Higher Education and Disqualification for Privileges in the Congregation

by 00DAD 65 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  00DAD

  When I was still serving as an elder in the late summer of 2006 in a congregation of JWs in SoCal we received a letter from the "Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses" (READ: the Governing Body) directing that ANYONE pursuing a higher education would be disqualified from privileges of service: Elder, Servant, Pioneer, etc. I remember this quite distinctly because I had just received by BA in Education in June a few months before this. In 2002, I had decided to pursue a degree under the Society's then current "it's a personal decision" policy and was quite shocked at their drastic policy change. I was also angry because (by implication*) I realized that I they were trying to make me (and anyone else that pursued a similar course) feel bad because they changed their mind.

  Also, it was very clear that if that letter had come a few months earlier I would have been forced to make a decision to either quit school or be forced to resign as an elder! Completely ridiculous!!! I felt really bad for anyone that was currently in school and put in this dilemma by these capricious, insensitive louts.

  I did not make a copy of that letter. Has anyone got a copy?

  * The implication in the letter was words to the effect that anyone pursuing higher education had no faith in Jehovah or His organization and was a bad example. You get the idea.
• 

  baltar447

  Yes it ridiculous.
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  Cadellin

  This thread is too long for me to read.
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  Alfred

  Depends on the CO... if he's an oldtimer, he might refrain from giving an elder an assembly talk if he has kids in college... if it's a new CO, he'll probably just look the other way...
• 

  00DAD

  When I was still serving as an elder in the summer of 2006 in a congregation in SoCal we received a letter from the "Christian Congregation of JWs" directing that ANYONE pursuing a higher education would be disqualified from any privileges of service: Elder, MS, Pioneer, etc.

  I remember this distinctly because I had just received a B.A. in Education only a few months before in June of that year. In 2002, I had decided to go back to college and get a degree under the Society's then current "It's a personal decision" policy.

  I was, needless to say, quite shocked at their sudden and drastic policy change that was made without any explanation or justification. I was also angry at the implication made that I (and of course anyone else that had pursued such a course) had shown a lack of faith in Jehovah and his organization by such a choice and that I was therefore a bad example!

  I had already been having major issues with the organization for several years and this was one of the final straws. I was completely outraged by the realization that, had this letter come just a few months earlier, I would have been forced to make a decision to either quit school or resign as an elder, simply because these capricious, insensitive men that claim to be God's Representatives on earth can't make up their mind!

  I did not keep a copy of this letter. Does anyone have a copy? It should have been around early Fall of 2006, but it could possibly have been 2007 because I received my credential then and might be confusing the awarding of my degree with the credential.

  Thanks,

  Daniel
• 

  Violia

  oodad

  I'm seeing blank posts
• 

  00DAD

  When I was still serving as an elder in the summer of 2006 in a congregation in SoCal we received a letter from the "Christian Congregation of JWs" directing that ANYONE pursuing a higher education would be disqualified from any privileges of service: Elder, MS, Pioneer, etc.

  I remember this distinctly because I had just received a B.A. in Education only a few months before in June of that year. In 2002, I had decided to go back to college and get a degree under the Society's then current "It's a personal decision" policy.

  I was, needless to say, quite shocked at their sudden and drastic policy change that was made without any explanation or justification. I was also angry at the implication made that I (and of course anyone else that had pursued such a course) had shown a lack of faith in Jehovah and his organization by such a choice and that I was therefore a bad example!

  I had already been having major issues with the organization for several years and this was one of the final straws. I was completely outraged by the realization that, had this letter come just a few months earlier, I would have been forced to make a decision to either quit school or resign as an elder, simply because these capricious, insensitive men that claim to be God's Representatives on earth can't make up their mind!

  I did not keep a copy of this letter. Does anyone have a copy? It should have been around early Fall of 2006, but it could possibly have been 2007 because I received my credential then and might be confusing the awarding of my degree with the credential.

  Thanks,

  Daniel
• 

  00DAD

  When I was still serving as an elder in the summer of 2006 in a congregation in SoCal we received a letter from the "Christian Congregation of JWs" directing that ANYONE pursuing a higher education would be disqualified from any privileges of service: Elder, MS, Pioneer, etc.

  I remember this distinctly because I had just received a B.A. in Education only a few months before in June of that year. In 2002, I had decided to go back to college and get a degree under the Society's then current "It's a personal decision" policy.

  I was, needless to say, quite shocked at their sudden and drastic policy change that was made without any explanation or justification. I was also angry at the implication made that I (and of course anyone else that had pursued such a course) had shown a lack of faith in Jehovah and his organization by such a choice and that I was therefore a bad example!

  I had already been having major issues with the organization for several years and this was one of the final straws. I was completely outraged by the realization that, had this letter come just a few months earlier, I would have been forced to make a decision to either quit school or resign as an elder, simply because these capricious, insensitive men that claim to be God's Representatives on earth can't make up their mind!

  I did not keep a copy of this letter. Does anyone have a copy? It should have been around early Fall of 2006, but it could possibly have been 2007 because I received my credential then and might be confusing the awarding of my degree with the credential.

  Thanks,

  Daniel
• 

  botchtowersociety

  I was made MS one year after graduating college. So if it was a rule, it wasn very well enforced back then.

  if it's a new CO, he'll probably just look the other way...

  That is what I think happened. Several years prior, he told me "well if you feel you have to go, go."
• 

  sir82

  It's a fairly new rule, within the past 2 or 3 years.

  Elders' MS qualifications are supposed to reviewed only if the elder and/or offspring are "promoting" higher education, or if it is known that they are attending for the purpose of "becoming wealthy" or something like that.

  I.e., when an elder and/or family member attends a university, the attitude and motivation are supposed to be important.

  If the attitude & motivation are not what the WTS deems "appropriate", then the elder/MS is "disqualified".

  As usual, the policy is intentionally written vaguely. Some BOEs will attack with a vengeance, disqualifying anyone whose son/daughter so much as receives a brochure in the mail, while other BOEs will have their own children attending universities willy-nilly with no repercussions at all.

  I am unaware of any case of "reviewing qualificiations" under this policy in the immediate area where I am.

  Then again, where I am, it's a fairly wealthy area. The usual procedure for high school graduates is that they pioneer while living at home, while mommy & daddy subsidize their pioneering with loads of spending money, $25,000 SUVs, etc. The most motivated of them work 15 hours a week at a Starbucks or equivalent.

  As a result the local congregations are filled with 20-something slackers sponging off their parents. Oh, but they are "spiritual" because they are pioneering.