A friend of mine had this reaction to a Witness who told him that college was a waste of time: "If that is true, why do you have a degree in electrical engineering?" The man never brought up the subject again.
For that matter, when I made up my mind to return to college and get a degree, two elders called on me to ask why. One of them had a doctorate in geology. I couldn't understand why he was talking to me at all. To his credit, he didn't attack my decision. Instead he listened carefully to what I had to say and then concluded that I had given him much to think about.
When I finally graduated six years later, a few Witnesses attended the exercises. They were particularly proud of the fact that I was selected as one of the speakers at the recognition ceremony. The talk I gave was very well received by the two hundred or so in attendance, some forty of whom were friends and family. This is not to say that everyone in the congregation approved my choice. But when people understood that I was not going to let their opinions stop me from going back to college, they accepted it.
I first went to college during the 1970s and dropped out due to a combination of burnout and anticipation that Armageddon was very close. I returned nearly twenty years later with the determination that nobody would dissuade me from getting my degree. I have never regretted that decision. My education did not open up fantastic career opportunities for me as it has for others, but it has given me a sense of accomplishment and pride in what I have learned. I wouldn't have it any other way.
It angers me that the WTS has never ceased its war against higher education even as it has benefited from the knowledge and skills of those who went to college. The only time a college education is spoken of favorably is when the Society is in great need of college-trained experts. Even then, it actively discourages others from seeking that knowledge if they don't already have it. But such is the mindset of most Witnesses that they don't recognize the inherent contradiction and inconsistency of the organization's position.
Quendi