How Well Does the Watchtower Educate?

by The wanderer 37 Replies latest jw friends

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  The wanderer

  How Well Does the Watchtower Educate?

  Admittedly, my opinion about the Watchtower is that it trained
  and educated individuals well—in particular when it came
  to reading and public speaking.

  Education or Propaganda?

  Some individuals view the Watchtower Society as a propaganda corp-
  oration while others credit it with some educational value.

  What is your view about the Watchtower’s educational training?

  Respectfully,

  The Wanderer

  “… all effective propaganda must be limited to a very few points and must harp on these in slogans until the last member of the public understands what you want him to understand by your slogan.” –Adolph Hitler
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  Outaservice

  I think things like The Ministry School helped me in business, and public speaking. It also made good sales persons out of a lot of people (If you can sell Watchtower's, you can sell anything) and PR with people in general is easier.

  Of course, the Society's motive for the training was for their own interests and agenda. But the education can backfire on them as they have trained the so-called 'apostates' and it is not working in their best interests.

  Outaservice
• 

  Dagney

  If you read all the Awake magazines it is equivalent to a college education.

  That's what we were told.

  LOL.

  Seriously, I think in the TMS you could learn how to pull subjects together. Better than a debate class, probably not...but you could learn something. And public speaking. Trouble is, the TMS overseer position is usually a "new boy" job and you don't get the best counselors. I dropped out when they appointed a new overseer that was proficient in ebonics. (Not that there is anything wrong with it.) I could not learn from him.

  I told everybody "I graduated" from the school.
• 

  V

  I vote propaganist.

  A review of any Watchtower or Awake! will reveal simple formula to their propaganda:

  1. A common concern (war, health, suffering)
  2. Random quotes and statements of fact, generally non-confrontational and often lacking reference.
  3. A happy solution (paradise, bible wisdom)

  The articles do not present in-depth study of the problem nor do they try to reference various viewpoints.

  The articles are actually just identifying common problems, and foisting paradise as the fix-all.

  Any serious education of a "problem" would have to consider alternate opinions, politics, and positive attempts to solve.

  The Society just wants problems, so that recruits will buy their solution. That's propaganda, not education.
• 

  jaguarbass

  Admittedly, my opinion about the Watchtower is that it trained
  and educated individuals well—in particular when it came
  to reading and public speaking.

  But it discouraged thinking.
• 

  V

  Definition of "education":

  the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/education)

  Definition of "propaganda":

  The systematic propagation of a doctrine or cause or of information reflecting the views and interests of those advocating such a doctrine or cause. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/propaganda)

  Or as accurately stated by the Society themselves:

  Education shows you how to think. Propaganda tells you what to think. (Awake! 2000 6/22 p. 9 Do Not Be a Victim of Propaganda!)
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  Wanderer, this is a strange question.
  It's like asking if the pimp who found a bunch of
  vulnerable women helped them overcome their
  shyness with the opposite sex.

  Any good that came from WTS meetings
  could have been obtained without joining
  the Chicken Little Cult.
• 

  Spectre

  The whole, "reading the awake is as good as a college education" is such a weak crutch to lean on. After I actually went to college I got to see how rediculous that statement really is.
• 

  Lady Lee

  oh lordy where to start

  Admittedly, my opinion about the Watchtower is that it trained and educated individuals well—in particular when it came to reading and public speaking.

  Sorry I cannot agree with that at all.

  Education is a great deal more than rote memorization of a script. It is far more than a limitation regarding where you get your reading material.

  Some individuals view the Watchtower Society as a propaganda corporation while others credit it with some educational value.

  Mirriam-Webster provides a definition (I've removed a couple of items that are not pertinent to the discussion

  One entry found for propaganda.

  2: the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person
  3: ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause; also: a public action having such an effect

  http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=propaganda

  What strikes me about the 2 definitions is that propaganda is black and white. It is "us vs them thinking". There is no room for exploration of what comes between the black and white.

  A real education allows you the freedom to honestly critique the information you recieve, evaluate its merits and allow you to draw your own conclusions. A real education allows and even encourages questions and thinking in new ways about ideas and the information you recieve

  After I left the WTS I went to college and later university. I took courses in research methods, and public speaking. As part of the curriculum I had to give several class lectures. Believe me there wasn't one thing I learned as a JW that helped me once I went back to school.

  I was in the Ministry School for 22 years. But I learned more in 26 hours of a public speaking course than I did in all those 22 years.

  </form>
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  buffalosrfree

  Education? Are you kidding, of course they educated you, in rote memorization, in turning off your thinking powers, in major ass kissing of the elders (you will note I didn't say the elderly) as seen when the Circuit or District Overseer(s) were in the area or visiting.

  They taught you how not to use your powers of reasoning. How not to use common sense, and how to accept their propaganda as not conjecture by fact and unsupported fact at that.

  They educated you in the marking of those who dare to use an independent idea.

  Education my anal cavity!