2023 Governing Body Update #8 / BEARDS!!!

[jdcarlson]

I must admit I am a "child of the previous century."

 

Personally, I do not like beards. I grew up in a time that a man with a beard (or even a moustache or long hair) was not respected by society as a whole (at least in the area where I grew up).

 

Yes, at age 81 it takes more energy than before to shave every day.

 

But, men who keep thier beards well groomed spend the same energy, or even more, than a clean shaven man, when properly tending to their grooming.

 

I do not like open collar shirts with no tie at the Kingdom Hall. Some of this comes from working over 50 years as a Certified Public Accountant. A VERY conservative industry. The firm I started with even required a coat and a tie when we would come in on weekends during income tax filing season (because of the heavier workload of individual tax returns on top of the audits and tax returns for commercial clients).  For several years when I first started in the CPA industry, I was also a full-time pioneer. Thus I became accustomed to wearing a coat & tie seven days a week.

 

I have been active in Jehovah's Organization over 75 years. During that time I have seen many changes. 

 

I remember when only brothers were allowed to have parts in the Ministry School.

 

I remember when Pioneers reported time directly to the Society rather than to thier local Congregation.

 

I remember when Pioneers paid less for literature than publishers paid.

 

I remember when we asked for money when we placed literature.

 

I remember when "Return Visits" were called "Back Calls."

 

I remember when the questions were asked at the Watchtower Study (and at the Congregation Book Study) BEFORE the paragraphs were read.

 

I remember when it was acceptable for the Watchtower Study Conductor to call on someone for a comment when they had not raised their hand.

 

I remember when there was a 15 minute break between the Public Talk and the Watchtower Study.

 

I remember when there was no set number of paragraphs to cover each week at the Congregation Book Study.

 

I remember when Sisters could be assigned duties that are now restricted to Brothers (my mother was "Accounts Servant" for several years).

 

I remember when Watchtower study articles were so long that sometimes we took two weeks to get through a single article.

 

I remember when Public Talks were a full hour, and the Watchtower study could be as long as an hour and ten minutes.

 

I remember when the Congregation Book Study was one night in the week and the Service Meeting and the Theocratic Ministry School were together on another night later in the week.

 

I remember the long sideburns era when brothers let them grow quite long (It was unusual to see some who were starting to go bald and it was like a straign line starting at one jaw, then up and over the head and down the other jaw where the hairline transitioned from the sideburns to the hair on the head).

 

I remember when some congregations insisted brothers wear a white shirt when giving a talk (and yes, some congregations would keep spare white shirts on hand in case a speaker showed up with a colored or tined shirt).

 

I remember one time when a VERY capable and mature brother was not alowed to work with me in Auditing at a District Convention because he had grown a beard.

 

Other things have also changed. Since this thread started back in 2023, now sisters can wear slacks or pants suits to the Kingdom Hall. Brothers do not have to wear a tie in service or to the Kingdom Hall (unless they have an assignment).

 

Personally, I do not like changes. But, that is merely my PERSONAL opinion. I have no right to try to impose my personal preferences on others. If the GB decides certain modes of dress and grooming are, or are not, acceptable, or anything else needs to be done differently, I have no "standing" to object.

 

Even in my most innermost thoughts I must remember this is Jehovah's Organization, and he alone has the right to make rules, requirements, standards, and principles to apply to his organization. It is my obligation to follow Jehovah's instructions as we receive them through the Governing Body. For me to question the Governing Body would be the ultimate in arrogance.

 

For me to speculate about "why" or "what will change next" or "how far can we, or I, take this" is meaningless and just takes time and energy away from doing what I can to advance Jehovah's Kingdom Interests.

 

The whole matter is a "Tempest in a Teapot" over something meaningless.

 

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Dages]

1 hour ago, jdcarlson said:

I must admit I am a "child of the previous century."

You are a pearl in Jehovah's eyes, brother.

[gusdn1]

1 hour ago, jdcarlson said:

I remember when the Congregation Book Study was one night in the week

 

This is the one thing I vividly remember from my childhood.

 

It’s all because of those big dogs that kept scaring me and that green clock in the living room with its seconds hand gliding so smoothly. 🤣🤣

Edited 11 hours ago by gusdn1

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

1 hour ago, jdcarlson said:

I must admit I am a "child of the previous century..."

For me to speculate about "why" or "what will change next" or "how far can we, or I, take this" is meaningless and just takes time and energy away from doing what I can to advance Jehovah's Kingdom Interests.

The whole matter is a "Tempest in a Teapot" over something meaningless. 

Although you have a couple of years on me Jim, I relate to your list.

I still shave, wear a jacket, and feel 'uncomfortable' when I do not wear a tie.

It has given me a new perspective on the adjustment of our first century family.

I feel how some back there felt. Eat pork? NEVER! Work on the Sabbath? NEVER!

I do not want to be a modern-day 'Judaiser.' I do need to adjust my views on certain things.

We live in interesting times, Jim @jdcarlson

[Amygdala]

I started going to meetings as a young girl when I remember the pause during the meeting, but it was only a couple of times and then ended. Didn’t notice at the time. I love hearing the history of what we used to do and not do.

 

For me personally, the message I get with all these gradual changes is less judging, and allowing more individual autonomy for a person in the congregation. How many  misunderstandings, stories or misjudgments about a person are now avoided, and more unity within a diversity of personalities, cultures , situations , even neural diversities in a congregation? 
 

It is unfortunate but there are certain people where efficacy trumps love, and any sort of deviation from the written ”rules“ gave some reason to withhold privileges from a person, essentially labeling their spirituality based on a person’s personal autonomy as bad. To me it shows what is most important to Jehovah. He doesn’t want anyone to be bullied into submissive worship when it comes to conscience matters, but wants all in the congregation to flourish based on their faithfulness and love for Him, and feel refreshed when coming to the congregation and pursuing and supporting His interests. We have come a long way!

[Jwanon]

6 hours ago, jdcarlson said:

I remember when it was acceptable for the Watchtower Study Conductor to call on someone for a comment when they had not raised their hand

 

oof

[gusdn1]

8 hours ago, jdcarlson said:

I remember when it was acceptable for the Watchtower Study Conductor to call on someone for a comment when they had not raised their hand.

 

I just remembered this now. It was a Sunday meeting, and no one was raising their hands for one of the review questions. The WT conductor, who was an elder, started calling on the pioneers who hadn’t commented yet. My grandmother, who’s a regular pioneer, was one of them, but she wasn’t able to answer. 😅😅 Sadly, the elder passed away a few days later. 😭

[jwhess]

I noticed that the word "unity" has been used more than once.  I wonder if it is the right expression.

 

I am going to use 'hyperbole' and stretch the actual situation for effect.  Basically, witnesses can wear anything they like (modest hopefully) to go to a meeting.  They can wear anything they like to go in the field ministry.  They can attend their grooming in any manner that pleases them.  So anybody can do anything anywhere, they can be similar or completely different and be accepted.

 

How is that "unity"?  They are all different.  I understand it is 'permissible', I understand it is 'freedom of choice', I understand we all share the same 'direction', but how does it emphasize "unity"?...♥️

 

Our Br. James in his post above showed how we used to act.  Do you remember when you were driving through a town on a vacation and you saw two young people walking on a residential street wearing "good clothes" (women in dresses and men in suits) and who were "modestly groomed" (hair or makeup or clean-shaven).  When you looked out the car window you automatically said, "They must be witnesses."

 

How does it look now?  A bearded guy wearing a polo shirt and chinos walking next to a woman with her blouse tucked into a pair of slacks.  Do you stop your car and say, by the way they dress, "They must be witnesses?. They could be anybody on the street.  How does that add to our identity and how does it indicate unity?

 

 

[Mike047]

For those of us who are older, and used to a particular standard of dress and grooming, it seems like a drop in standards. We find it challenging to change our attitude to meet with the broader guidelines given us by the GB,

 

Whilst out, recently, we saw a couple of Mormon sisters in their ministry, and they still have the same more restrictive style of dress and grooming that we oldies are used to. It would be a shame if they were mistaken for Jehovah's Witnesses, simply because  of their appearance, because their spiritual 'dress' is very different, and is not life-giving.

[Tortuga]

12 hours ago, jdcarlson said:

I remember when it was acceptable for the Watchtower Study Conductor to call on someone for a comment when they had not raised their hand.

You mean we can't do that anymore?  

When I have a QA part, I remind the elders that I might call on them even if they haven't raised their hand.