I went to uni as a jw and I was definitely swimming against the tide. Many made excuses for me saying I only "had to go because [my] parents weren't in the truth and they make [me] go." I was the only one of two in my congregation of 180 who went to uni.
They are Definitely Attacking "Higher Education"
by XBEHERE 129 Replies latest jw friends
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Oubliette
SFPW: For them, a college education wasn't absolutely necessary and I believe they're transferring their experiences on this generation irresponsibly. Also, not everybody is college material, and it's delusional to think that attending will set someone for life.
Both of those things are true, but miss the point: The WTBTS has no right to tell people that THEY SHOULD NOT ATTEND COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY AND SEEK HIGHER EDUCATION.
It is just wrong.
College isn't for everyone. It's the saying it isn't for anyone that is wrong.
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Julia Orwell
Yes, the choice should be the individual's and no one should force their anti education view onto anyone else.
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problemaddict
The Dog,
I think there are some good points here, and i appreciate that your particular congregation has reached out to those in need. Without any kind of formal system for helping others, its nice to see people step up on an individual basis and do what they can. Some take advantage of this as you know, and there are a percentage that believe because of their "greater service" (pioneering, bethel, etc...), that they are entitled.
However, my problem here is that the playing field isn't even. You can't tell people there is basically no need to go beyond a high school education, think twice before having kids in this world, and constantly indoctrinate them with those thoughts......and not expect loyal followers to end up old, pennyless, and childless in a disproportianate number.
I have 4-5 youngish couples that I know, all in their late 20's to mid thirties. ALL of them have not been to college but they work hard and do ok. (I didn't go to college either). NONE of them want children. How are they going to take care of their parents when they are old? How are they going to be taken care of when THEY are old? Sure there may be a social system, but maybe if a CO didn't sit little Billy down and CONVINCE HIM that university education was inherently evil, this would have been avoided.
I didn't go to college, and I do ok. It doesn't mean I haven't passed up opportunities because of lack of a degree, not does it mean a degree is neccesary for success. But you should be allowed to decide what is good for you and your family without the special kind of interference that comes with tying a particular action to loyalty to God.
My heart goes out to all those who gave prime years at bethel, only to have literally nothing to show for it.
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sd-7
Well, they did say in this year's convention that the notions that (1) higher education will make you successful and (2) saving a lot of money for the future are both to be considered "demon-inspired propaganda". You can't get any more direct than that about the issue. Anyone who says they aren't against higher education is flat-out lying based on the DC talk I heard this year.
Of course, the key was not to directly tell people 'do not pursue higher education' by way of a command, but rather, to simply poison the well. That way, they can say, "What? We don't tell anyone not to drink the water. You're crazy," while shouting publicly, "The well is poisoned by the Devil!"
--sd-7
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rmt1
I think this issue is an abuse of human rights greater than the pedophilia issue, not in specific degree per instance, but in gross numbers of people affected. Both are institutionalized violence.
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wokeup
College teaches critical thinking skills. That is impowerment. the Watchtower fears that. Once a person
learns things such as logical fallacies, the tower begins to crumbles. Empowerment increases when an individual
learns about pursuasive techniques beyond the overt and delves into the subliminal. Empowerment
increases when one begins to see the Watchtower's use of quoting it's own works. Intellectual dishonesty
in quote mining, the absence of proper references, anonymous quotes, ambiguous references. And even
worse, using monological discursive techniques both in print and the platform.
The organizational structure and social construct carefully orchestrated at the local level does not permit
a venue for frank, open discussion of thoughts, ideas, questions or criticism by active members during any meetings.
It is college that allows for growth and understanding about concepts, precepts and life in general.
To help prepare individuals for life. It's not just about having 'all' the answers for life's questions, as the Watchtower
tries to instill, it's about questioning the answers to life's questions as well.
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JakeM2012
There has been some great comments on this thread. To bump the thread and reiterate:
1) No, college is not for everyone, there are many that are resistant to education, and deliberately want to get by with the minimum necessary in effort and time.
2) Yes, some witnesses have heeded the "admonition" reguarding "higher educaiton" of the Great Atomic 8-12 members of the "Faithful and Discrete Slave" spritual advisers, and later regret it.
Some that are discontent "complainers in life" sometimes will use this as the excuse of why they are loosers in life. These are the same persons that did not apply themselves to the educational process even when having access to free public education, and most likely would not have even had the drive, dedication, or ambition to complete a degree. Again, these are ones looking for an excuse of why they are not content with their lot in life.
3) True, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, did at one point in the mid 1990's retreat from their position of "the end is so close, there's not enough time to finish a four year degree" position, to at least a position that gave publishers more individual responsibility and individual freedom to make a personal decision to seek "higher education". However, those who exercised the right of personal decision would envoke distasteful comments, adversarial looks, and unofficial congregational shunning and restrictions on responsibilities unless it included a toilet cleaning or mowing of the Kingdom Hall lawn.
4) The world's work environment has changed, and no, a High School education is "evidently" not consistently sufficient to earn a living wage in most first world countries for a man or women to sufficiently support a small family that would include the basics including health insurance. There are exceptions (some on this forum) and some individuals have been able to earn sufficient wages to support more than the basics in life with just a High School diploma. This is great and I am happy for these individuals, but a few successful cases do not necessarily make a successful path that can be followed with consistancy. Further, many will admit that the work environment has changed and they could not possibly replecate such success if starting today, and do not advocate it for their own children!
For me personally, coming from a struggleing family of carpenters, I wanted to study structual engineering and architecture, live at home while attending the university. I had no desire to learn how to drive a nail, or use the basics of a 3,4,5 pathagorium theorem. However, Dad, who was already smarting from the false/100% failure of 1975 expectations, unbelievably informed me that I would have to pack my bags and leave the house if I continued pursueing my goal of a university degree in engineering. To make his point he xeroxed copies of bound volumes of WTBTS literature stating what a waste of time it was to pursue a degree. This was 35 years ago.
At this late date of December 26, 2013, the 100% failure rate of WTBTS's expectations, predictions, interpretation of prophesy, or their own prophesiahing, (whatever you would like to call it if you are a JW apologetic) etc. to the time of the end, the generation of 1914 that would not pass away,etc, the current WTBTS's posturing towards education is irreprehensable.
It is comparible to analog advise in a digital world. However bad the advise given by the self-proclaimed "Faithful and Discrete Slave" is, it cannot be ignored that it is simply not any of theirs (or any religions) business to take an adversarial position to "higher education", PERIOD. Any religion that would take an adversarial position to higher education should raise concern to its followers of their motive and what they do not want you to learn. Other than a cautionary, "count the cost" position, don't get too indebted to student loans, maintain your spirituality, morals etc, any further discouraging advise is certainly questionable. Why not encourage Christians to save some money for their childrens college tuition, be in a financial position to house them at home to avoid possible harmful association in the dormitories, etc. Oh, I'm sorry, the WTBTS is very greedy and they want all of a families cash and available credit and they want it immediately.
My Opinion: The purpose of the scriptures is to assist the human family with having a hope for the future, to assist in making wise decisions, and maintaining balance in life. (List is not all inclusive.) How??? after having articles in the mid 1990's about the "What is the Bibles Viewpoint of Higher Education" (which was "somewhat" more balanced than the current posturing),they could regress to their current dark age commentary. Has the Bible changed? or has the WTBTS opinion changed????
Personally, I could be angry not only of their past position and how it influenced and exerted negative forces in my youthful life 35 years ago that led to depression and the ongoing struggle I contend with today.
However, what angers me is like a pedophile that continues to harm, ruin, and destroy lives, the WTBTS keeps their asinine and cultish position on higher education, leaving the residual congregation adherants to enforce their position by marking, shunning, and generally making a seeker of educations life's "hell". Personally, I think of "impale them, impale them", would be a workable solution. What pompous asses the Atomic 8 are, "Faithfull and discrete"? my ass.
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rmt1
Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018.
http://www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/fullreport.pdf
tl;dr : Just start looking at the graphs and projections starting in Part 4 on page 63.