JWfacts,
Do you have a story about your Bethel days? Perhaps start a new thread.
Those who went to University whilst being a JW
by MMXIV 21 Replies latest jw experiences
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Kool Jo
After completing high school in “city A”, I decided to move on to college in “city B”, which was a few hundred miles from home. I was looking forward to see what college had to offer, my parents had no objection to college, neither did the brothers/sisters at the congregation in “city A”, since there were children of elders who did very well in college.
So after high school I did a little internship while still at “city A” to get work experience under my belt before heading to college in “city B”. The time had come for me to leave home and go to “city B” as I was filled both with anxiety and also sadness to have left my family/friends. Again, I was looking forward to seeing what the city life was all about!
Upon my arrival at “city B”, was I in for a shock!!! I was in my late teens when I left my parents to pursue my degree. The same week I relocated to “city B”, was the same weekend of the convention of my new congregation in “city B”. By this time the brothers/sisters in the hall knew I was there for college and seemed pretty ok and welcoming. One of the speakers on the convention was “bethel heavy” and he spoke at length about the fact that furthering your education is a waste of time, he used an illustration that made me sink back into my chair and made me feel as if I had committed an unforgivable sin by going to college…I almost threw up. So the convention was over and I shook my head and just moved on. I thought to myself, “what a welcome to city B”?
So I started college and I worked part-time so that I could provide for my basic needs, besides, the company I had worked for provided financial assistance for employees wanting to go college, so I took advantage of that. After the horror stories I heard about college from the WTBS, I was anxious to step foot onto the college premises for the first day...and to my surprise, it was different from what I heard about! There were no drugs, no alcohol, school mates were rushing to get to work after their classes were over...and I was like WOW!!! In the back of my mind, I felt odd and wondered how the WTBS forgot to mention the thousands of college graduates who didn't become drug/alcohol addicts nor engaged in sexual immorality. Neither was evolution mentioned in any of my classes since I was taking courses in engineering and business. Also, what about the thousands who sacrificed time to become lawyers, engineers and physicians from whose experience we benefit? Also, if they're concerned about the "bad association" on campus, what about the fact that more and more colleges are now offering their classes online?
Some of the JW's were saying that college was a waste of time & that the system was going to end before I got my degree...I gratuated at 24 with my degree & still the end aint here....the funny thing is, that same degree is what is helping out some of the same brothers when they needed help financially..such a joke!
My company is now providing me financial assistance to start my MBA next summer...and hell yes I'm going for it....even my dad who's an elder is encouraging me to go for it no matter what the other JW's may say!