THOU SHALL NOT
“35. Jehovah Gives His Laws”, My Book of Bible Stories, The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, 1978.
Jehovah’s Witnesses aren’t allowed to:
Have friends that are not Jehovah’s Witnesses
Participate in extracurricular activities after school or work
Celebrate birthdays and holidays
Salute the flag
Say the Pledge of Allegiance
Join the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts
Buy Girl Scout cookies
Play with toy guns (including water guns and NERF guns)
Watch movies, tv shows, or read books about magic or the supernatural
Listen to music with explicit language
Watch movies and tv show with explicit language or sex scenes
Watch rated R movies
Say “bless you” after someone sneezes
Get tattoos
Smoke cigarettes
Use recreational drugs
Work out at the YMCA
Meditate
Do yoga
Do martial arts
Applicable only to men: Grow a beard (JWs are “progressive” now. Beards are now allowed!)
Applicable only to women: Wear pants in the Kingdom Hall or in the field ministry (Another rescinded rule! What will they think of next?)
Wear skirts/dresses above the knee
Masterbate
Date or marry outside of the Jehovah’s Witnesses
Have sex before marriage
Have oral sex with their marriage partner
Disobey your husband
Leave your husband
Get a divorce
Go to therapy
Have free time
Go to college
Serve in the military
Vote
Discuss politics
Have a political opinion
Join protests
Be an activist
Be a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, pansexual, polyamorous, etc.
Support LGBTQ+ issues
Support Black Lives Matter
Get a blood transfusion
Give blood
Report abuse the congregation elders unless more than one person witnessed the abuse
Report abuse to the police
Talk to family and friends who are excommunicated or have left the Jehovah’s Witnesses
Study outside of the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ literature
Think for yourself
Have doubts
Question or disagree with the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ doctrine and rules
Leave the Jehovah’s Witnesses
