by Ariell 67 Replies latest jw friends
Coffee:
Thanks for your reasonableness (if there is such a word ... anyway you know what I mean.) In my (former) circle in my KH it definitely was expected that the young would prefer to pioneer and would possibly lose privilleges for going for higher education; however my family chose the later and didn't suffer in the society for the choice.
Sounds like your father was of the same mind as my family.
northern girl.
I know a few women who went to college. People talked about them like they were sleeping around or something. One grew up a jw, and went to college anyway. Then she found a worldly man and made him become a jw before she would marry him. They now have kids, she lets her kids do whatever activites they want. Jws in the area look down on her, and I hear there is much fighting in that house as hubby is now an elder. She is rare amoung jws.
The other decided to go to nursing school, as her husband worked construction and they needed a steady income. I felt sorry for her because people treated her so bad. You would have thought she killed someone. It has been years since she got her nursing degree,but some people still treat her bad.
A few years ago, going to trade or vocational school was okay because it was ususally only a year or two. But full time university is still frowned on. The wt does not come straight out and say hey, don't go, but they let their feelings be known anyway.
I grew up jw, and pioneering was the only thing a kids was supposed to do. Anyone who goes to college is seen as weak. And weak people are ignored and avoided. It's almost like being df without really getting into trouble.
Pam
My daughter went to the university (still is - I hope this is the last year) and the members and elders of our congregation often told us that it would be best when she ended her study and start pioneering.
I told them "it ain't possible - she must finish this study, else she has to pay back an enormous amount" (finishing means she is free of debt) After I told the elders, they keep quiet to me, but they kept making remarks to my daughter.
Ironic, but after all they were right with their remarks: they where telling her that a universal study often would result in a "drift away"
--
I realised that the above is not an answer on the topic.
And yes, I know a few JW's, always in pain, saying "its our hope that's let us go on."
Without hope, a lot of good things would disappear from this world.
The Bible, Isaiah 48:17 is telling us: "Thus said the LORD, Thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.
But the watchtower is only offering hope for a very distant future and no hope or help or profit in this life.
Hi Northern girl,
My son is now a grown man who lives with (not suffers with) cerbral palsy. It is great that he has it mildly and to the regular onlooker, no one would see that he is dissabled. His brain is not affected and he is one of the most brilliant men I know.I have never dwelt on his dissablity, only his ABILITIES! He is a university grad and supports himself in great fashion in the line of computer technology.
The last thing he would want is for me to draw any attention to him, but it is hard not to brag about this beautiful person!!!
You sound like a good Mom with an equally great son.
I haven't posted to you before so please excuse the late: Welcome to the Board!!
IW
IslandWoman:
Thanks for the welcome and my son IS a great person.
By the way, I literally live on an island ...
northern girl.
I've deleted several posts to this thread, including all of mine and bikerchic's (and all references thereto).
My p/m is open.
Craig
The WTS's view of education, from the Kingdom Ministry, July 2001:
*** Awake! 1969 May 22 p.15 ****** Watchtower September 1 1975 p.543 Questions from Readers ***
• How many years of secular education are advisable for children in Christian households?
Today, there are many teenage baptized servants of Jehovah... how far should they go with a secular education? It would hardly be consistent for such a youth, of his own choice, to pursue extensive secular studies beyond what is required by the law and by his parents... additional years of college education may present snares.
If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. Of the generation that observed the beginning of the 'last days' in 1914, Jesus foretold: 'This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.' Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way towards its finish, if not actually gone! This is why parents who base their lives on God's prophetic Word find it much more practical to direct their young ones into trades that do not require such long periods of additional schooling... True, those who do not understand where we are in the stream of time from God's viewpoint will call this impractical. But which is really practical: preparing yourself for a position in this world that soon will pass away? or working toward surviving this system's end and enjoying eternal life in God's righteous new order?
*** Watchtower 1969 March 15 p.171 What Influences Decisions in Your Life? ***12 The influence and spirit of this world is to get ahead, to make a name for oneself. 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. This world has very little time left! Any “future” this world offers is no future! Wisely, then, let God’s Word influence you in selecting a course that will result in your protection and blessing. 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!
"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
Scully:
Thank you so much for drawing this to my attention. The years involved here do not affect me or my family. Maybe since then the thought has changed. All I can say is none of us were admonished for our decisions or suffered any bad consequences. That's my story and I'm sticken' to it.
northern girl
Well back in the good old days we were admonished to pioneer. Why waste time when the end was so near. Sell your houses, sell your cars, don't fix those rotten teeth. Move to where the need is great. Don't go to school as this is not going to bring you closer to Jehovah and we don't want to upset Jehovah do we?
In 1975 my family sold their business home and moved to Mass to pioneer where the need was great. We were not allowed to go to school because it was a waste of time, we had to pioneer.
The times have changed and so has this religion but once again, and again and again. At least I didn't wait for the New System before I had kids that were never suppose to start kindergarten, let alone me going to kindergarten.
Kmart is flashing the blue light special today. Come and get the new light sale. WE have new light but once again.
Cathy
