"Higher" Education not Needed in God's New Order
In the June 8, 1967 issue, the Awake! magazine printed an article on pages 3-8 entitled "Second Thoughts About a College Education." This article painted a sorry picture of inadequate teachers and courses, financially strapped colleges, violent and immoral climates in schools, heavy drug use, and atheistic attitudes prevailing in colleges. It went on to say that job opportunities for college educated people were very poor, with work not requiring higher education often paying more. This article was written during the push for 1975, and along with many other articles written between 1966 and 1975 highlighted the idea that the end was so near that education would be a foolish waste of time. Education would not be needed in the new world. With the end so near, trades would be more useful in the new order than education. Here is a quote from that article:
Parents who are Jehovah's witnesses have another very sound reason for channeling their children's lives into useful trades. They know from fulfilled Bible prophecy that today's industrial society is near its end. Soon it will be given its death stroke by Almighty God himself. After that, in God's new order a reconstruction work will be done to transform this entire earth into a paradise. Trades of many types will be very useful then, as will skills in agriculture and homemaking . So by guiding their children away from the so-called 'higher' education of today, these parents spare their children exposure to an increasingly demoralizing atmosphere, and at the same time prepare them for life in a new system as well.
Awake!, June 8, 1967, p. 8.
Higher Education part of "Devil's Propaganda"
The following quotation from a 1969 Watchtower article hints at how strongly the Society opposed higher learning. Making something of yourself is here classed as "Devil's propaganda." Notice the continuing theme that time is too short to waste it on education. They, claim that the only work with a future is Watchtower service:
Many schools now have student counselors who encourage one to pursue higher education after high school, to pursue a career with a future in this system of things. Do not be influenced by them. Do not let them "brainwash" you with the Devil's propaganda to get ahead, to make something of yourself in this world. The world has very little time left! Any "future" this world offers is no future! ... Make pioneer service, the full-time ministry, with the possibility of Bethel or missionary service your goal. This is a life that offers an everlasting future!
The Watchtower, March 15, 1969, Article on pages 168- 173 titled "What Influences Decisions in Your Life?". Quote is from p. 171
I personally verify that these sayings above were quoted by the Watchtower..
Note the Quotes: by guiding their children away from the so-called 'higher' education ,
. Do not let them "brainwash" you with the Devil's propaganda ,
These are very fundamentalist quotations and show similarity to fundamentalist Moslem teachings.
The Taliban for instance forbids all women to have any education in order to be a good Moslem.
The Watchtower cant go that far in a well educated Western world. But they go as far as they can.
Quote: ! Any "future" this world offers is no future! ... Make pioneer service, the full-time ministry, with the possibility of Bethel or missionary service your goal. This is a life that offers an everlasting future
Fundamentalist Moslems teach: We have the Truth, the only Truth.
The Watchtower teaches: We have the Truth, the only Truth.
My opinion is that fundamentalist religions whether Moslem or Christian or otherwise are a danger to any people whose goal it is to develop himself into a better person and contribute to a better and highly developed society.
I urge all free thinking men and women to examine the doctrines which are taught by certain Societies as the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of Pennsylvania and ask questions like: How much harm is being done to family life? , because evidence shows that their doctrines have shattered thousands of families all over the world. Evidence also shows that elders have harbored pedophiles and elders who themselves are pedophiles. In this way many have become silent lambs for many years.
The Watchtower teachings as a whole should be examined by the people. A fundamentalist religion is a danger to mankind and should be dealt with.
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