JWs Uneducated (Unejamakatud?)

Marcos

My formal education ended with high school. I did a couple of semesters of college work but it really doesnt count. I believe that almost any kind of legal employment is honorable depending on how we approach it. Janitors are fine with me. I have known many very honest and hard-working ones.

I do not, by any means, consider myself to be well educated. I continue to educate myself with the help of the Internet and books on a variety of topics.}

I understand completely when someone speaks of janitors and cheese and cracker men. I knew so many ignorant JWs who were in positions of power. I am, however, disturbed by the allegation that the majority of JWs are poorly educated (read: stupid) and that this is the reason many people become JWs. Also, the surprise that people show when someone leaves the org. expressed by the phrase: But you are SO INTELLIGENT!

I dont think a diploma is necessarily a mark of intelligence.

I know that my life would have been a lot easier with a college degree. But then again I wouldnt have had precisely the same experience in life that Ive had and continue to have. What do you think? Is the fact that someone for any number of reasons didnt go to a university and work for, at the very least, a 4-year degree stupid?

Marcos

P.S. I'm not looking to feel good here. Overall, I'm fine with my life. Tell me what you really think.

Edited by - marcos on 7 January 2003 19:7:44

stichione

When I personally think of JW's as uneducated, it is because my peers who grew up in the 70's as Dubs were told that higher education was unnecessary since the world was coming to an end in 1975. Check the following link out:

http://quotes.jehovahswitnesses.com/education.htm

So many of these young Dubs I know did not go to college after high school, and now 20-25 years later have gone from job to job, never been able to hold steady work, never being able to aspire to do interesting and paying work.

Kep

What is stoopid to me is that I let the church dictate what is the best course in life to take.

I wanted to further my education, I wanted a degree etc.. but I let that go, and instead started working to then pioneer and have a real career in life.

So many are lulled into thinking that the end is so close that the best thing to do is seek first the kingdumb...

Some within are stoopid coz they still continue to let this bs outfit tell them what is right and what is wrong, not to go with the heart, but go with what the GB have written.

My brother told me he wished had of left 10 years ago.. just when he was ready to go to college. At that time I had prompted him to finish his schooling and likewise start working and look at pioneering... Now I really feel schtoopid !!

Marcos

Thanks stichione,

Interesting info. Yeah, I fell for it. And the effects have followed me all through my life. I have been able to have an interesting life and have had interesting jobs as well as boring ones. Construction was my first choice and it was good to me for a long time. I used it as a springboard to make money to live in other countries and to educate myself in some more non-traditional areas.

But, lurking in the deepest recesses of my mind was the advice of the WT that all of this would end soon. I lived for several years in Japan and have rank in the art of Aikido. I have a lot of students (unfortunately, not where I currently live) and will be able to do this until I die. But, never had the education or steady income to build up a retirement. My work is my retirement.

On another positive note, I have had to maintain my body in fairly decent shape. This is because I always have the suspicion that I will have to use it to make a living. (Not THAT way!) I still have flexibility both physical and mental. But, at 52, a man reflects on the things that might have been.

Marcos

freedom96

Though I feel that college is not needed to become financially successful, it does help when looking for a job.

One way that college might help is that it sometimes teaches people to think for themselves. One reason of many I am sure why the WTS does not want anyone going to college.

happyout

My mom and sister both pursued their degrees while in the borg. I'm not sure how my sister managed it, and she is still in school. Her husband is an elder, too, so you would think it would cause a stir. I did not pursue college, but only partially because I was a dub. If I am honest, I will admit I was also lazy. Still, I really think my mental laziness came from being told repeatedly that secular education was unnecessary (when I was little there were older ones telling me I would never graduate from high school because Armegeddon would be here before then). I am fortunate that I am intelligent (no boasting, just the truth) and even without a degree I have a pretty good career. I think probably those raised in the borg tend to have less secular education because it is discouraged, but those who join later may not have had that obstacle, and therefore have at least an Associate Degree. It's not that I think witnesses are uneducated, so much as I think they are unenlightened. There are also witnesses who just plain BELIEVE. You can't question their intelligence any more than you could a devout Catholic (given their scandals) or pretty much any other religion. Great topic for thought!

Marcos

Hi Kep,

Yeah, I know what you mean.

Thing is, for me, I didn't let them take away my faith. My faith is MY CHOICE and, although they almost got away with it, I was able to come full-circle and still believe WITHOUT THEM. I do put God first, I just don't need them to tell me how to do it. I actually learned a lot of things about the Bible and God through them but do not credit them with what I know. It has taken me all of my life up to this point to get rid of most of the bs that they taught.

As far a furthering my education, well, even in college that is up to the individual. I really do know some pretty stupid college grads...

Good on you for telling your brother to get educated. It is more necessary today than ever. My son wants to go to UNAM, in Mexico City to study law. I'm all for it. I will back him 100%. I might do it myself in a couple of years. My nehphew here is the dean of a local university and has offered me a tuition-free law degree. I think we'll need that in the future here in Mexico.

Side Note: My son told me yesterday that he would like to visit and maybe live in New Zealand someday. He has a good impression of it although probably idealized. I told him, "You'll have to learn English." Didn't scare him off though. I think he would probably make a pretty good Kiwi.

Marcos

freedom96,

One way that college might help is that it sometimes teaches people to think for themselves.

Amen!

happyout,

ok, you "outted" me:

I will admit I was also lazy

I got the "never even finish high school or college thing too! As far as being intelligent, I thought I was but now have my doubts.

There are also witnesses who just plain BELIEVE. You can't question their intelligence any more than you could a devout Catholic (given their scandals) or pretty much any other religion.

Good points.

Thanks,

Marcos

Granny Linda

Remove the whole JW thing and many of us would have done things differently. Like yourself, my life has been full of adventure and amazement. THe thing about "education" does not carry the impact upon my thinking as it did when I was younger. Learning how to develope common sense, and how to become our own decision maker (knowing what's best for us), is something pretty valuable, too. Then again it's been said common sense is not something you learn, but born with.

Actually to my way of thinking it's about being around people who have overcome obsticles, period. And remember big daddy Henry Ford had something like a 3rd or 4th grade education. The really smart person, in my opinion, is one who lives their life according to their likes/dislikes. And not by the dictates of other's. Perhaps when we stop comparing ourselves with a sick society of liars and hyprocrites, we can begin seeing just how damn smart we really are.

Love ya's....granny

sunshineToo

Marcos,

I agree with you on that the degree has nothing to do with the person's real intelligence. I've seen supposedly intelligent people making very unintelligent decisions and supposedly uneducated people making very intelligent decisions and thinking admirably intelligently. It all comes down to conscience and heart.

I also know some jws with degrees from the most prestigious colleges. But are they really intelligent? I talk to one of them through email about the Watchtower's false prophesies and misguidances (esp. not letting people go to colleges was really stupid) and not to mention pedophile problems. She said that she can understand my view but it was fine with her. She doesn't think that a child without knowingly sitting with a pedophile is a problem.

You know, the Bible is right. A lot of love and care have cooled off. As long as it is not their problem, no matter how much hurting it is to others, "Everything is fine and just."

I say she wasted her college tuition.

Edited by - sunshineToo on 9 January 2003 18:2:53

JWs Uneducated (Unejamakatud?)

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