A Bethel Memory #21 - You can lead an elder to college but you can't make him think

by LivingTheDream 49 Replies latest members private

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  mamalove

  Sounds like that brother had no problem being two faced.

  Would you mind sharing what you do for a living that has allowed you to have success as you describe? What do you think helped you along the way, because many people have degree's but are living average lives.

  BTW, I have talked before about going back to school and I am doing it. www.wgu.edu. It is an accellerated program, you can transfer credits from other college courses, which I was able to do, and hopefully I can get it done and finished earlier than expected, so wooo hooo go mamalove!

  I think it is totally essential to have one just to get interviews. I have over 10 years solid experience in my field, and the company I work for is being moved out of state, so I am looking for a new job, and it is tough to get people to even interview you without a degree. There are tons of jobs out there I am finding and would be interested in, but that dang degree is holding me up. So for those of you who want more, I do agree that it is the way to go. Armageddon isnt coming, and who wants to be 75 years old and washing windows until they keel over and die?
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  Millions

  life is to short

  Your story really made me sad and angry about the impact on real people that the Society has. Not to mention it is another classic example of people exiting Bethel and receiving no help whatsoever from the corporation. But...

  ...Do not despair! No matter what has happened in the past, no matter how old you are, no matter what you are doing for a living, there is always a way to improve yourself. Find out what evening classes are available in your area. Find out what help there is available for the cost of the courses. The worst thing the Watchtower can do is make us believe it is our own fault for abandoning the 'truth', so that we get stuck in a rut and never try to move out of it. People at classes or at college will never, ever treat you like the JWs treated you over your spelling. The people that work in education are not there to feel superior like a bethel overseer, they are there to help others to learn and improve themselves.

  I don't know if this is something you have tried of course, being new here, but if you haven't then you really must do it, or if you have and it didn't work out so well, try again! Your spelling is certainly not as bad as you think anyway, that post was just fine =)

  I cleaned windows for 18 years and often dreamed (or had nightmares) that I would be one of those old brothers still up a ladder at 70 years old. I made a clean break a year ago and jacked in my business, lived on social for a few months while trying to get my head around the past and so on, did some volunteering which really helped me get an idea what I would enjoy, and am managing to make ends meet working at the main library here for a few hours a week. I have a long way to go to reach the kind of financial security mentioned by the OP but crucially I feel confident that it's possible to change things and to strike out for something better. Even the smallest change can make a world of difference. Don't just stay in the lifestyle and habits that the WT landed you with, take advantage of what is on offer and go for it! =)
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  mrquik

  I was there as well. Turned down college & a career I really wanted to pursue. Did alright. Travel & live well . Can even pay the ex (still a JW) her alimony. Remarried a wonderful girl. Just got back from Mexico. (Forgot to bring magazines to place with the locals. Too busy laying on the beach drinking margaritas.) Those just leaving keep on looking ahead, it gets better every day.
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  LivingTheDream

  Broken Promises, Life is too short,

  I was aiming my story for people just like you. If you can, try not to worry about the time you lost or get too worked up about regret; focus on what's ahead. You have LOTS of life ahead of you.

  Millions,

  I can't agree more with your advice for Life is too short. I like your YourTube videos by the way.

  Mamalove,

  Well, I'll try to explain my own story in more detail where I think I can: I took a test in high school in the late 1970's that said I would be REALLY good at computer programming or systems analysis. Remember back then this was before computers were so ubiquitous. I asked my teachers what the heck those careers were and they didn't know. Anyway, I hunted down people who could explain what those careers were about and they helped me get started learning about this kind of work WAY back then before everybody else did it. I did programming, computer hardware building and the such as a hobby before going to Bethel. For example, I wrote early video games that would run on TRS80 machines just for fun and gave then them away to a community of people like me who would appreciate the work. Just about anything related to computers back then I dabbled in if I could. I read everything I could get my hands on about it too.

  During Bethel, I kept up my interest, but of course my time was much more limited to pursue much of anything. When I returned home, I got a degree in Computer Information Systems, again, this was way before this was the "thing" to do. I managed to get a job with that degree working for a large fortune 100 company and then another even bigger fortune 100 company and finally I was hired on as a specialist by one of the biggest most powerful technology companies in the world. During that time I took on a specialty in that very broad field most people just call "the computer field". I won't name this speciality because it will give me away to anybody who might know me.

  Remember being in this field is like being in the field of medicine. There are many ways to go with that. Being a General Practitioner is different from being a plastic surgeon, or chiropractor, or pyschologist, or nurse or pharmaceutical rep. My speciality in that very broad field has given me the chance to stand out among an otherwise crowded field as well as to work for such a highly visible corporation that moves an entire industry. I help that industry move now myself and have become a sort of spokeman for it speaking at large conferences, technical workshops and the such. I chose my speciality based purely on trial and error of doing many different things in this fairly broad field and finding the thing that turned me on the most. Then I put my nose down and decided I was going to be one of the best at it. I'm still working on that by the way as my peers are all so very awesome I must work hard just to keep up with them.

  I realize that I was fortunate in a few ways: 1) my parents supported my desire to go to college. 2) my timing was right to get into this particular field 3) I was blessed with this particular aptitude which was a natural "fit" for me 4) I ignored idiots like Elder Pockface

  I want to add that I didn't post this story to preach about college being the only way. I don't believe that at all. It is what worked for me, but may not for you. Some might want to go into the arts, or a trade school, or license in mechanics, etc. We all have different gifts and the road to your own personal "success" doesn't have to be through college. I just want to say that you shouldn't hold back on pursuing whatever education or skill or trade or business you need to make your life more fullfilling.

  I see my particular career as a journey by the way, so, I am still learning and growing in it.

  Heck, that's part of the fun.

  LivingTheDream
• 

  DagothUr

  You're not the only rich person around here. The only difference is that I have a river in my garden, instead of a lake.
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  life is to short

  Thanks Living the dream

  I really liked where you said

  (I want to add that I didn't post this story to preach about college being the only way. I don't believe that at all. It is what worked for me, but may not for you. Some might want to go into the arts, or a trade school, or license in mechanics, etc. We all have different gifts and the road to your own personal "success" doesn't have to be through college. I just want to say that you shouldn't hold back on pursuing whatever education or skill or trade or business you need to make your life more fullfilling.)

  I totally agree that college is not the only way to have happiness, but it is one of many. The main thing is doing what is best for you and it is not working for nothing at Bethel or peddling Watchtower and Awakes for free.

  All the times I would sit at the meetings and hear the brothers giving their parts saying who has ever had a bad day in Jehovah's service it just does not happen. I remember one brother saying of the bumper stickers that say I would rather be fishing or golfing he said a Jehovah's Witnesses's bumper sticker would say I would rather be out in service.

  I would be sitting there thinking am I the only one who has had the worst days of my life going door to door? I tried to wrap my mind around why I hated field service so much and then it hit me because it is and was a waste of my life.

  I like your point that we all have different gifts. I tried so hard to fit into the WT mold that I need to think of what my gift is I got lost along the way.

  I just love your stories as they make me think. Thank you so much.

  LITS
• 

  WingCommander

  @ LivingTheDream:

  I'm going to take a shot (even though you can't confirm) and guess that you may possibly be working in the specialized field of AI. You can almost narrow it down by what you said.....from fortune 100 company to Fortune 100 company. Internet "anything" is too broad.....info mining too almost.....so I'm going to say some sort of AI.....maybe even military contractor, but if you were you wouldn't be able to do speeches at conferences, etc. Maybe I'm way off base......maybe.

  Good for you!!! I've also encountered Elder's like Bro PockFace who had that "do as I say, not as I do".....I saw right through their BS though.......those that try to keep you down or stupid, are usually the same types that want to also keep you under their thumbs as well. Knowledge is power, power can sometimes to lead to money, and so on. The flock really is in need of a reality check, no doubt about it.

  - Wing Commander
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  Farkel

  You kind of brag a lot. No need to do that. It only makes you feel better. It makes no one else feel better.

  Farkel
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  LivingTheDream

  WingCommander,

  I always thought they wanted to keep us under the thumb too. As one poster said, when he started going to college and started thinking for himself, then he ended up realizing that "The Truth" wasn't so truthful. That's exactly what the Society doesn't want us to do.

  Farkel,

  Sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean to. Unfortunately for me, I didn't see a way around trying to say how I resisted the JW indoctrinization of "no higher education" without telling you that it worked out for me and to what degree it worked. I hoped it would be inspirational, not annoying. So, again, I apologize if that didn't make you feel good. I didn't dawn on me that it might be taken negatively. I'll take what you said to heart and try to be less so in the future. Hell, even my JWN name sounds like bragging, so you may have a point.

  But I have to disagree with your statement that it "makes no one else feel better". In the case of this post for example, I've already read that some posters on this thread are encouraged to begin doing what they need to in order to do better and to stop listening to the negative thoughts that have been placed in their heads by the religion of our youth. THAT was my goal and I do belive that this "bragging" will help those people who take it that way: inspirationally.

  My hope is soon they too will be "bragging" about overcoming all of what they have overcome. And when they do, I'll be smiling.

  LivingTheDream
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  Wasanelder Once

  I agree with Farkel. I was going to ask who sews the "S" on your shirts? Tone down the "I'm the super success" dude it comes across as insincere and boastful. Happy is fine. Glad you're loaded and have the trophy wife with three cars but could really care less about how that measures against the WT. You went from the outhouse of the WT to winning the lottery. Most of us are happy with peace of mind obtained by leaving the outhouse. Our happiness is pretty much in the same ballpark and from the same source. Even the unemployed can have the joy that comes from leaving the Cult. Your situation is like the promise of paradise from the WT to most of us who have grown old and suffer financially or physically due to our wasted years as Jehovah's chosen peepholes.