Beards in the Congregation

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

IT's not the petty FREEDOMS that you miss out on ...... it's the petty TYRANNIES that you have to endure ..... and they are like Camels ... once they get their heads into your tent .... soon, there will be no room for YOU.

Only THEM!

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

It's NOT REALLY about "beards" .... It's about how much garbage is acceptable in one's "spiritual food".

[TrueTomHarley]

2 hours ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

T's not the petty FREEDOMS that you miss out on ...... it's the petty TYRANNIES that you have to endure ..... and they are like Camels

Nonsense. I mean, it would be okay if you could find Jesus counseling his disciples: 'Don't take any s**t from anyone!'

I'd walk a mile to get away from such dumb reasoning

Which congregation did Sister Rand go to?

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

TTH

sigh ....

..always trying to divert from any discussion of issues to try and disparage the character of someone ....

... and I believe you when you said you would walk away from such reasoning ...

... there were MANY people throughout History with the same opinions, and History is replete with horror of how it turned out for them.

 

TRUTH does not cease to exist because it is ignored.

 

[TrueTomHarley]

On 7/9/2017 at 11:01 PM, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

... there were MANY people throughout History with the same opinions

Why do you think there is to be a new system? Because God is enthralled over the noble independence-seekers of this one?

Rather than become focused over a trifle, it is good to consider Nathanial Hawthorne's take: "People who think the most bold of thoughts have no difficulty conforming to outward norms of society."

Nobody thinks thoughts more bold than Jehovah's Witnesses.

Actually, I think the reverse is also true. People who kick up a huge fuss over trifles tend to be the most conformist of all when it comes to bold things. Wear a beard if you want to. No one ever said you couldn't. You just would have to endure some peer pressure, and thus, might decide it was not worth it. That is the aspect that appears to be changing.

 

[Anna]

Our congregation is beardless, bar one sister, she's been wearing one for years. She doesn't care about the peer pressure. She's one bold character with a backbone of steel. Besides, the elders have never counseled her about it as far as I know...

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

I admire her courage ... a LOT ... but that would still creep me out.

I am sure she realizes this ... and it is THAT ... that gives her a backbone of steel.

John the Baptist, who slept under a rock or something, wore rags, and who ate locusts MILLENIA before toothbrushes ... was highly favored by God.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

TTH:

And there are infinite reasons why people do or do not shave, just as there are infinite variations in people.

You know what happens when you make the classical definition of "ASSUMING" something ...

If Jehovah thought something was important in the Bible... it would be spelled out EXACTLY.

 

[TrueTomHarley]

Oh, dear. Should I? Yes - go for it!

2 hours ago, Anna said:

Besides, the elders have never counseled her about it as far as I know...

Actually, one did. She pounded him senseless. (sorry)

[Maid in UK]

I've read on these pages a lot of mirth and clever play on words - fine. However, the action that promoted this thread in the first instance astounded me.   The meetings are meetings with Jehovah.   I consider the action to be disrespectful.  Surely our actions in the presence of our Creator should be serious and attentive to the counsel?   Jehovah is a happy God and endowed us with a sense of humour, but he has words recorded at Ecclesiastes 3: 1 "There is an appointed time for everything, a time for every activity under the heavens:    "verse 4:  a time to weep and a time to laugh;...."

[Anna]

17 minutes ago, Maid in UK said:

I've read on these pages a lot of mirth and clever play on words - fine. However, the action that promoted this thread in the first instance astounded me.   The meetings are meetings with Jehovah.   I consider the action to be disrespectful.  Surely our actions in the presence of our Creator should be serious and attentive to the counsel?   Jehovah is a happy God and endowed us with a sense of humour, but he has words recorded at Ecclesiastes 3: 1 "There is an appointed time for everything, a time for every activity under the heavens:    "verse 4:  a time to weep and a time to laugh;...."

That's @TrueTomHarleysome times he's serious, other times not, and sometimes it's difficult to tell if it's fact or fiction. He's a writer you see. But I will let him explain himself, if that's what he wants to do....

[TrueTomHarley]

2 hours ago, Maid in UK said:

I consider the action to be disrespectful. 

There is a lot of disrespect on these pages, good sister, and some outright apostacy. It is not the Assembly Hall. Technically speaking, I should not be here, nor anyone seriously attempting to follow counsel on cultivating fine association even on social media. I have tried to escape but each time find myself trapped in the vortex and drawn back into doing battle with a handful of persons whom I consider ignoramuses. (allowing for the premise, which some feel is doubtful, that I myself am one of the 'good guys') It is too late for me, but not too late for others to flee to the mountains.

Seriously, Maid in UK, I mean no disrespect to the theocratic interests. (I mean plenty of disrespect to some others) Not everyone appreciates 'zany' and some who do appreciate it think it inappropriate to apply to kingdom interests. I beg forgiveness in that case. If you can put up with an idiosyncrasy, I assure you that in my circuit I don't think there is a soul who does not like me, for I am, first of all, a peacemaker and I am not wound up too tight.

Unfortunately, I am also a communicator and I gots to communicate.