DID JESUS HAVE TO DRESS LIKE A RABBI TO TEACH IN THE SYNAGOGUE?

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

I remember in the 1960's and 1970's when some Kingdom Halls had a closet with white dress shirts, and visiting speakers would NOT BE ALLOWED to give their talks if they were "inappropriately dressed".  I was called off the platform during a Ministry School assignment because I had a blue shirt under my suit coat, and chastised because I had a mustache.

When Jesus was teaching in the Synagogue, did he have to conform to the dress code of Rabbis, and the sideburns never trimmed, and the long Long, LONG beards they had, in order to be allowed to teach from the "platform"?

I hope someone out there knows Jewish "rules' and customs about "dress codes" in Jesus' time ... he was referred to as "Rabbi".

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

Actually, I do NOT have an answer ... that's why I asked the question ... and hoped someone who KNEW would answer.

Agenda driven " ...  you will see how he most likely dressed to read in the synagogue." Is completely useless, and has no value whatsoever.

On 6/2/2017 at 1:21 AM, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

I hope someone out there knows Jewish "rules' and customs about "dress codes" in Jesus' time ... he was referred to as "Rabbi".

The Society's opinions, without backup for a rational basis are as useless as Ronald McDonald's opinion on restaurant clown running shoes.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

I disagree ... Ronald McDonald is a fictional character but his symbology has generated BILLIONS of dollars for "his" organization.

And I am NEVER offended, even when the INTENT is to offend ...

... and about the GB .. I have already stated my opinion on that ... which you did not correctly  discern.

" .... The Society's opinions, without backup for a rational basis are as useless as Ronald McDonald's opinion on restaurant clown running shoes."

That means that ( even by their own admission, and several recent Watchtower lessons that they are NOT infallible, NOR inspired by God, and make mistakes, [ .. and we should forgive them..]) they MUST have a rational basis, based on hard FACTS to be credible among people that DO think rationally ... which is not very many at all.

 

"

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

Remember the Mercer Road Congregation in the Atlanta Area, with the hyperbola roof?   I went there for about six months when I was working on MARTA, circa 1977.

 

...and thank you for the kind wishes ... we are doing fine!

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

My Elders were incensed at the comments that I made, in in deference to their irrational fears of exercising FREEDOM of speech about things that were true ... I quit Internet commenting for one full year.

After receiving absolutely NO CREDIT for it, I resumed after a years time.

TA DA!

I try to be a straight talker, of few words, and consider political correctness a modern form of cowardice ... and am not looking for chums, buddies, or friends.

The price is too high.

I enjoy the whole association of the Brotherhood .... but I am not willing to pay the price ... and back when the Vietnam War was going on, and it looked like I was going to go to prison for five years ... I was trying to figure out a way I could spend it in solitary confinement.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

Tom:

To make a very long story very short .... in my hearing before the assembled Draft Board they THREATENED me with five years of Prison if I refused to be inducted ... I had previously said it would take three Marines to carry me to the induction, and it still would not work.

Then at the 5 year prison threat, I said "That you can do!".

They said wait outside the room, we will call you, so I sat on the "Group W Bench" ( ..an inside joke for Arlo Guthrie fans ...) outside the door for about ten minutes ... and the Secretary came outside and told me I had been granted "I-0" status ... Conscientious Objector.

I remember Jim Martin ... I saw him from a distance and someone pointed him out to me as the designer of that magnificent hyperbolid roof Kingdom Hall, with the large field stone walls that were actually lightweight perfectly painted Styrofoam ( I discovered that when I pushed on the "stone" to test it as it reflected light wrong for stone ...)..

He was being escorted by his elbow, as he had suffered some sort of mental breakdown, as it was explained to me. 

In  the past 40 years or so I have thought about him, and remembered his name ....  who I have never met, at least a dozen times, because of that magnificent architecture. I gave several student talks there.

You spoke of him in the present tense ... I hope he is still alive.

JTR

PS: It is my understanding that classification 4-D was "minister of religion or divinity student", not "sufficient prior service to satisfy requirements of law."  You may want to look that up.

.

 

 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

That's OK ... just knowing he is alive gives me solace. 

That the Society sold that Kingdom Hall to another religious group does irritate me, but the neighborhood had changed so much as to be dangerous.

Oh well !

 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

It's like when I make something for the house .... I like to have the side no one will ever see painted ... because I will know.

As long as you and I are alive, and people like us, we will be appreciative of his work ... but even that does not matter ...

HE KNOWS.

People that do not understand this should read the book "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand ... and then see the movie. ( In that order...).  I was already a "true believer", so I was stunned by the book, and the movie. I felt better ... much better .. for years afterward!

Not everybody wants to be a vegetable farmer in the New System .... there are those that want to build STARSHIPS!

.

 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

I have noticed that Toms tend to clump together in groups, like fungus.

*koff*

 

[Bebe]

I thought you could only be call rabbi if you were married...

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

In the movie "Zorba the Greek",  Anthony Quinn plays Zorba.

He and a friend are sitting around a table at night, lit with one candle, and they are both drunk.

His friend haltingly asks "Zorba ... are you ...... married?"

Zorba replies slowly .. "Am I not a man ... and is not a man .....stupid?"

 

[Evacuated]

Weird thread. Reads like a one-sided telephone conversation transcript.