What,s the biggest headache for the Gov. Body, College or Apostate???

PublishingCult

I'd say college.

The average JW kid is going to be approached with college sooner and more frequently than by an apostate.

This is why the WTBTS has to paint college as a boogie man nearly as dangerous as the apostate.

Why would college be bad for the GB? I personally know 3 JWs in their 20s with degrees, one is a ministerial servant and the other two(sisters) are regular pioneers. I went to college before I started studying. I don't see a connection between going to college and whether or not someone is loyal to the GB.

PublishingCult

I don't see a connection between going to college and whether or not someone is loyal to the GB.

It would seem, though not in every case, obviously, that having a higher education means that one learns critical thinking skills. One learns to ask questions, one learns things contrary to what the WT teaches, and with such knowledge comes a likely departure from the org, resulting in one less publication peddler among the rank and file. College is dangerous in this sense.

jam

A week ago I posted the topic, what,s the problem with my ex-wife.

The pressure on my son from her and other family members to come

back.

His response;

One of the most important things I am learning in college is to keep

an open mind. Keeping an open mind requires one to sometimes take a step

out of your comfort zone and see things from others perspective.

Once you see something thru someone else's eyes, it may change

your mind, or it might not. But the important thing is to always

look at the whole picture. With that being said, recently, history

class has sparked my interest in religion. We have been studying

the origins of Christianty, Judaism and Islam.. They all have many

similarities and difference. Each religion believed in one God no

matter what they call him. The main difference seems to be that

Christianity follow Jesus, Muslims follow Muhammad and the Jews

I believe follow Abraham. Which brings another question, "If God

really cared what religion people followed, shouldn't it be clear

which religion he wants us to follow?"

Of course every religion believes theirs is right, but each religion

pretty much shares the basic rules to be a decent human beings.

The most important one being "The Golden Rule".

Lately we have been discussing the JW,s religion..I have been

asking you A lot of question about how it got started because

I wanted to see how the JW organization branched off from

Christianty. With the dvd and literature you sent me, and a

little research of my own, I have found my answer..Having

grown up as a JW, I know how strongly you feel about it,

as I used to feel the same way. Being on the outside looking

in, changed my view of the organization dramatically. Some

things I like about it but they are far outweighed by the

things I don,t like and don,t agree on. I won,t go into

further detail because I don,t want you to think of me as

an "Apostate". I have faith in God but not in the JW

organization. I have heard of A lot of people who don,t

believe but will go thru the motions to keep their family

members happy, but I just can,t. It wouldn't be fair to

me and I can't live a lie.

I have found that the world is not as scary as I once

thought, especially if you surround yourself with good

friends and have Family who will Always be there for you

know matter what.. It,s pretty sad to me that the Bible

was written to bring harmony and peace. Yet religions

have broken up more families and started more wars

than anything else on the planet. I hope you're not

offended by my words and realize that I am not attacking

you or God. I don,t know how this letter will effect you,

but I hope you know that I love you and I am happy.

Love, your son.

jam

Philadelphia; I have to agree with Publishing. Critical thinking

skills kick in. In both my sons case, for years I have been

talking to them about the cult the JW,s.. With both sons

it was college that broke the JW hold. One son within two

years and the youngest one year.

Philadelphia Ponos

@Jam

I'm sure if your sons didn't have a parent pressuring them for years to leave the organization, going to college would of had absolutely no affect.

mindseye

College seems a mixed bag when it comes to de-conversion. With ones that I grew up with (went to college in early 00s), college was the final step in leaving the religion. We were a group taking classes in the arts & humanities, being exposed to all kinds of 'worldly' thinkers like Nietzsche. One fading JW I knew wrote a scathing DA letter to the governing body. Being unbaptized, I just made the final choice to leave the religion for good. We were all fading before college, it's just the ideas and intellectual framework of college gave us the 'freedom' to make that final step. Good times!

Now there's younger JWs in Generation Y going to college. It's generally more accepted, because of the practicality of needing a degree for most jobs. It could just be the group that I know, but I find a lot of these kids end up staying in the religion. I know some studying to be doctors, and I can't imagine learning Biology in depth and still believing the nonsense the org teaches about evolution. There must be a lot of compartmentalizing going on.

In the end I think leaving the religion comes down to temperament more than anything. Those with an independent streak, with intellectual inclinations, tend to use college as a springboard to leave the JWs. Others with more conformist, conservative personalities stay. To them college is little more than vocational training.

But if anything is a headache for the governing body right now, it's the internet (and by default, 'apostates'). Thanks to the internet, they cannot manage the flow of information anymore. And this information is available to anyone who googles 'Jehovah Witnesses'.

steve2

In many industrialzed, developed countries, the Watchtower's biggest headache is appathy not apostasy.

yknot

oh good one Steve2!!!! (((apathy)))

I must say the version of college that the WTS often portrays is antiquated.

Yes we would lose loads of Brothers if they went to college, lived in a dorm and engaged in social development.......BUT majority don't! Most JW males live at home with parents, a few with each other and subject to snitching and parents dropping in without notice to keep moral adherence front and center, most take online courses devoid of social influence, most attend classes toward their specific degree and leave campus after classes are finished for the day....... most may wane in theocratic endeavors (a few less school assignments, reaching out temporarily put on the back burner)........but they still attend, they still seek the encouragement from their congregations fraternal structure.....

As for JW sisters.....puhlease, our indoctrination is well set by then, we attend (online or in person), we leave, we keep from Satan's snare of influence via bad association.......

Very few of 'us' would ever fall 'prey' to evolution or immorality in the above college attendance setting....... hell I dare say that it is coed FS that is often the instigator of 'immorality'.......

So I guess that makes college just an easy 'loyalty' button pushed when the GB needs some stronger adherence...

As for apostasy........well that is a horse of a different color......today's apostate aint limited to the sign holding scary person outside of an assembly, today's apostates are educated and easily versed in all things WTS! They have a multitude of options at hand! They can be the person at the door, the guy at work who show potential interest, the FS buddy, the Elder sitting next to you, the Conductor, the CO, the sister you turn to for some validation.........we are legion and growing.

What,s the biggest headache for the Gov. Body, College or Apostate???

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