically going to the meetings, staying home and listening by the phone. I could barely move the first shoulder that was operated on, before the second was scheduled. Of course workman comp wants you back to work as soon as possible and does not personally care about you. 

 

The company I worked for had what was called "self-insured" which is different from workmans comp. The main difference? The ability to deny your claim, bury your complain with a plethora of lawyers the company would use. It took almost years of lawsuits, living with our daughter who was not a witness before my case was successfully settled.

 

My shoulder surgeries may have repaired the damage but the pain has never gone away. There is undiagnosed nerve damage too. My point? I could not shave and grew a beard and kept it for awhile. I was still studying, preparing for the meetings, doing letter writing. The only thing missing was in person meeting attendance. We had no car or vehicle to get there and Debbie was able to go when sisters would pick her up from time to time.

 

The one thing I kept during these troubled times was my sense of humor. In this photo we were taking the bus home from a doctor appointment and had about an hour to wait. There was a Burger King so we went in for iced coffee. I was in pain but still found the need to make my wife laugh. Hard to believe this was 10 years ago now. My life and my face have come full circle!

[Percy]

4 minutes ago, Pjdriver said:

"Look at all these beards!

Can you believe these people?

What are they thinking?”

Don't you wish you recorded it? haha.

On the other hand she might say the same thing to you!! Or she might just apologize.

Interesting times. (scratch, scratch)

[Pjdriver]

In days of old, within our sheepfold,

Where tales of faith and hope are told,

There stood an unwritten rule, quite bizarre,

Against beards, those symbols seen from afar.

 

"They're signs of rebellion," so the whispers went,

"Like sixties' hippies or bikers, hell-bent.

A beard on a face, oh what a strange sight,

In our halls of worship, it's not quite right."

 

But then, as dawn breaks after the night's gloom,

Comes a shift in thinking, like flowers in bloom.

"Beards, after all, are a personal choice,"

Said brother Lett, clear and poised.

 

"Remember Jesus, with his beard so grand,

And his apostles too, a bearded band.

Even CT Russell, in the early dawn's light,

Wore his beard with pride, in plain sight."

 

The lesson here, profound and yet so clear,

Is not about the hair on your face, my dear.

It's about modesty in style and taste 

Not strict rules about your face. 

 

In God's grand design, variety's a treasure,

Each unique trait, a gift without measure.

In a world of diversity, so broad and so wide,

Unity in spirit, not uniformity, is our guide.

 

In the tapestry of life, every thread plays its part,

It's the spiritual man that reflects the heart.

God's creation, a spectrum, vibrant and bold,

Teaches us unity, more precious than gold.

 

 

For Jehovah's people, let this be heard,

It's not about the growth on your face,

It’s about finding your place in the “race".

Let each one decide, with wisdom and discretion 

Whether to don a beard, or keep a smooth complexion. 

 😁

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 9 by Pjdriver

[Araujo JW]

55 minutes ago, DancesWithWife said:

From 2014 after I had just had my second shoulder surgery. There is a lot of pain physically and emotionally behind my smile. I lost my income, our car was unable to be repaired due to no income. I had a small amount of money coming in which paid our rent and utilities. My wife and I were struggling. Even in tough times Debbie and I have found moments to smile. I was not physically going to the meetings, staying home and listening by the phone. I could barely move the first shoulder that was operated on, before the second was scheduled. Of course workman comp wants you back to work as soon as possible and does not personally care about you. 

 

The company I worked for had what was called "self-insured" which is different from workmans comp. The main difference? The ability to deny your claim, bury your complain with a plethora of lawyers the company would use. It took almost years of lawsuits, living with our daughter who was not a witness before my case was successfully settled.

 

My shoulder surgeries may have repaired the damage but the pain has never gone away. There is undiagnosed nerve damage too. My point? I could not shave and grew a beard and kept it for awhile. I was still studying, preparing for the meetings, doing letter writing. The only thing missing was in person meeting attendance. We had no car or vehicle to get there and Debbie was able to go when sisters would pick her up from time to time.

 

The one thing I kept during these troubled times was my sense of humor. In this photo we were taking the bus home from a doctor appointment and had about an hour to wait. There was a Burger King so we went in for iced coffee. I was in pain but still found the need to make my wife laugh. Hard to believe this was 10 years ago now. My life and my face have come full circle!

 

Brother Gregg, you are an example! His sense of humor is contagious and has always made me laugh, through many difficult times for me.

 

I didn't realize the struggle you and your wife have had over the years. Your trust in Jehovah and your spirituality demonstrated by your comments here have always been very encouraging to me.

 

Thank you for that joyful spirit and the spiritual person that you are. 

[Araujo JW]

15 minutes ago, Pjdriver said:

In days of old, within our sheepfold,

Where tales of faith and hope are told,

There stood an unwritten rule, quite bizarre,

Against beards, those symbols seen from afar.

 

"They're signs of rebellion," so the whispers went,

"Like sixties' hippies or bikers, hell-bent.

A beard on a face, oh what a strange sight,

In our halls of worship, it's not quite right."

 

But then, as dawn breaks after the night's gloom,

Comes a shift in thinking, like flowers in bloom.

"Beards, after all, are a personal choice,"

Said brother Lett, clear and poised.

 

"Remember Jesus, with his beard so grand,

And his apostles too, a bearded band.

Even CT Russell, in the early dawn's light,

Wore his beard with pride, in plain sight."

 

The lesson here, profound and yet so clear,

Is not about the hair on your face, my dear.

It's about modesty in style and taste 

Not strict rules about your face. 

 

In God's grand design, variety's a treasure,

Each unique trait, a gift without measure.

In a world of diversity, so broad and so wide,

Unity in spirit, not uniformity, is our guide.

 

In the tapestry of life, every thread plays its part,

It's the spiritual man that reflects the heart.

God's creation, a spectrum, vibrant and bold,

Teaches us unity, more precious than gold.

 

 

For Jehovah's people, let this be heard,

It's not about the growth on your face,

It’s about finding your place in the “race".

Let each one decide, with wisdom and discretion 

Whether to don a beard, or keep a smooth complexion. 

 😁

 

 

 

 

 

 

I loved the poem. Thank you very much! 

[Jay D]

1 hour ago, Jay D said:

Confirmed this is legit, this is from a sister who was there and took the photo. Unfortunately it's passed around so many times, but it isn't fake I can confirm this for sure. 

Anyway, to anyone who thought this wasn't legitimate, would you have felt embarrassed when we next see a more up to date video of brother Jackson? 

Bible principle to bear in mind:

Proverbs 29:30

 

I've known some brothers to make strong statements about posts, then when it comes to light something was legitimate these same brothers pretend they were accepting of it all along. Best to take the cautious route, in other words it may be true until someone else like myself comes along and reveals the matter in clarity, in line with Proper 18:17

 

"The first to state his case seems right, Until the other party comes and cross-examines him"

 

Be careful brothers, and let's welcome this 😊

 

[ChrisW]

23 minutes ago, Pjdriver said:

In days of old, within our sheepfold,

Where tales of faith and hope are told,

There stood an unwritten rule, quite bizarre,

Against beards, those symbols seen from afar.

 

"They're signs of rebellion," so the whispers went,

"Like sixties' hippies or bikers, hell-bent.

A beard on a face, oh what a strange sight,

In our halls of worship, it's not quite right."

 

But then, as dawn breaks after the night's gloom,

Comes a shift in thinking, like flowers in bloom.

"Beards, after all, are a personal choice,"

Said brother Lett, clear and poised.

 

"Remember Jesus, with his beard so grand,

And his apostles too, a bearded band.

Even CT Russell, in the early dawn's light,

Wore his beard with pride, in plain sight."

 

The lesson here, profound and yet so clear,

Is not about the hair on your face, my dear.

It's about modesty in style and taste 

Not strict rules about your face. 

 

In God's grand design, variety's a treasure,

Each unique trait, a gift without measure.

In a world of diversity, so broad and so wide,

Unity in spirit, not uniformity, is our guide.

 

In the tapestry of life, every thread plays its part,

It's the spiritual man that reflects the heart.

God's creation, a spectrum, vibrant and bold,

Teaches us unity, more precious than gold.

 

 

For Jehovah's people, let this be heard,

It's not about the growth on your face,

It’s about finding your place in the “race".

Let each one decide, with wisdom and discretion 

Whether to don a beard, or keep a smooth complexion. 

 😁

 

 

 

 

 

I love the poem. You look like a poet in your pic.  :-)

[DancesWithWife]

11 minutes ago, Araujo JW said:

I didn't realize the struggle you and your wife have had over the years. Your trust in Jehovah and your spirituality demonstrated by your comments here have always been very encouraging to me.

Thank you for your kind words. Our troubles really began in 2003, Debbie broke her leg, had a heart attack and I was diagnosed with rapid cycling bi-polar. My physical problems did not manifest until 2013, shortly after our daughter died unexpectantly. Debbie and I have been married now for almost 24 years (second marriage for both of us.) Our marriage has been plagued with problems beyond our control. One CO told us he has seen couples divorce and leave the Truth over less problems than we have endured. My wife and I often discuss the vow we took to serve Jehovah and to be loyal and loving in our marriage. One brother referred to me as Job with all our troubles. The one constant thread has been Jehovah guiding us and taking care of us, especially at unexpected times. 

[SKnight]

15 hours ago, Tsheppar said:

When I first started my beard, i intentionally would scratch my wife on her face with my stubble. She would run away in terror. 

 

( A few weeks have passed) 

 

I went to scratch her with my cheeks this morning and she didn't run away. 

 

A- she got used to it. 

 

B- my beard got softer. 

 

C- holy spirit

 

Im not exactly sure which occured. 😂

 

 

What a loving wife she is 💐

[Daxsector]

I had an experience months before this occasion. I was counseled in SMPW by a brother in oversight regarding my soul patch. I had this for over 25 years and it was always cut very short in a v shape. I have stood before many COs and I give convention and circuit parts and never had a problem. Weeks later I found out that our CO had an issue with it. I was upset at first, but I prayed to Jehovah and shaved it immediately. Fast forward, I have gone full beard! 

 

I am so glad I don't have to worry about this anymore!

[Pjdriver]

1 hour ago, ChrisW said:

I love the poem. You look like a poet in your pic.  🙂

I just tweaked it to fit our beard story, but Ai did the bulk of it. 

 

PS. I forgot to include the theme:

 

"Holy Whiskers: Navigating the Fuzzy Rules of Faith and Fashion"

Edited January 9 by Pjdriver

[Brother_Bliss]

2 hours ago, Jay D said:

Anyway, to anyone who thought this wasn't legitimate, would you have felt embarrassed when we next see a more up to date video of brother Jackson? 

 

Some just wanted some assurance. You can use an app on your phone to give anyone a beard, including your wives and children, lol.

 

2 hours ago, Jay D said:

Bible principle to bear in mind:

Proverbs 29:30

 

There is no Proverbs 29:30 

[Leslie.m]

1 hour ago, Daxsector said:

I had an experience months before this occasion. I was counseled in SMPW by a brother in oversight regarding my soul patch. I had this for over 25 years and it was always cut very short in a v shape. I have stood before many COs and I give convention and circuit parts and never had a problem. Weeks later I found out that our CO had an issue with it. I was upset at first, but I prayed to Jehovah and shaved it immediately. Fast forward, I have gone full beard! 

 

I am so glad I don't have to worry about this anymore!

Wow the US brothers really thought that non moustache facial hair was a mark of the beast! Getting that worked up over a soul patch! Wow!

[Broseph]

6 hours ago, Pjdriver said:

hippos and bikers being the only ones with beards.

It’s true, hippos do have beards:

 

4 hours ago, Daxsector said:

I was counseled in SMPW by a brother in oversight regarding my soul patch.

I had a soul patch almost a decade back and didn’t have an issue giving talks or doing mics. One MS tried to council me about it but my silence was awkward and he didn’t push it.

 

3 hours ago, Brother_Bliss said:

You can use an app on your phone to give anyone a beard, including your wives and children

[Lewis]

8 hours ago, Hope said:

 

If that's you in the profile pic, I vote for your to keep the beard.  It looks VERY nice.   Just one random sister's opinion.

 

It is me indeed, and thank you Uani.

[Tortuga]

Brothers, if you are bald and bearded, the combover isn't a good look...

 

[Amygdala]

8 hours ago, Pjdriver said:

Ai did the bulk of it. 

 

AI is great. I was floored when my husband sent me a personal poem. 😍🤣😅

[Jay D]

7 hours ago, Brother_Bliss said:

 

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 

And what is Proper (which should be Proverbs) 18:17? Thanks for pointing this out, either the internet has gone strange, my eyes are getting worse, or this post was edited by someone else 😂

Most likely my eyes are getting worse!

 

As for the beard app thing, I'm aware of that, however when you know someone there who was actually present and saw him then you'll know this post has credibility, you'll thank me later. 

 

[Almost there]

On 1/8/2024 at 2:57 PM, Araujo JW said:

 

Here is the photo, as I received it, with the caption.

 

 

 

Not gonna lie, this is pretty incredible.  Didn't think I'd ever see this.

 

... and it suits him well.  

Edited January 10 by Almost there

[Landon1285]

22 hours ago, Jay D said:

Confirmed this is legit, this is from a sister who was there and took the photo. Unfortunately it's passed around so many times, but it isn't fake I can confirm this for sure. 

Do you know which weekend and or class this was? 

[Hope]

29 minutes ago, Landon1285 said:

Do you know which weekend and or class this was? 

 

This was last weekend (January 7, 2024) at the ASL SKE Graduation

 

[Percy]

22 hours ago, Pjdriver said:

In days of old, within our sheepfold,

Where tales of faith and hope are told,

There stood an unwritten rule, quite bizarre,

Against beards, those symbols seen from afar.

Now we want to hear you sing it!!! 𝄞♪♬ ♪

[truce]

54 minutes ago, Percy said:

Now we want to hear you sing it!!! 𝄞♪♬ ♪

Expect a new songbook 😁

[Tortuga]

Some industries have a strict facial hair policy because the employees have to wear air respirators. It will be interesting to see how LDC handles beards on a LDC project site when air respirators are required.