Anitar:
I remember the quote you cited where they say that God is not to be blamed for the present conditions. Hearing this made me angry and I tried to analyze why.
What they are trying to say is that they (JWs) are not responsible for the present conditions. They may not be responsible for the present conditions, HOWEVER, what they do is make gullible persons LESS ABLE to function in the present conditions by telling them not to get higher education.
LHG
The Watchtower After Hours: Education?
by Anitar 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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LongHairGal
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Anitar
LongHairGal:
Yes, absolutely. The JW's take no responsibility for their words or their actions. How many times do you hear them talk, and they're more than willing to condemn you and everyone else, but they always say "I'm not saying it, the bible is!"
They demand complete and total compliance from their membership regardless of how corrupt their leadership is. They force the dogmatic sexual repression on the rank and file, yet they say they're not responsible when they become pedophiles. They don't allow education and strongly encourage ignorance and poverty, yet demand more donations, and of course won't give one red cent to help with retirement.
It's like if I ran someone over with an eighteen wheeler and then stopped and said "Oh, I'm sorry, are you in pain?"
Anitar
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Gopher
A more realistic version?
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Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by problems among brothers in your congregation that you felt as though you were drowning in a whirlpool? Just imagine how easily you could stumble someone if you reacted badly to JUST ONE of those problems. As the Scripture says, "It is finer for a man to be thrown into the open sea with a millstone around his neck than to stumble one of my little ones."
Many of our leaders extol the importance of theocratic education. Some say "you will never survive Armageddon unless you belong to the Theocratic Ministry School." Yet there are a number of human needs that go beyond organizational status. For instance, does belonging to the Theocratic Ministry School help you be a good parent, mate or friend? For that matter, people admired for their achievements in Jehovah's earthly organization may develop undesirable personality traits, fail in their family life, or end up committing suicide!!!!
Some look to the elders or to the Watchtower Publications Index for guidance, but become disappointed because of not receiving practical help to face life's difficulties. Illustrating this, a Christian named Juanita* from Mexico said, "It was 15 years ago that I felt my husband and I simply could not be together any longer. We argued all the time. I couldn't get him to stop drinking. I frequently had to leave our small children by themselves while I went looking for my husband. I was emotionally worn out. Several times I went to the Kingdom Hall seeking something that might help me find a solution. The elders and older sisters would only tell me to pray and go out in the ministry more. Sitting in the Kingdom Hall and reciting answers from the Watchtower magazine did not satisify me."
Others may become disillusioned when they see how far their own elders and ministerial servants are from leading an exemplary life. As a result, many lose confidence in the Watchtower Society as a source of training or education for a successful life.
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Cindi_67
Interesting topic. This subject about education is very sensitive to me as I was one of those that didn't go to College because the end was near, and college was the nest of all sorts of inmoral and bad stuff.Now my husband and I are struggling to make ends meet and of course like one member said, have to work 2 jobs in order to pay rent, insurance, cars, etc. My husband on his days off, does some lawn maintenance to keep up with our debts. One brother in our congregation that had a lawn business and about 50 properties moved out and was looking to sell his equipment and pass on his properties. I told him that my husband could at least take over a few of his houses, I actually left him a note telling him that, and never received a response. He moved and never heard from him. Another brother, and elder by the way, also has this business, but never has he come to us asking if my husband is doing well in his, and if he needed some extra work. But to come to my house and offer him a Bible study and say that education is not something a Christian should be looking for as a goal, for that they are at your door itso facto. He is not a witness, I am, (inactive of course), but grew up as a JW.
Lately, when it comes to help out those in need, if those people are not interested in studying the Bible or attending meetings, then they don't waste their time and effort helping. In fact I haven't been to a meeting since April, and only one elder, the one in charge of my book study, has been the only one visiting me, the others have just washed their hands, because it is this elder's responsibility, not theirs.
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Anitar
Wow, Cindi that is an awful situation. They don't even bother with you if you're not studying with them?
I'm very sorry to hear that, but I must say I'm not surprised. The rank and file are only numbers in their eyes, that's why they coined the term "rank and file." If it were up to them, they'd fix everyone with a barcode on their neck so they could scan you as you walk through the door.
Anyway, I wish you a great big welcome to the board and I hope to see more of you soon!
Good luck to you and your husband!
Anitar
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mcsemike
Anitar: First, once again, my compliments on a good thread. And also thanks for your kind words to me. Yes, cognitive dissonance is involved. I'm also a musician and composer. Holding all of the WT's beliefs in your head is like playing a C Major chord (C, E, G) while playing an F# chord at the same time (F#, A#, C#). If anyone tries this, you will see how badly it sounds. But it reminds me of the WT's flip-flops. Yet they claim a "spiritual paradise", which if true, would be arpeggios up and down a harp in the key of C major only. The WT's teachings sound more like a blind person with no ear for music banging away playing 8 notes every second and we have to listen to them. I've actually gotten headaches when attempting to perform on a concert grand piano that was out of tune. The WT is WAY out of tune. You can't find one melody in any of their teachings. Yet, in this analogy, they claim to know more about music than Rubenstein or Liszt (although none of them play the piano), scream at us for claiming they are hitting "clunkers" when they play (publish conflicting articles) and then want to DF those who are concert pianists simply because the true musicians will not approve of the WT's music or admit that they are the best pianists in the world. The facts speak for themselves.
As I stated in earlier posts, I learned my lesson. It's a long story and I won't go into it now. But when I married at 27 years old, I wanted to finish the one last year of college. My wife was an RN. I wanted to get my degree and let her stay home and have 3 or 4 kids. Then I'd have been a school principal or college professor by now, living in a large home, having a large loving family, and my wife wouldn't have had to work. As it turned out, we had one daughter when I was 35, both of us still had to work full-time, and now we are getting divorced. WT, WHERE THE HELL IS ARMAGEDDON??? I'd sue those bastards if I could, but they cleverly hide behind freedom of religion and say it was MY choice not to finish college. Yet if I had, the PO said I'd never be used in the congregation. When they were grooming me for elder and then CO, my wife had no problems and loved all the sisters envying her the "glamorous" position she had. Now she hates my guts for her having to work full time and says I was lazy. That's a joke. I was a book study conductor while a ministerial servant, asst. WT conductor, account servant, literature servant, kept the field service records, had a part on every service meeting, was the main reader, was the chairman at the Memorials, had a part on every school meeting and whenever the elders left town for a meeting, I was put in charge. Now what was I supposed to do, say "no thanks, slave drivers. I have college courses to attend? And I have piano lessons and practice (4 hours daily) to do?" What would have happened to me then? My wife conveniently forgets that part.
I honestly don't know where they find the logic they use. I never saw more blatant lying and total lack of brains in my life. I feel like an idiot that I ever joined them. But I know now why. After getting my degree, I learned about my emotion and psychological needs and the WT and JW's filled them. You get and instant family when you go to the meetings. I came from a dysfunctional family, so I was an easy target.
I hope all the lurkers will consider the WT's record about child abuse and scrutinize your own reasons for belonging. DON'T tell us that it's the truth. You will be cut to shreds. DON'T call us names like "apostate" or "fighters against God". You wouldn't know God if you drove over him with your car. Use your brains and stop slinging names at us. You just might learn something.
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Anitar
Thank you for sharing. I think I have gotten to know you more than anyone else on JWD, and if anyone deserves happiness, it's you.
Once again, my heart goes out to you and I hope one day you can peice together what's left of your family. I also hope you're doing ok, sometimes we can focus too much on the bad things that have happened to us, I learned that the hard way.
It's strange really. I learned everything too late to help my mom, she will most likely be with them the rest of her life. From her point of view, where would she go anyways? She's 60, in a wheelchair, and very dependent on others to help. When I move out, she will be all alone. But at least I wasn't too late to help myself.
To be totally honest, I should thank the Watchtower in-directly because before all this happened, I was very confused about what to do with my life. Should I stay in school? When should I move out of my parent's? Am I in the wrong religion? But seeing the ugly truth about the Jehovah Witnesses really put the world into perspective for me. I used to think my problems were unique and embarrasing, but now I see I'm not so abnormal as I once believed. I used to so naive and take so many things for granted. I kept thinking "this is America, there are no cults here. People by their very nature resist the urge to be dominated by someone else or be brainwashed by an organization." Well, I was wrong. I have since realized that the world is not black and white with good on one side and evil on the other, both clearly defined and easy to detect. But now I see that sometimes evil drives a minivan, wears nice clothes and greets you with a warm smile as it knocks on your door.
I also count my blessings, which I preciously took for granted. I can think for myself, nobody controls me. I don't belong to a cult. I have a personal relationship with Jesus and God and I can openly disagree with my religion right in front of my priest. I'm also getting an education, which the state graciously pays for. I've got friends, a beautiful family (except for my parents), and a musical career that's blosseming and still growing. I am truly blessed, and I thank God for his blessings every single chance I get.
Don't feel bad if you mean nothing to the Watchtower, because you mean something to me.
Anitar