Why does the WTS insist everyone sign up for the Ministerial School ?

by RULES & REGULATIONS 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  RULES & REGULATIONS

  I never enjoyed giving # 2 talks. I never enjoyed being at a podium and speaking. I took Drama in High School just to get over the fear of being in front of people and speaking. There were times I missed school because I had to get in front of the class and do a presentation. I will never get over the fear of public speaking.

  Why does the WTS insist that every member sign up for the school? There were members in my congregation that couldn't read after so many years of giving talks. Why didn't they just take them off the school? It was so painful listening to some members who couldn't read. And,I'm sure they didn't like being up there.

  And how come some Elder's wives would not sign up for the school but the Elder's insisted on others to sign up?
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  found-my-way

  I totally know what you are talking about R&R,

  I too have had a public speaking fear since I was 11. I about passed out in gr5 giving a speech...my glasses fogged up so bad from being hot that I couldnt even read my paper...

  I would give talks with my knees shaking and palms sweaty and voice quavering....but i managed to look confident the more talks i gave...thankfully I was JUST a sister, so we had a bit more leeway than a brother does...

  I think the reason they require everyone is it helps indoctrinate everyone with the cult propaganda...it's all about gettting the drones to perfect the borg's sales pitch....quite brilliant dont you think?
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  greendawn

  It's simply because they are a commercial enterprise and this is the marketing training for those promoting their products, in this case they are unpaid employees who give their time for working and training for free. The training is in fact commercial though it is passed off as being religious.
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  OnTheWayOut

  As a former school overseer and as a former company man, the elders were trained to get
  everyone to do as much as possible. Apparently, that's a cult thing- keep everybody so
  busy that they don't take time to think anything is wrong with the information. Saying something
  from the platform makes you reinforce it in your mind. It must be true.

  We were told to "encourage" everyone to join the school so that they could make progress
  with their poor speaking or reading ability. But it is a volunteer thing, not a requirement. Certainly,
  they would pressure brothers to be on the school, or else they would be "spiritually weak" and
  unable to carry a microphone or be an attendant (whoopie).

  The big change of the Ministry School in 2003 to the new Theocratic School Textbook and
  less grading with more encouragement came because there were many who didn't like the school
  and hated getting those W's (The elder tells you to work on the same point some more.) Now,
  the school is all positive critique from the platform. They thought the new changes would liven
  up the meeting, too, but it's really the same-old garbage.
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  karnage

  I remember when I was a teen and my family and I moved to a new area and started attending a new congregation, I can remember the elders closing in like sharks to blood in the water. They would start out with their initial salutations and then they always ask... so when are you guys going to sign up for the Theocratic Ministry School? As soon as you sign up, you were on the list in less than a month.
  
  I never understood why anyone HAD to sign up for the Theocratic Ministry School. It's not like there is a written law somewhere that says once you reach a certain age in the congregation that you have to join up. Kinda reminds me of registering for the draft when I was 18.
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  Marcel

  i always had the feeling if you arent in the school you're almost disassociated. and i looked DOWN on brothers who werent in the school (and werent elders and or elderly).
  
  i always laugh inside when brother "cant-read" tries to do it better the 18652th time. just before sister "cant-speak-and-act" sets foot on stage. lol. being a JW is a great opportunity for COMPLETE FREAKS to speak in front of 70 ppl and hear it clapping right after it (at least on their first appeareance).
  
  omg, i just realized that i looked down on anyone who wasnt in the school AND on anyone who is in the school but just was unable to do it properly. im sorry ;/
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  John Doe

  I don't have a problem with the idea. I think everyone needs as much public speaking practice as possible.
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  OnTheWayOut

  Since the sales force for the WT literature works for free anyway,
  why not have a weekly sales meeting to boost sales.

  The coworker that I see occasionally whose wife is a new JW, but he's
  going to the meetings to keep pressure off of him, and helping her with
  the two children- anyway the son is about 8 years old and they are
  pressuring her to have him join the school.

  He (coworker) has been firm that the son needs to get his grades up at school, without
  the added pressure of these talks. He (coworker) has been successful, but the
  the elders tell her that he (son) will be a better reader, do better in school- if
  he joins the theocratic school. What a messed up joke. She's falling
  for it, kind of, so he (coworker) fights harder. He even kept the son home on some
  weeknights to miss the meeting and work with him on his homework.
  She was afraid to argue.
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  Amnesty Vendor

  On a positive note!:
  
  Since leaving the WTS and associating with the business world,
  I have found that public speaking expertise is in high demand.
  
  The confidence and basic topic delivery skills learned in the TMS,
  can lead to successful opportunities in professional circles.
  
  This is one way to turn a bad experience into something positive.
  
  Just something to keep in mind!
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  Frequent_Fader_Miles

  Found my way said:

  I think the reason they require everyone is it helps indoctrinate everyone with the cult propaganda...it's all about gettting the drones to perfect the borg's sales pitch

  Amnesty Vendor said:

  The confidence and basic topic delivery skills learned in the TMS,
  can lead to successful opportunities in professional circles.

  I agree with the two sentiments; the former more than the latter. The benefits of acute speaking skills comes as a by product of the indoctrination training.