No simplified study material for children?

by jabberwock 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  jabberwock

  I thought I would share some highlights from an interesting Questions from Readers (wt 52 6/15) that I recently cam across:

  Why does not the Watchtower Society publish simplified material for parents to use in teaching their children Bible truths?—A question based upon frequent inquiries by readers.

  ...But from this we may not argue that the “faithful and discreet slave” class must publish special books for children. The priests in Israel did not write special scrolls for the children to study...None of the sixty-six books of the Bible were written specially for children. From infancy Timothy was taught by his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice, not from some child’s study book, but from the Holy Scriptures... The typical theocracy in Israel provided no simplified study material for children. Neither was such provision made in the days of Jesus and the apostles. None need be made now. Adapting the material to the child’s mental capacities is the parent’s assignment from God.

  jabberwock
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  iknowall558

  Hmmmm.......interesting find jabberwock It's pointed out that Lois and Eunice taught Timothy only from the Holy Scriptures. No special books or scrolls were used in Israel or by Jesus or his apostles. Were these parents in these Biblical times successful in bringing their children to a knowledge of God and Jesus without additional literature. Of course they would have been. The scriptures are all that was needed. Everything a person needs for life and a relationship with God is contained in the scriptures.

  There is no way on God's earth that they would promote this idea now. Why? Because they don't agree with it. How would they survive without the printing of their many, many special books? You cannot possibly get to know God and Jesus through reading the Bible alone...........CAN YOU? This is frowned upon! This I know for a fact from recently, as one of my friends is currently DF and patiently awaiting re-instatement. He approached the elders to enquire about this, telling them how hard he was working at getting himself spiritually strong by going to all the meetings and reading the Bible. One elder pounced on what he said and told him he shouldn't be reading the Bible on it's own. He needs to read it ALONG WITH THE LITERATURE.

  They obviously see the need for parents to indoctrinate their children from a young age. The children of today are the captives of the WTS society tomorrow. The reading to them from the Bible alone would only bring them freedom from the WT. Parents are taught to encourage their children to have their own song book, study book, magazines, ministry bag, etc, etc, etc.

  God help the children.
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  jabberwock

  The point I was trying to make was that this particular article is strongly indicates that the WTBTS purposely does not publish simplified material for children, yet it has since published several books for that express purpose.

  The first book for children that I could find was Listening to the Great Teacher (1971). Shortly thereafter came the book Youth—Getting the Best out of It (1976), and My Book of Bible Stories (1978).

  I have never read the book Children (1941), but the circumstances of its release suggest that it was written for children. Rutherford announced the books release during a district convention talk where all of the young ones sat up close and around the stage. Each child in attendance was personally given a copy.

  Of course, this is by no means the most significant change of position. I think to call it hypocrisy might be a little strong. Still, the article goes out of its way to authoritatively state that publishing such material is unnecessary and inappropriate according to scriptural precedent. I would think that they could just as easily have said, "It's a good idea, but we're too busy working on stuff for adults. Maybe sometime in the future." I suppose such a response wouldn't work because it would reveal that the president and the other bosses in Brooklyn hadn't thought of everything.

  jabberwock
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  WTWizard

  This is because they hate children. Telling people to stay apart, not to have children, keeping them up way past their bedtimes on school nights, keeping them out of college (and usually with their parents, so they can be forced to stay in the cancer), harboring pedophiles and silencing the victims after making a super whopper of a deal about sex, having graphic violence portrayed as reality after banning fantasy violence, keeping children from listening to real music, banning fun at the Kingdumb Hell (note what happens to children when they run in the place or disturb the boasting session after 2 hours), and making them stay out in field circus for hours at a time, every day (especially wasting whole school vacations)--is this proof that they love children? I don't think so.

  Not to mention that children would do better if they were not given any "guidance" about this God that only wants to create debt, inhibitions, and guilt. About the only "guidance" they need is to learn what is good and bad for themselves and for society. They don't need religion to help them become judgmental and stagnant--school will do that for them in its due season. Why make it even worse by adding religion?
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  vikesgirl101

  WTWizard; That has been something I have noticed as well. Children do not seem to be welcomed in the KH. Maybe that is my own personal opinion, but here is where I have noticed this to be true:

  1. Although there is no provision to make meetings more pertinent to children, they are to be completely silent. I have had elders come up to me and try to take my child so that they are subdued. There is nothing more comforting to a tired two year old than to be abducted by a complete stranger in a suit who never talks to you otherwise.

  2. My old K hall did not have a mother's room. I had nowhere to nurse a child. One elder told me to nurse on the toilet (A chair wouldn't fit in the bathroom). Gross! Who wants to eat lunch on a toilet?

  3. Children have to sit through programs such as "The Godly view of sex and marriage" like an adult. Um...no wonder us kids were so socially illiterate.

  4. Convention time: We were instructed that the children could not have toys such as a doll or a toy car to pacify them. There could not be crayons or coloring books. The children can have a pen and paper, along with their Bible, and take notes for three to four days. Do not let them nap! And don not give them a snack!

  5. Hours of field service entailed very few breaks to let a child rest.

  Who wants to be a future pioneer?
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  iknowall558

  Jabberwock ----- The point I was trying to make was that this particular article is strongly indicates that the WTBTS purposely does not publish simplified material for children, yet it has since published several books for that express purpose.

  I got the point you were making. There have been so many things that they have changed their position on. If it's going to benefit them in some way or give them some lee-way then they'll find a way to change it. (1935 teaching for example, the most recent). And yes, they are hypocritical. Look at the July Awake. Sorry if I veered off a wee bit, but I was pointing out that since 1952 they've seen the benefit for themselves to encourage indoctrination in children. In the article it comes across that they didn't see the need to use extra teaching aids for children, based on the fact that Timothy was taught from the scriptures alone, and there were no special provisions made for the teaching of children in Israel, or in the days of Jesus and the apostles. They obviously don't uphold this view now. There have been several books published specifically for children since then, like you mentioned, and parents are encouraged to use them in teaching the WT 'truth' to their own children.

  WTWizard expressed well how far the indoctrination of children goes within the WT. It saddens and worries me that childrens minds, routines and lives are taken captive at such a young age. If they still went by their views expressed in that 1952 WT article , I'm sure there would be less messed up kids/teenagers/adults in the org. If the Bible was the only reading encouraged, they would definitely have less members and the fall off rate would be much higher than it is just now.

  They see children as future pios., m/s, elders, salespersons, donators of money, etc, etc.......all adding to the strength of the corporation.

  Children are definitely made from the words they hear. The 1952 article encouraged parents to teach their children in their own way. They won't be encouraged to do this now. You need a 'book' to become a proper indoctrinated JW. Uniformity is essential. They hear , what they think are the parents words, but its the WT they hear. WTBTS is a great ventriloquist, throwing its voice into every JW home the world over. A better education of God and a godly way of life can be taught without the WT literature. The 'books'', limit the horizons of childrens' knowledge. They create nothing but an intellectual dungeon.
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  palmtree67

  In Timothy's day, Lois and Eunice did not have to compete with PS3's and Wii.

  But they likely did try to make the scrolls interesting to a child, maybe drawing pictures and telling the stories in a simplified and animated way.
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  palmtree67

  In Timothy's day, Lois and Eunice did not have to compete with PS3's and Wii.

  But they likely did try to make the scrolls interesting to a child, maybe drawing pictures and telling the stories in a simplified and animated way.
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  VoidEater

  Well, you see, Timmy, when a King loves a married woman very much, he gets to send her husband to the front lines of a war so that he can be killed, then his adulterous relationship won't be found out...
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  donny

  Their excuses that the folks in the Biblical days didn't provide anything special for children so that's why we do not do it is pretty stupid. Today we know much more on what techniques are better for children and to not use that knowledge is preposterous. They also did not have special printings for blind or partially blind people. They definitely did not have monthly and yearly publications to dole out new light.

  Why use microphones? Why not just sit in open air temples or listen on a hillside while the brothers speak to the masses like they did then? Why not rely only on the scriptures/letters/scrolls like they did then? And why use automobiles to go out in service?

  What a pitiful excuse.

  Donny