Paul wrote in Galatians 5:1, "For such freedom Christ set us free. Therefore stand fast, and do not let yourselves be confined again in a yoke of slavery." [NWT]
Paul also wrote in Colossians 2:20-22, "If YOU died together with Christ toward the elementary things of the world, why do YOU, as if living in the world, further subject yourselves to the decrees: 'Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch,' respecting things that are all destined to destruction by being used up, in accordance with the commands and teachings of men?" [NWT]
Finally, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:12, "All things are lawful for me; but not all things are advantageous. All things are lawful for me; but I will not let myself be brought under authority by anything." [NWT]
With these proclamations of freedom endorsed by Paul, let us examine the bondage to regulations that we see within the Kingdom Hall.
To be a Jehovah's Witness you...
MUST NOT associate on a regular basis with (or befriend) nonbelievers
MUST NOT associate with ex-members (dis-fellowshipped or disassociated).
MUST NOT celebrate birthdays.
MUST NOT celebrate Mother's or Fathers Day.
MUST NOT celebrate Thanksgiving.
MUST NOT celebrate New Year's Eve or Day.
MUST NOT celebrate Christmas.
MUST NOT celebrate Halloween.
MUST NOT celebrate Easter.
MUST NOT celebrate Flag Day.
MUST NOT celebrate Independence Day (4th of July).
MUST NOT celebrate Hanukkah.
MUST NOT celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
MUST NOT celebrate Valentine's Day.
MUST NOT celebrate ANY holiday or sing ANY Holiday Songs.
MUST NOT create holiday artwork in school.
MUST NOT join the Boy Scouts.
MUST NOT join the Girl Scouts
MUST NOT become a cheerleader.
MUST NOT attend class reunions (no "worldly" association).
MUST NOT play school or professional sports (no competition allowed).
MUST NOT join any organization that has ties to Christianity.
MUST NOT wear or own a cross.
MUST NOT attend another church (spiritual fornication) especially one that displays a cross.
MUST NOT shop at or volunteer at the Salvation Army.
MUST NOT donate to relief organizations like the Red Cross, Salvation Army, charities and more.
MUST NOT shop at church run thrift stores or garage sales.
MUST NOT attend a church school.
MUST NOT join the YMCA.
MUST NOT join the military.
MUST NOT become a police officer.
MUST NOT have ANY employment that requires the possession of a firearm.
MUST NOT attend Alcoholics Anonymous.
MUST NOT strike against a company (can join union, but not participate in its affairs).
MUST NOT salute the flag.
MUST NOT sing the national anthem.
MUST NOT go to war.
MUST NOT wear clothing associated with war.
MUST NOT learn karate.
MUST NOT vote.
MUST NOT run for any public office.
MUST NOT campaign for a candidate.
MUST NOT contribute to the presidential campaign fund on your tax return.
MUST NOT run for class president.
MUST NOT join sororities or fraternities.
MUST NOT participate in holiday parties at school.
MUST NOT gamble or buy lottery tickets.
MUST NOT date without supervision - young or old.
MUST NOT own a religious picture or statue.
MUST NOT smoke or sell cigarettes, pipes, or cigars.
MUST NOT wear blue jeans or casual clothes to the Kingdom Hall.
MUST NOT wear pants to a Kingdom Hall if you are a female.
MUST NOT wear skirts or dresses that are above the knee at any time.
MUST NOT wear any type of long hair if you are a man.
MUST NOT have a beard.
MUST NOT pierce ears if male, or other body parts if female.
MUST NOT have any tattoos.
MUST NOT say "bless you" when someone sneezes.
MUST NOT say "good luck!", "wish me luck", "I was lucky" or "you were lucky".
MUST NOT tell ghost stories.
MUST NOT own a Smurf. (due to mystic history)
MUST NOT promote anything superstitious.
MUST NOT engage in any risky acts such as: sky diving, bungee jumping or hang gliding.
MUST NOT wear or own a cross.
MUST NOT attend another church (spiritual fornication).
MUST NOT hold a position of responsibility in the congregation if you are female.
MUST NOT sue another Jehovah's Witness.
MUST NOT marry a nonbeliever.
MUST NOT marry in a church or attend a wedding in another church.
MUST NOT study other religious articles not from the Watchtower Society.
MUST NOT read negative information about the Watchtower Society.
MUST NOT question the Watchtower Society on ANYTHING.
MUST NOT exercise your conscience if it goes against the Jehovah Witness religion.
MUST NOT question the Watchtower Society or the Organization.
MUST NEVER donate blood.
MUST NEVER accept a blood transfusion.
MUST NEVER store your own blood before an operation.
MUST NEVER seek mental health counseling.
MUST NEVER go to a school prom or other school functions.
MUST NEVER attend a college.
MUST NEVER watch TV shows such as "Medium", "Touched by an Angel", or "Bewitched".
MUST NEVER have a funeral in another church or attend a funeral in another church.
However, there are things that you MUST do. A Jehovah Witness...
MUST be baptism into the Organization.
MUST discourage your children from playing with non-JW classmates.
MUST attend all meetings (usually 3 times a week, special assemblies and conventions).
MUST come prepared to all meetings, by studying Watchtower publications ahead of time.
MUST go "door-to-door" to make converts as much as possible (average expectations is 10 hours a month), and keep logs of hours and "placements."
MUST pressure their children to conform to all rules and to be baptized. MUST threaten their children with future shunning if they grow up and leave the religion.
And BTW, "being disfellowshipped" is against the Word of God and the Gospel of Christ. This is what the Pharisees did to the blind man that was healed in John 9:34. The threat of being disfellowshipped or excommunicated is the language of cults. It's one thing to cast someone out of a congregation for blatantly sinning and excusing it. Its another thing to be pronounced "damned" for disagreeing with false doctrine or errors in the body.
A few quotes from the Watchtower Org.
"No question about it. We all need help to understand the Bible, and we cannot find the Scriptural guidance we need outside the 'faithful and discreet slave' organization."
Watchtower 2/15/81
"Your attitude toward the anointed is the determining factor whether you go into everlasting cutting off or everlasting life." WT 8/1/1981, p. 26
"Recognition of that governing body and its place in God’s theocratic arrangement of things is necessary for the submission of headship to God’s Son" WT 12/15/1972, p. 755
"Unless we are in touch with this channel of communication that God is using, we will not progress along the road to life, no matter how much Bible reading we do." WT 12/1/1981, p.27
