Education is the Key to Everything (page 2)

snowbird

None of the boys in my family finished high school - had to quit school and go to work to help with food and clothing.

All the girls went through high school, some even went on to college.

Education, baby.

Knowledge is power.

NewYork44M

When I was an elder, I never discouraged education.

panhandlegirl

It was clearly a double standard. screw that mess

Why should any woman of color take two steps back because

a group of men tell them to wait on the kingdom

wasblind, I agree with you. It was a double standard in more ways than one. Those in the congregation who had money always did what they wanted. None of us should have to listen to any group of men who want to hold us back and use the Kingdom or Jehovah to try and do this.

crmsicl

When I was a teen I used to watch the typical shows of the era, 77 Sunset Strip, Twilight Zone, Roaring 20's, and others. At the end of the shows I always watched the credits, there were only men's names except for hair dressers. I could do hair, no problem, I just didn't want to. BTW I'm 62. I figured my life, as far as making any kind of mark was concerned was nil. I also did not have a family environment that nurtured any kind of success. I was provided with a roof and food but I was not nurtured to reach for anything. I really can't think of any nudge or encouragement from my parents to strive for anything. There was a measure of love even though alcoholism and mental problems were part of my parents cumulative problems. Thank god I was not physically abused, I certainly could have been a candidate for worse than what I put up with. I guess what I mean to say is if only I had an education I could have been a contender.

If nothing else, just tell your kids how fantastic they are. They will believe it and run with it.

OnTheWayOut

Panhandle Girl, even though I disagree with the Bible, I am educated better to be familiar with what it says and how it is misused and used.

A "good" (and accurate) education, yes, Jer. But who determines what's "good"?

A parent needs to do their best to encourage independent thinking so that the individual determines for themself what is "good."

That often doesn't happen. Many are misled. Even for those with a rough start or on the wrong path, further exposure to information will contribute to a self-education that might correct their path.

If the individual decides to learn something about basket weaving instead of sociology, that's great for them. We need basket weavers that love what they do. Educated fools still typically have more choices in life and are aware of more things than uneducated fools.

BizzyBee, great summary. I don't want to add to it for that might take away from your statement.

Disillusioned LL, I hope you figure it out. Enjoy whatever your path.

NY44M, thanks for passing your advice.

jam, it happens. I guess I view misleading education as miseducation. Even many of those that study the doctrine deeply will find the problems in it if they keep self-educating.

Heaven, awesome. I still think that nobody is too old to learn "the truth about The Truth." If only they would.

Quendi, you add a good thought for those that are concerned about misleading education. Anyone can overcome it if they never stop learning.

wasblind, the hard work of others to benefit their families should never be forgotten. Nor should it be abused by some frigging cult elders telling you not to take advantage of the hard work of previous generations. Thanks.

snowbird, there are many women that got further education than the men because the men went to work. Similar thoughts come as I said above to wasblind for family working for the education of family.

crmsici, you still can educate. I know it's harder. I have no plans to go to college, but I love my self-education. I took some occasional classes about writing and publishing and may still take more. Hell, if not that- I may take classes on activities I would like to pursue as I get older. So back to the basket-weaving comment, or pottery, or woodcraft. But supporting your own kids is great. Try to not squash their dreams.

panhandlegirl

Panhandle Girl, even though I disagree with the Bible, I am educated better to be familiar with what it says and how it is misused and used.

OTWO, I assumed that as an exjw and former elder (I believe) that you were familar with the scripture. I don't understand how that scripture could be missused, but I admit to not knowning everything. My experience has been that those with a university degree or some other type of knowledge i.e. plumbers, bricklayers, or grant writers, such as BizzyBee,ect. usually can make a decent living. My daughter became a buyer for a large farm and ranch corporation despite not having a degree in marketing because she had expeience in the field. She did go on to get her marketing degree and now only those with a degree in marketing are considered for becoming buyers in that corporation. Although the majoriety of nurses have an ADN, I chose to get my BSN because the American Nurses Association wants all nurses to obtain that degree.I obtained my certification as an Oncology nurse to increase my knowledge and to increase my income.It took me 6 years to go from ADN (associates degree in nursing) to BSN because I worked full time and attended college full time. I only posted what I feel about education from my own experience.

I will add that I recieved my ADN at the age of 54, BSN at the age of 62, and a BSA in Spanish at 65. I am the President elect for the Oncology Nurses Organization, a worldwide organization of Oncology Nurses. I am scheduled to attend the Leadership Conference for oncoming Presidents of ONS. I am now 68. I mention this only to show that I am an adocate for education, no matter how old a person is. I am practically a bornin (age 4 when we became jws) exjw and mourn the fact that I had to wait until I was a senior citizen before I got a degree.

OnTheWayOut

PHG, I wasn't suggesting any misuse of that scripture at this time. But I remember WTS always following it with statements about "accurate knowledge" then proceeding to tell us how only they provide that.

I try to just answer from my gut to comments on my threads. Often, I go off on some point that wasn't the intended portion of the comment. Thanks for your input. Kudos for educating yourself, no matter how much time it took.

wasblind

Here is an example of why the WTS stance on education shows the disconnect of reality

The reason my mom did not finish school was because she had become sick wit appendicits

bein' from a poor black family, they did not have health insurance, all they had was a small

15 acre farm, in which they had to morgage in order to pay for the surgery.

Instead of returnin' to school, she worked on the farm as well as

worked along wit my granma as a housekeeper to help pay off the debt to save their property

Mind you now, this is in the late 1940's, durin' the Jim Crow era,

She was treated at a segregated hospital

it's a well known fact that gettin' a medical degree ain't easy, back then it was extra hard

for a person of color to earn such a degree. Under the Jim Crow laws things were

separate, but no ways equal

If those Black doctors had taken the mindset of the WTS, they would have

said, forget education to become a doctor, we'll just wait on the kingdom

it's just around the corner, it's as close as the inside of your eyelid

My mom and other Blacks would have had to be seen by a vetenarian

the WTS is a cult

apostatethunder

Education that doesn’t teach people to think critically and independently is just indoctrination. An educated fool is still a fool.

The most important education is that which develops you as a human being, and teaches you to distinguish right from wrong. Educators have a huge amount of power.

Anyone that aspires to control you knows that your education is bad business for them.

The level of education of today’s children is what is going to shape the society of the future, we should ask ourselves who benefits with a high percentage of uneducated citizens.

Probably the same reason why the WT discourages academic education.

NewYork44M

Thunder, I agree. Learning how to think is the most critical skill a person can obtain.

This is the very skill that the watchtower want to avoid at all cost.

Eductation teaches you how to learn. Once you have that skill, there is no stopping you.

Education is the Key to Everything

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