by truthseeker 15 Replies latest jw friends
It's been about a year since the WT condemned all forms of higher education.
In my hall, two elder's have allowed their sons to go to college.
Others are continuing their studies, despite what Brooklyn says.
How have the youth in your hall responded?
I don't go anymore, but my sis, who is a fanatical JW elder's wife, is. Her daughter is planning on going back to college soon. I sincerely think many long-time confident JWs are letting that admonition about education go in one ear and out the other. They just don't make a big issue about it and overly discuss it amongst themselves. It will be kind of like, "Oh, when did Jessica get a degree? I didn't even know she was going to college?"
I'm going to college, a guy in his late 20s went to college, and works as an accountant, the 15/16 year olds say they're going to college, etc. Up yours, GB.
It must be where I grew up, because everyone in my KH and surrounding areas were basically not to go to any form of collage. I went to a Tech collage, and my parents got a speaking to from the elders. Needless to say I was told to stop going by my parents. I was about 15 at the time. And good little JW I was,I did it. Worst thing I ever did. Oh well, time to go back to school I guess.....
Paks
From my perspective the areas where education is a strong cultural component (usually upper-middle class areas) are still sending their kids to college - or at least allowing them to, so they don't have any culpability. These kids then auxillary pioneer on breaks in order to do two things: give more token service to make up for their disobedience, and to stay within the popular crowd at the hall. In areas where education isn't a big deal, it's the same as always: shunned not just because the WTS says it's bad, but because its seen as a means of class mobility. That is, if you're going to school, you must not want to be "one of us."
Daniel-p
You may have touched on something here. In lower class or lower income areas, if you go to college, the congregation looks at you as if you're trying to come UP in the world. But in upper income areas, it's the norm to go and it's not looked at as trying to climb up the worldly ladder, so to speak. It IS a cultural component, as you put it.
I see those that want to going to college around here. As long as it is a conscience matter, the dubs pretty much do as they please.
Daniel-p
You may have touched on something here. In lower class or lower income areas, if you go to college, the congregation looks at you as if you're trying to come UP in the world. But in upper income areas, it's the norm to go and it's not looked at as trying to climb up the worldly ladder, so to speak. It IS a cultural component, as you put it.
After living through this exact scenario, in hindsight I think this plays more of a factor in how the local congregation feels about you than what the Society says about education. Everyone interprets their own advice to inform their course of action anyway - I think the real problem is that those who may have experienced years of hardship and disapointment from their hard work not paying off as they hoped it would, see others who take a different route to achieve financial security as "sellouts." They have invested in only one means to achieve success, and now that they are so far along in life and can't turn back, they resent other taking what they see as the "easy way out." In my old hall, before I transfered to a 4-year university and got my degree, i got a lot of flack for going to college. i was the only one in the congregation to be going at the time. Even though I was a servant, they would give "marking" talks as local needs, warning the younger ones not to look up at me as an example. How do you think I felt, them talking about higher education, when everyone knew I was the only one going to school? It hurt at first, but then I learned to grow a thicker skin. That elder who gave the talk always discouraged college, and yet, he was the most beat-up, tired, and worn construction worker in the hall. He was convinced, either conciously or not, that hard physical work was the only way to secure a future for ones' family. And to not be working and borrow money while you go to class and study was a vastly less noble thing to do. In addition to being something the Society looks down on, for whatever reason. That was just the icing on the cake.
All that is rerun mind controlling junk that they put out 30 years, I guess the old timers GB members cant think of anything new to F- up peoples lives so they have to go back
in to the watchtower vault and see what they can find.
Power laid into the hands of ignorant corrupt men can sure cause allot of trouble cant it.
Good for you for rising above the congregational "politics".
It's a different world and a different generation. The older folks could make a decent living without college, but it's much too difficult in today's culture without a college degree. They don't understand this yet.
The Society's fear that one will develop independent thinking in college is clouding their counsel. That's all they see and they are probably right, but today's youth are smart and savvy and won't be duped like the previous generations were IMO.
