Attending college as an active JW

by CHILD 34 Replies latest jw friends

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  DanTheMan

  I took classes on and off, mostly off during my dub years.

  To those who attended, what did you think of your professors, classmates, etc. who came in all shapes, colors, and sizes, and who you probably intuitively knew had little or no knowledge of JWism? That they were spiritually lost worldlings who were in line for destruction™? That was the kind of shiz that drove me NUTS when I was a JW: on the one hand, having the indoctrination voice in my head telling me that these were the great unwashed who don't know Jerhover and need to get saved OR ELSE, but on the other hand my real-world voice telling me that they all were basically cool for the most part and had their reasons for doing what they did. The real-world voice won, after years of just about going out of my mind trying desperately obey and believe the indoctrination voice.
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  Kudra

  I attended community college as a super faithful dub. Got an AA degree in Early Childhood Ed (even then, I KNEW I was selling out and not using my full potential...). I pioneered off and on during that period.

  Moved out of state to teach preschool and then I realized I needed to go back to school cause I had a need for science and learning that was NOT being met in my current position.

  I went back to community college to get the classes I needed to transfefr to a university. Even when I went to HSU, I started out wanting to get a Botany degree but the JW thinking got to me and I chose the "practical" degree of Forestry over the more cerebral Botany degree...

  I was still a dyed-in-the-wool JW at that time, true believer. What got me to stop going to meetings was having a non-JW boyfriend. I am SO anti-hypocrisy that I decided that I couldn't go to the meetings while doing non-JW activities. While I stopped going to meeting, I got a chance to clear my hear of the JW trappings. It turned out to be the emotional hold that the JWs had on me that kept me in. Once the emotional hold was gone, I was free to examine all their beliefs without the blinders on. I got the courage up to look at "apostate" sites and investigate the WTS's history.

  At that point, a little before I graduated, I decided to go to graduate school- I applied to the University of Arizona (out of many- got accepted to my top three choices, thank you very much) and am getting my Ph.D. right now. I should be done in a year. I am very happy about my choices as I finally got to right the bad choices that I made when I decided to forgo university right out of high school.

  -K
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  no more kool aid

  I went back to school while I was still active. Everyone would say "well if you can still come to all the meetings, study and go out in service, I guess it's OK". I found out I could not do all that and work and care for my family. I had many revelations in school, learned how to think and sort things out. I only attended meetings for about a year and a half after graduation. People at the hall probably think school changed me and they would be right.
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  Mary

  Jim Penton got his PhD while still a Witness. He told me that they gave him quite a bit of grief over it, but afterwards, they had no problem whatsoever in using him and his status to promote the religion.
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  tenyearsafter

  I got a bachelor in business degree while still in...my leaving occurred about 10 years after I got my degree...can't say that it had much to do with my exit.
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  wha happened?

  Most of my wife's family did. They got hell for it. Currently my sister in law is catching hell for her attending college. She's doing ok though
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  Dagney

  In my prior congo, most kids went to college, some to university. However, a few cities over in a hall I grew up in, no way.
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  snowbird

  Dan the Man asked:

  To those who attended, what did you think of your professors, classmates, etc. who came in all shapes, colors, and sizes, and who you probably intuitively knew had little or no knowledge of JWism?

  ________________________________________________________________

  When I was going, all my professors were White. I'd attended an all-Black school, and I was amazed that the professors treated me the same, if not better than, all the other students.

  I have a very good grasp of language arts, and I remember one professor always read my papers to the class. She was very encouraging.

  When I aced a chemistry exam, the professor invited me to join him and others who did well for beer and pizza. Of course, I refused. Stupid!

  Then there were the nice, caring classmates. One who sat next to me in chemistry class, was an Egyptian. He was very nice - even though I could barely understand a word he said. Another helped me out when I couldn't get my emergency brake thingy down.

  As I recall, only one professor mentioned the JW's. He said that his mother-in-law insisted they were communist. Of course, I bristled at this suggestion, but I'm thankful now that I held my tongue!

  Looking back, I can see how I struggled with the concept that these nice, decent, caring "worldly" people were "bad associations."

  I look forward to the day when my daugter gets out of the JW's.

  Sylvia
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  SnakesInTheTower

  I pursured my first associates degree while still an elder. My first class in that degree was ethics and it opened my eyes to a lot of things. That was in 2004. I was finally deleted as an elder (for multiple bogus reasons..mostly for being "unreasonable" {aka, I wouldnt quit college and do what I was told by the BOE..but thats not what they told the CO}) in December 2006. I changed congos and faded until Sept 07 and then quit altogether. Right about the time I took a Psychology class that really opened my eyes to the control factor.

  I should finish with the second associates degrees (AS), as the first one was a career degree not a transfer degree. I want to pursue a BA/BS in a business degree, but have to see what the money, grants, etc look like...

  Dubs dont like you pursuing college, esp 4 year degrees. It really depends on the congo BOE mindset.

  Snakes ()
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  Damocles

  I did most of my undergraduate and all of my graduate work while a dub with family, job and witness responsibilities. Didn't get much of any crap from the other witnesses or elders, but then I don't think many cared whether I stayed or left. Since I was off-campus, there was not much socializing and my being a dub rarely if ever came up. I think I may have stayed in longer just because of school. Took some of the pressure off in my case. Also, I would study school work at the meetings a lot. Used to drive the ex-wife mad.

  Did it influence my decision to leave? Well, sure but then these things rarely have single causes. It might be just as accurate to say that one reason I went back to school was because I had decided to leave without owning up to the decision. School was one of the three best decisions of my life and I couldn't be happier with the results. Not so much because of the financial benefits, although there are plenty of those, but mainly due to learning to think critically.