Education and the WT: my story (page 2)

daniel-p

Dune
"I think the worst thing about all this is, that while i'm still VERY active in the congregation. I feel that i'm treated like i'm already disfellowshipped."

I went through the same thing when I started going. Even though I as an MS, they had a local needs on it and everything. If your'e taking a course of action different than th rest of the group, you're ostracized. What would happen if you got a full time job, bought a new car, and just played video games all day? No one would care - because that's what a lot of young kids do, the same children of the elders in the hall. But if you go to college, they will ostracize you because dumb people are suspicious of what they do not know about.

serendipity

(((Dune))),

I'm sorry you're having to go through this. Does peer pressure ever end? Take a stand for what you want, and ignore the naysayers. You'll be happier in the end.

Pistoff

But I believe that WT will not win on this one. I know personally of at least 10 Jw of my generation that have children that will be going to college and university. I don't know if this is a local thing here. But it does not seem the flock is listening.
Thanks for that research, definite keeper

And here is the long term damage to the fellowship as a result: Those who are thinking for themselves can see through this; now you have a percentage of the fellowship that is effectively blue penciling strong counsel. Their gut tells them it is wrong wrong wrong.

Once the fellowship starts to sift, how can they reconcile the idea that this is "god's channel of communication", code language for WE SPEAK FOR GOD??

These3Words

I came from a second generation of the borg. I was tought that education was not as important than the work I did in Gods name.I still remember coming home from High School, and telling my drugged out Mom that I just dropped out. "Ah thats ok you don't need an education were your going"she slurred.

I'm 34 years old now and I'm currently studying for my G.E.D.

Pistoff

Thank you all for your responses. I came across the quote from the '69 Awake some time ago and it just jolted me into remembering how painful high school was; I remember the sick look on the faces of teachers and counselors when I happily told them that I would pursue farming, or truck driving, or carpet laying instead of going to school. I was inline for scholarships like so many were; I regarded them as refuse.

Why would I need this? The new order was just months away, all my friends, family and the ones I pioneered with agreed. My mentors in the hall had sold their houses, left long standing jobs with the state and credit union. All would be GREAT. The farming skills? Invaluable in the new system. (New world was discarded for a time in the 70's; it's back now).

Daniel-p:

Isn't it amazing? There you were, an MS, and they felt the need to slap down any who might follow your "bad" example.

Three words:

"I'm 34 years old now and I'm currently studying for my G.E.D." YOU ROCK! I am proud of you, go for it.

Serendipity:

Treated cooly; of course, you tried to improve yourself. In the WT world, that makes you "haughty". It may also give you a better job, and that is really a thorn in the side of a lifelong witness who has had 25 low paying jobs, and still drives the 9 year old car. It hurts.

Bonnie_Clyde

I took college preparatory courses while in high school, graduated with honors in 1959 at the age of 17, but decided not to attend the local University because of the WT. I decided that I would attend a local two-year business school and study accounting. Boom! There was an elder (then called congregation servant) at my door. This man asked me if I could take "dictation." That was before computers, and I was very good at taking shorthand and my "spelling" was perfect. He dictated a letter, had me type it up, and I handed it to him. He turned to me and said, "You have all the skills you need to get a good job." You don't need to go to school. For some reason he didn't tell me I should pioneer, so instead of attending the local university, I got one of their lowest paying jobs at the local university as a secretary. Later I pioneered for two years, attracted a wonderful young brother, and we were married and had three children. I thought to myself that it didn't matter that I didn't get an education. My husband would take care of me.

Well he did! He followed the same stupid advice that I did, but later managed to get into an apprenticeship and got a fairly good job in the trades. However, his body began to wear out, he has since had cancer, and I knew that I had to find a skill. Shorthand was completely out, it no longer mattered if you were an accurate typist because of word processing, so I had practically no skills. I found my way into sales, and am actually doing a pretty good job, but it takes up a lot of time.

I'm going to have to say that the Society was harder on education back then than they are now. I know others who were discouraged from any king of education beyond high school right into the 70's. I also know that back in the 1940's and maybe into the 1950's some children were encouraged to discontinue education as soon as they turned 16. Didn't even get a high school degree. Well the end was near!

This same "brother" who gave me the advice to not go to college also gave some counsel to my brother and his fiance. They wanted to break up their relationship, but he told them that being engaged was the same as being married, and they would have to go through with it. They were stuck in a miserable marriage for 34 years before my sister-in-law divorced my brother.

diamondblue1974

College Education—A Preparation for What?

A FEW years ago, columnist Bill Reel wrote an article that appeared in the Daily News, a New York City newspaper, in which he presented some sobering facts about college education

“What do you know after four years of higher education?” he asked. “No offense, but you don’t know much. Oh, you might know quite a lot about Romantic poets or Renaissance painters or computer technology or accounting procedures. I hope you learned enough to make a living. . . . But nobody 22 years old knows much. You haven’t lived long enough. Wisdom comes only with age. So get humble.(What does this have to do with ADDING knowledge and experience?)

Completely agree...Higher Education provides the very foundation for wisdom; it teaches you to learn, think and critically analyse information its only when you start to apply that knowledge do you get the real benefit from it; but without the knowledge to start with you are at a disadvantage.

I could rant on for a good long while on this subject but it just makes me angry that the WTS take such a stance on higher education.

Big Dog

A fellow poster (who needs to remain anonymous) has printed out a letter that contains these types quotes from the magazines (ie. evils of higher education), and a brief plea for them to really think about their life and the history of the WBTS, signed it 'from someone who cares' invited them to this forum, and mailed it out (from a neighboring town) to all the JW youth that they know. This poster would like to challenge all of you to do the same.

Pistoff

Bonnie and Clyde:

I'm going to have to say that the Society was harder on education back then than they are now. I know others who were discouraged from any king of education beyond high school right into the 70's. I also know that back in the 1940's and maybe into the 1950's some children were encouraged to discontinue education as soon as they turned 16. Didn't even get a high school degree. Well the end was near!

Isn't it just disgusting that this current demonization of higher education is an IMPROVEMENT?

I have a sister in my congregation whose father prevented his daughters from getting married because of the anti-marriage and anti-children sentiment in the 60's; she did defy him by going to a very prestigious liberal arts school. She is still not married but has a great job. She is caring for her father in his (unexpected) old age.

Anyone who thinks that the WT is giving good advice should test their thinking by talking with a non-witness about why they choose/chose not to go to college: my spiritual mentors told me it was a bad idea. They will ask you why. See if you can articulate it without flinching.

P

daniel-p

"This poster would like to challenge all of you to do the same."

Sorry, I'm not up to the challenge.

Education and the WT: my story

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