by Band on the Run 7 Replies latest jw friends
I just was listening to the PBS NewsHour. An economist was explaining the latest data surrounding job loss. He described semi-skilled jobs as the hardest hit. These jobs non-managerial office and other categories afforded a middle class lifetstyle for high school graduates. He said these jobs have been almost eliminted.
Not newsbreaking but a continuing reminder of the human toil of being involved in a cult.
Figures. My first post... And I'd manage a fail on my first attempt. :-) for some reason my iPad wouldn't bring up the keyboard, and instead of cancel, I fat-fingered and hit submit...
Anyway... Hello everyone. I figured this would be as good a time as any to stop lurking and actually say hi... This topic is near and dear to my heart because it started the big exit for me and my family. I don't want to give to many identifying details because it was a huge scandal in our area, but suffice it to say that our experience bore out the fact that higher education is NOT a family decision, and the FADS would rather axe an entire family for independent thinking... A years-loyal family with high ranking members... Than let the father who encouraged his kids (who pioneered their way through and never were looked at so much as cross-eyed by a judicial committee) get away with his independent thinking... Lest others see how it turned out for his kids (able to continue pioneering,move out and support themselves and buy a house, etc.) and follow their example.
Anyway... The good news is that we are all out... I started... Couldn't see that done to my father who had done nothing but serve the org and the fads his whole life... My husband started seeing major doctrinal issues ... My mom had been the faithful wife but had had issues with their ego-centrism and lack of love for years... My dad .... Well, he was the one who took the most time and patience. But we're all faded. Hubby's parents understand our position. His bro and sis have shunned us. But all things considered, we are a thousand times better off than most people here. I just wanted you all to know how much your words have been thought-provoking and helpful over the past two years as we have made our transition...
GSD: Welcome! and I love your avatar. Education issue was the begining of the end for us. Dad (served many years) gets hauled in to get a raking from District Uberseer and Circuit Uberseer, tattle-tales so called stumbled (not a worrd to anyone, quiet attendance at University by daughter) ones ratchet the issue to stratospheric proportions. Simply asked where in the bible does it distinctly (if it is bad, wouldn't God tell us?) state such? got the ol "dernt menshin der guns and hinternet in de bibel" Enough was enough - all family out in a year.
I and the others here will look forward to your future posts. We too were shunned by family (sad but happy) but we find that many here have a good handle on things and when things get tough I have found that there is a veritiable wellspring of support and encouragemment when you hit the submit button - contrary to what we were previously told.
BAND ON THE RUN: The religion's stand against college & careers was my Number One issue. I am a single woman who has to look out for myself. I had no intention of quitting my job to pursue poverty so these hypocrites would approve of me. I was beyond resentful of affluent retirees and widows who imagined I should be some little poor, pathetic doormat who lived out of a suitcase and did housecleaning. The poverty being pushed was not for these hypocrites with their lovely homes. I also looked around me and saw that no intelligent person followed this advice. Maybe an eccentric here and there but these persons had some factor in their favor like maybe they lived in their parents' home. The religion simply does not care if the average JW starves to death following their ridiculous advice for which they take NO accountability for. Believe at your own risk!
No, they don't care... Unless of course you stop making your monthly contribution to the WWW.
I love how jw's are supposed to abstain from all career advancement and from education in general, being content with the necessities of life only, but in the same breath, we are told to give generously to "gods organization". For those jw's who have obeyed fully... The question is - give WHAT!?
I'm seeing a "back to school" coca puffs special in the background ad. The juxtaposition of this conversation with cereal is comical.
Do they have the same stance against community colleges which teach useful skills as opposed to a 4-year liberal arts degree.
Give WHAT? Indeed.
No matter what, the Washtowel doesn't want people to succeed. You go to college, they bash that. You start your own business, "it takes too much time from field circus". You get into show biz, "you are not supposed to glorify yourself". All anyone is supposed to do is pio-sneer, getting up for field circus early in the morning and going to that damn boasting session or Family Waste the Evening Night (or letter writing, if there is neither that day).
Either way, the results are not good. The education, even if one cannot get a money profit from it, does help broaden one's perspective. Take that away, and you are left with a narrower perspective. Ultimately, the only material you are to read is the littera-trash and the rags. You get an idea of where countries are and how the witlesses are doing in those countries, but not the cultures or economic conditions of those countries. You get bogus explanations of what science is trying to do--that radio-carbon dating is off by orders of magnitude, that water can displace heavier rock mass, and that the earth was made in 50,000 years and will last forever instead of a few billion more years. Your math will also be impaired--the double donation scam is a classic example.
And yes, all this does lead people to die destitute. When you cannot go to college, become an apprentice, start your own business, or get into show biz, you are assured to be unable to earn much money. Washing dishes, waiting on tables, checking out groceries at Walmart, and washing windows and cleaning toilets is not going to earn one a decent living. And it's not going to get people out and about--at least, if you are selling product online, you are probably going to be demonstrating such products when you go on vacation and you are going to have to keep up to date with the latest product (presuming you are doing it yourself instead of relying on a MLM).
