JW’s are now allowed to have beards and publicly preach....

[Srecko Sostar]

17 hours ago, Anna said:

Then later in 1935 the WT called it a filthy weed and banned it in Bethel but did not try to impose this on the congregations.

"Light get Brighter" only for WT Society Leaders in Bethel, and stopped at Bethel Place. Congregations was left to be in "Darkness Light" of  previous doctrinal standpoint. :)))))   

Question is: Why would God want for minority of His people to know "The Truth" and to be able and in position to offer "unspoiled sacrifice, sacrifice without blame", ...... but for majority of His Flock He don't care and left them to be "unclean" spiritually and physically?? 

Irrational and illogical God? Or people can not understand His strange instructions ....from human standpoint of view ? 

Or, all is about Human Leadership who playing games/experiments with life of people/members/followers.

[Anna]

11 hours ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

Make your excuses for them if it pleases you @Anna 

They did not ban it at first as it would have lost them many members and that would have lost them many $$$$$$. 

It's all about the money and the power. They were wise enough to wait, but they knew in the late 1800's.

How gullible are you @Anna ? 

 

 

Why even admit the case of smoking and Christmas? Nobody was asking about it. It was not necessary for either of them to be mentioned. In any case, why ban Christmas and smoking at all if it meant losing members? Regardless of what period of time. Why was it wise to wait? Was losing members no longer a worry later on? Or was something else more important than losing members?

Both topics were mentioned in the chapter "Moral Refinements"

[Colin Browne]

Here are all the facts about the ancient habit of smoking:

*** w14 6/1 What Is God’s View of Smoking? ***

“You are slaves of the one you obey.” (Rom. 6:16)

Can you really obey God if you are enslaved by tobacco addiction?

“You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.” Matt. 22:37

Are you showing love and respect for God if you abuse your God-given body by indulging in a defiling habit?

 “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matt. 22:39

Do you really love your neighbor and family if you expose them to the dangers of secondhand smoke?

 *** g86 1/8 p. 21 Is Smoking Really Wrong? ***

Were addictive drugs and herbs common in Bible times? Yes, says Tobacco and Kentucky, citing “the evidence of prehistoric pipes excavated at…the Mediterranean Sea and inland in Asia Minor [used in smoking] …cannabis (marijuana) and other herbs.” In fact, adds the book, “fumigation with, or the inhalation of, the smoke of various substances has been a sacred, healing, or pleasurable practice…since time immemorial…  As with cannabis and opium, so with tobacco.”

..................................

[JOHN BUTLER]

11 hours ago, Anna said:

Why even admit the case of smoking and Christmas? Nobody was asking about it. It was not necessary for either of them to be mentioned. In any case, why ban Christmas and smoking at all if it meant losing members? Regardless of what period of time. Why was it wise to wait? Was losing members no longer a worry later on? Or was something else more important than losing members?

Both topics were mentioned in the chapter "Moral Refinements"

When both were known to be wrong in the late 1800's the membership was quite low and money coming in was also quite low. The idea was to attract more members to push up contributions. If they enforced stricter rules it would restrict those willing to become members, so restrict income. Also there was probably enough opposition at that time for the new members, from their families or 'friends', so it would have imposed further burden on them. 

But there comes a time when either conscience knocks on the door, or, people are questioned for allowing such things to take place, as with CSA  accusations now. 

In the 1970's membership was obviously a lot higher, the JW company was a lot richer, there were more families in the religion so maybe less opposition,  and those at the top could then be more forceful with rules.

And the ones that are admitting it now were not the ones that committed those sins against God, so it's easier to write about what others did wrong as these ones don't have to take the blame.  

 

[Shiwiii]

13 hours ago, Colin Browne said:

Here are all the facts about the ancient habit of smoking:

*** w14 6/1 What Is God’s View of Smoking? ***

“You are slaves of the one you obey.” (Rom. 6:16)

That's quite a stretch for Romans 6 to apply to smoking, don't you think? I mean who is obeying a cigarette? 

 

13 hours ago, Colin Browne said:

Can you really obey God if you are enslaved by tobacco addiction?

“You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.” Matt. 22:37

Again a quote taken out of context. If Obeying God means the removal of tobacco, then where does it stop? Is High fructose corn syrup going to keep you from obeying God? I mean it IS addicting as well. 

 

13 hours ago, Colin Browne said:

Are you showing love and respect for God if you abuse your God-given body by indulging in a defiling habit?

 “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matt. 22:39

Do you really love your neighbor and family if you expose them to the dangers of secondhand smoke?

Are you showing love and respect for God if you are a stuntman? I mean you are breaking down your body physically with routine injury. Does the stuntman not love his neighbor because of his profession?  

 

13 hours ago, Colin Browne said:

*** g86 1/8 p. 21 Is Smoking Really Wrong? ***

Were addictive drugs and herbs common in Bible times? Yes, says Tobacco and Kentucky, citing “the evidence of prehistoric pipes excavated at…the Mediterranean Sea and inland in Asia Minor [used in smoking] …cannabis (marijuana) and other herbs.” In fact, adds the book, “fumigation with, or the inhalation of, the smoke of various substances has been a sacred, healing, or pleasurable practice…since time immemorial…  As with cannabis and opium, so with tobacco.”

Don't get me wrong here, smoking is not good for you, but all of the wt quotes are implying more to what is written than necessary to push their rules. 

 

put it this way:   Will God condemn a man with a pure heart towards Him, one who strives to live according to Bible standards, because he smokes?   

 

The answer is your answer, and one in which you must live by.  It is NOT buy the direction of men who sit in WT headquarters. 

[Witness]

14 hours ago, Colin Browne said:

“You are slaves of the one you obey.” (Rom. 6:16)

@Shiwiii was right when he said,  "That's quite a stretch for Romans 6 to apply to smoking, don't you think?" 

And..."It is NOT buy the direction of men who sit in WT headquarters."

The entire Rom 6:16:

"Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?"

 "You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men."  1 Cor 7:23

If we are to love our neighbor as our-self, would we expect them to follow commandments of men that go beyond Christ's teachings? Extra rules and regulations that are not in the Bible?   It is true that our body should be cared for, as the marvelous gift it is.  But, a person smoking or not smoking doesn't give claim to being a "Christian".  What is more important is identifying false Christians who easily judge another as unworthy, because they choose to become a slave of Christ, and not of men and their organization.  Luke 6:42; Rom 3:23; Prov 16:2 

Disfellowshipping another because of a smoking habit that they struggle with, is not an act of love, but an act of arrogance and coldness; and a judgment made by "human standards".    Rom 3:8; John 8:15; 1 Sam 16:7

They, who do this, are the guilty ones, who hold back any spiritual compassion and sustenance, that could be given them.  

"Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished."  Prov 17:5

 

 

 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

Years ago, I was at a Drop Zone in Tallequah, Oklahoma, in an airplane hanger with many long tables, where the skydivers would lay out their parachutes to repack them after a jump, and there on the wall, above the packing tables ... was a six foot tall poster of Superman, in flight ... right hand on his chest, and the other fist in front of him ... and words of wisdom to smokers of tobacco products who disregarded their health ... but BETTER NOT drop a burning ash on someones' parachute ......

"ONE SHOULD NOT SMOKE ... UNLESS ONE IS ON FIRE!"

 

 

[Jack Ryan]

Not so fast Mr. Librarian!

Sept.2019 JW broadcast propaganda makes it clear: JW’s don’t want new recruits with beards.

Last April of 2018 I made an observational post about a reoccurring drama we were seeing be played out on JW Broadcasting. It was a series of videos regarding a devout JW wife and her non-witness husband named Thomas. Throughout this series over the last year, every time we have seen Thomas, he has sported some kind of neatly trimmed facial hair.

I ended my observations by asking the following questions:

“Since WT gets to control this narrative, it will be interesting to see what happens with Thomas. Will he finally accept a bible study, make progress to baptism and most importantly...will he sacrifice his personal freedom and style to be part of a cult? The real question is, will WT let him keep his proven affinity for a "neatly trimmed beard”?”

Over a year later, we finally get our answers to those questions. In WT’s most recent narrative, Thomas finally accepts a bible study and when we see him at his first meeting … he ONLY has a mustache, a style option we have not seen him make in any of the previous videos. In this staged scene, Thomas is surrounded by seven clean shaven male congregants. The message is clear, he is conforming and therefore acceptable.

Despite WT putting in print that in some cultures beards are acceptable, respectable and that even some appointed brothers have beards, they have yet to show this in any of their written or video propaganda. What are the chances in a culture where beards are obviously acceptable, that Thomas would have thought to shave his before going to the KH?

Clearly WT still has a bias against men fashioning beards and spend more time alerting their susceptible followers to be weary of men that are not follically approved, rather than child sexual abusers that look the part!

[TrueTomHarley]

9 hours ago, Jack Ryan said:

Not so fast Mr. Librarian!

That old hen

[Isabella]

[Patiently waiting for Truth]

Ah now you can have a beard, but you must keep wearing that neck tie. 

Just another rule of men. 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

In that second photo, is that rabbit ears sticking up out of that Easter Basket?