Frowning on education and its potential effect

by dgp 15 Replies latest jw friends

  • dgp
    dgp

    Here and in other websites (such as JWFacts) I learned that the WT frowns on higher education but is also aware that it needs trained staff. I also learned that at some point they weren't as tight on learning more skills because they found that the rank and file witness had trouble finding a job that would let him do for a more decent living. Well, I wonder what happens in poorer countries, where salaries are much lower, jobs much more scarce, and where an university degree is still a huge advantage but no guarantee of anything. People in those countries are sure used to a much lower standard of living, but giving up an education would be seen as much more of a disaster than in the United States or Europe, because it perpetuates poverty in an environment where you can't move too high up anyways. Does anyone know of the effects there?

    Also, unless I have misunderstood, the WT is now growing in the poorer countries rather than in the richer ones. That means that they will have to bear the cost of sustaining a worldwide organization with the income of poorer countries, not richer ones. Can anyone speculate what the effect would be when most brothers and sisters are poor and don't speak English?

    I am aware that converts might supply college graduates, but I wonder if that will be enough in terms of purchasing power.

    Would anyone care to share some thoughts?

  • serenitynow!
    serenitynow!

    I don't think they care about the effect of lack of education. I think that alot of their empire is built on people with crappy lives. If your life is bleak now, with no way of it becoming better in this world, that carrot of a paradise looks especially good. I also thought religions typically had much success in third world countries because of. I've heard them refered to as "rice Christians". I think that is another way the WTBS keeps people enslaved. Not only don't they want higher learning because of the potential for learning critical thinking, I believe they also don't want people to have too nice a life in "this system" because they wont have that drive to "do more" so they can get to paradise. Therefore, they won't be generating income for the Tower.

    Ask any JW, you get way more interest in this religion in the ghetto. Go to an upper middle class + neighborhood, they couldn't care less about the message. As one brother I worked with out in FS said, "they've already got their paradise."

  • peaches
    peaches

    when you don't have much,,,,any words of hope are an encouragement

  • sherah
    sherah

    As long as the WT is able to acquire land and build KH's, i don't see their coffers getting any smaller. It seems that they rely heavily on their real estate holdings to finance their worldwide work.

    I live in a major US city with many persons from different countries and cultures, the congregations are a reflection of this. Many came to this country degreed and often seek more training and/or an advanced degree. The value they place on education overides anything the WT has said to discourage it. They see it as necessary to survival.

    But as often is the case with many religions, the poor are more susceptible to giving their last dime as a show of thanks to whatever they worship. Poor dubs are no exception and the WT gladly takes handouts uncaring as the the financial standing of the one contributing it.

  • Scully
    Scully

    In the early to mid 90s, the WTS relaxed its objection to higher education, with the proviso that it would assist JWs to provide for their families while improving their ability to do more for the WTS.

    At the time, I jumped at the opportunity, despite objections from other JWs who claimed I was wasting my time, with Armageddon™ being Right Around The Corner™. They yanked Privileges™ away from Mr Scully because (apparently) I was putting ideas into the heads of other JW hausfraus. I was compared to Jezebel, and accused of being a bad influence on the other JW wives. Thankfully, we moved out of the congregation and circuit before I started school, to put an end to the systematic social bullying that was being instigated against us by the local JWs. It really opened my eyes, because rather than being supportive in consideration of New Light™, they insisted that what I was embarking upon showed a lack of faith. I suppose in a way they were right, because one of my retorts was in response to Mr Scully being out of work for a short time and NOT ONE JW did anything to help us, even after we had helped them through their own crises. I told one JW that I was going back to school because if my husband dropped dead, it would be up to me to be financially responsible for our family and I didn't believe that anyone in the congregation would be willing to help us out, thanks to the way they treated us in the past.

    Now, more than a decade after finishing my program, I've got a great job and a good income, and NOT ONE THIN DIME of it goes to the JWs or into the WTS's coffers.

  • Mad Sweeney
    Mad Sweeney

    They haven't made much on literature and donations for over 15 years. It's pocket change for the WTS. The real money is in loan programs and real estate investments. They also certainly have stocks and other types of investments.

  • designs
    designs

    Scully

  • agonus
    agonus

    I think the majority of the highly educated dubs the GB windowcleaners/janitors rely on to actually make their organization function are ones who "came into the truth" after getting their degrees.

  • man in black
    man in black

    good story scully, I appreciate it, and your efforts !

  • thetrueone
    thetrueone

    One obvious fact about the WTS. is that they can exactly reiterate previous teachings and directives from long

    ago and make them appear all fresh and brand new.

    Would you expect them to quote out of their own literature from 50 , 60 years ago regarding

    dissuading people not to get married, have children or pursuing higher education, since the time of the end

    is so near.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit