Green light on higher education since 1995

by Fatfreek 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Fatfreek

  ---If you believe what Oroborus21 (aka -Eduardo Leaton Jr., Esq.) claimed on an earlier thread in a different section. That statement actually was off topic and that thread is so long I didn't have the patience to wade through and challenge him on it.

  The vast majority of Witnesses have other goals and desires in life pursuits, trades and how they will make a living, and since 1995 have the "socially blessed" goal of higher education.

  I thought Mary did a good job on it and he didn't seem to come back, perhaps since it wasn't the main topic.

  Again, is there something about 1995 that makes it a turnaround (new light) year as respects the WT encouraging of higher education? (Except, of course, if you want to be an attorney (like Eduardo) and work pro bono for the WT interests).

  Fats

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/10/126156/1.ashx
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  becca1

  In the nineties there was a softening of the issue of higher education. Publications actually made it a personal and family matter not to be critisized by others. However, the pendulum has since swung the other way and we are pretty much where we were in the sixties and seventies: higher education is evil and anyone persuing it is not spiritual.
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  SirNose586

  The Timothy drama was a swing back in the old viewpoint. Timothy's friend went after "a good education and a well-paying trade" and was nearly corrupted by a "weak brother." Timothy, on the other hand, kept to his ministry and was blessed a million-fold.

  The brain drain continues. I say, let them preach this swing back to the old ways from the rooftops! Poor elder recruits can only hasten the fall of the S. S. Society.
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  Mary

  The vast majority of Witnesses have other goals and desires in life pursuits, trades and how they will make a living, and since 1995 have the "socially blessed" goal of higher education. I thought Mary did a good job on it and he didn't seem to come back, perhaps since it wasn't the main topic.

  Or perhaps because he knew he was wrong but didn't want to admit it. Eduardo likes to come across as though he's just soooo much smarter than everyone else on here but in reality he's not. In true lawyer/Dub fashion, he argues endlessly about words and phrases and attempts to twist them, to make it appear that they're saying something they're not. This shouldn't surprise us as on his website, he claims a "deep love for the Organization" and apparently sees himself as some sort of backstreet hero by trying to defend some of their insane rulings. If Eduardo had been "keeping up with Jehovah's Organization", he would know that they once again, slammed higher education less than 9 months ago. Even when this was brought to his attention, he simply ignored it.
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  Doubting Bro

  And there is a recent letter to the BOEs dated 12/6/6 which instructs elders to

  "set the proper example when it comes to education. No doubt you also want to help young ones and their parents to appreciate the "excelling value" of divine education and not to be swayed by worldly pressure to pursue higher education. University education is designed to promote a life engrossed in advancing self-interest in the present system, not Kingdom interests. (Matt 6:33, Phil 3:8). Through articles in our publications such as the one in the October 1, 2005, Watchtower entitled "Parents - What Future Do You Want for Your Children?" help parents to encourage their children to pursue theocratic goals and the full-time ministry. By doing so, young ones will enrich their lives now and build their future with Jehovah's organization."

  What I get out of this is the same message that was delivered at the last KM school. Telling elders to set the proper example is code for we may remove you if you or your children are pursuing higher education since you're not setting a good example for the rest of the flock and have no freeness of speech on the subject. Also, its clear that elders are to try to talk parents and kids out of going to college (again not new, there was an demontration at the last KM school which showed how you could do this). There was a green light given in the early to mid 90s but it is a big RED one now.
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  Fatfreek

  becca1: In the nineties there was a softening of the issue of higher education. Publications actually made it a personal and family matter not to be critisized by others.

  Aahhh! Looks like another one of their flip-flop-flip teachings, the "light gets brighter" alibis.

  Can someone point me to a WT, Awake, or such -- which reveals such mid 90's inspiration on their part? I have the 2005 WT library, gave it the string of "higher education" but came up blank around 1995.

  Fats
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  Finally-Free

  Green light on higher education since 1995

  I think it depends on who you are, who you're related to, and how well you suck ass. In September 2002 I was deleted from being account servant and sound man, and had all other "privileges" removed. My grievous offense was that I enrolled in an four day Cisco firewall course that took up four consecutive Saturdays. At least, that was the official reason they gave me. If there was something else, they certainly didn't have the balls to say it to my face, which would not surprise me in the least.

  W
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  willyloman

  is there something about 1995 that makes it a turnaround (new light) year as respects the WT encouraging of higher education?

  Actually, the source of this "new light" was a 1992 Watchtower study article. Sorry I cannot give you chapter and verse; I seem to have "lost" my bound volumes.

  I was conducting the WT then recognized the article as a major paradigm shift, and was a little surprised that the "friends" didn't make more of this in their comments. I thought it was so significant that I attended the afternoon meeting's WT Study, just to see how the other congo in our Hall reacted.

  The article essentially said more than a basic high school education "may be required" in certain Western industrialized countries nowadays, and that no parent should be criticized if they encourage their "youths" to get some advanced training or higher education. Of course, the caviat was that the goal be to "further theocratic interests," in other words, only get educated so you can support your pioneering and other serious theocratic pursuits.

  The vast majority of dubs who subsequently went to college widely ignored the advance-kingdom-interests portion of the equation and that led to the hard-liners tightening up over the next decade. That, and the fact that a lot of dubs went to college and failed to come back to the KH or, if they did come back, were more difficult to manage/manipulate. For example, see the post above referencing a recent letter to elders about higher ed.
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  Fatfreek

  Thanks Willyloman, I may have found your 1992 reference. It is, however, a very guarded permission granted. They wrapped it with many stipulations as you indicated in your post of excellent recall. Fats.

  *** w92 11/1 p. 20 pars. 17-18 Education With a Purpose ***
  
  17 If Christian parents responsibly decide to provide their children with further education after high school, that is their prerogative. The period of these studies would vary according to the type of trade or occupation selected. For financial reasons and in order to enable their children to get into the full-time service as quickly as possible, many Christian parents have chosen for them short-term study programs in vocational or technical schools. In some cases youths have needed to be apprenticed to some trade but always with a full life of service to Jehovah as the goal.
  
  18 If additional courses are taken, certainly the motive should not be to shine scholastically or to carve out a prestigious worldly career. Courses should be chosen with care. This magazine has placed emphasis on the dangers of higher learning, and justifiably so, for much higher education opposes the "healthful teaching" of the Bible. (Titus 2:1; 1 Timothy 6:20, 21) Further, since the 1960’s, many schools of advanced learning have become hotbeds of lawlessness and immorality. "The faithful and discreet slave" has strongly discouraged entering that kind of environment. (Matthew 24:12, 45) It must be admitted, however, that nowadays youngsters meet up with these same dangers in high schools and technical colleges and even in the workplace.--1 John 5:19.
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  NewYork44M

  You can not equate the new light on higher education during the 1990s as a green light. A yellow light at best. The R&F were alwys told to proceed with caution. Higher education was only acceptable if it fit with the spiritual goal of pioneering. That was the story line for public consumption.

  However, at circuit assemblies and CO talks a different story is told. The r&f are told repeatedly of the dangers of higher education. Higher education is openly condemned.