Theocraptic Misery "School(??)"

by WTWizard 12 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • WTWizard
    WTWizard

    They call it a school. This is where you do not graduate. But is the so-called Theocratic Ministry School really a school?

    Technically, it is a course. The structure is set up to teach people to bring other people into the same program. You learn how to use the Bible to make people believe the Watchtower doctrine, and there are several parts. As I was fading substantially when they were transitioning to the new book and I do not find it worth going back just to see the new structure, I will describe what it was like when I was active.

    There was the Number One talk. Usually this was given by a hounder or assistant hounder. It used to last about 15 minutes, and was from the old All Scripture book. There used to be a short question and answer part after this. I vaguely remember they shortened this and cut the Q & A part. This has minimal audience participation, and you learn nothing.

    The "Bible" highlights followed. This discussed the verses that were assigned, fitting them into the Watchtower doctrine. In my day, it lasted 6 minutes and was given by a hounder or assistant hounder. No audience participation was given, and you learned nothing from it.

    From here, the audience is involved. People are assigned the next three talks in rotating fashion. The #2 talks, as they used to be, was always a Bible reading. Once they had a break in the middle for commentary, but they stopped that. Eventually they just read the passage. I have heard that some weeks, they read a passage from the Puketower magazine in lieu of the Bible. Men (and sometimes boys) are assigned this. The audience learns nothing. The one given these talks works on a point called a counsel point, which is some facet of delivering talks. This resembles a speech course more than a Bible school.

    The next talk is always a sister. They pick a subject, and often the sister picks a setting from a list that the Society presented. It is a discussion based talk with a householder, and the Reasoning(TM) book is often used. Again, those members of the audience that are not involved in the talk learn nothing.

    The final talk is either another discussion by sisters, or a talk out of the Reasoning(TM) book by a brother(TM). As with the other talks, audience members not giving a talk or serving as householders do not learn anything.

    These last 3 talks are tedious. The audience is split into groups, as there are often two "schools(??)". They have the second "school(??)" in the back room (they used to have those downstairs). The setting is either in the main auditorium, or in that back room. They pick the audience for the second "school(??)" by book study. If you are in the designated book study, you go that week. Otherwise, you stay. How boring can that get? For sure, this is crap compared to the classes that I remember school as.

    Nor does anyone learn anything. The people with talks have to work on a point within the course of giving better talks. Those in the audience are supposed to learn things for the written (nowadays, oral) reviews that are held periodically. I could give the stock answers usually, but I didn't believe any of them to be actually correct. As one could have the Bible open during this, I used to take the answers directly from the Bible and not the publication that it was supposed to be taken out of.

    This is no school. It is a course. It reminds me of a "business" opportunity that I investigated and quickly dismissed. You were selling $1500 courses and $7500 seminars that taught people to sell copies of the same course, and you got a commission out of it. As soon as I saw that and could see no useful product that was being sold, I immediately discontinued looking into it. The Watchtower Society is giving the same type of course and calling it a "school". I call it a scam.

  • FadingAway
    FadingAway

    The only positive thing I can say about the TMS is that it can help young ones overcome the fear of public speaking, but that's about it.

    I remember that a lot more time was spent in coming up with an effective introduction and conclusion on the bible reading. Usually you could get a little bit of constructive criticism. Since they eliminated that, the only feedback given from the overseer is "see how well they held their Bible up when reading" and a point on how well they pronunciated words.

    I agree that this is not a school, just a way to go out and pitch the product.

  • R.F.
    R.F.

    "Literature Sales 101" is what I call it.

    I must admit though, the TMS has actually been on of the best things to happen in my life. I used to be extremely shy and got out of that quickly after being forced to join enrolling in the school course.

    It did seem though that they tried to dumb it down a bit to get more enrollment.

    R.F.

  • dinah
    dinah

    Basically it's a sales course. Also it teaches you to overcome objections, sharpen your "reasoning skills," speaking ability and such. It's just training for a bible--err- WT salesman.

  • oompa
    oompa
    WIZ: They call it a school. This is where you do not graduate.

    Sorry Charlie, I got everything but a paper diploma. I have never heard of this before, but I stopped being given any assignments about a year and a half ago. I never asked to quit, and no one has EVER said a word about it. I know I freaked some elders out with my intense research, and then sharring my "discoveries" with them. I think they were so impressed (i.e. scared) that they graduated me!...oompa

    how special am I??...anyone else?

  • the dreamer dreaming
    the dreamer dreaming

    tis possible that those skills taught by the school were the very ones that got the able minded to think their way out of the tower... once they stopped using it soley on others and did as the tower told them to... examine your own religion--- double edged sword and all.

  • cultswatter
    cultswatter

    I like it. that phrase just went into my favourite phrases section

    http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/member/25458.ashx

  • SirNose586
    SirNose586

    The TMS gives you experience in looking up crap on a CD and then writing resultant crap into a 5-10 minute speech where you are congratulated on how well you hold up your Bible. If you're a good reader you'll do fine, but if you struggle, it's not easy to get real help. None of my friends could ever approach the "School" overseer to get real help on public speaking skills. They all came to me.

    I think they call it a "school" so people can feel good for being hounded out of going to college.

    No one takes the little speeches seriously anyhow. No one wrote his talk more than 24 hours in advance; you didn't need to, anyway.

    As far as "graduating" is concerned, you do graduate if you become an MS. No more 2's and 4's.

  • R.F.
    R.F.

    As far as "graduating" is concerned, you do graduate if you become an MS. No more 2's and 4's.

    From what I understand, the MS and Elders will now be giving alot of the # 4's starting next year. More busy work for them.

    R.F.

  • Irreverent
    Irreverent

    Having been a TMS overseer; I experienced lots of "deer in the headlights" looks during the meeting. Wonderful !!

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