Pistoff - This is possible, but not with the level of thinking and leadership qualities shown by the men who are on the GB.
Other fundamental religions, including mormons, encourage higher education but have developed the mindset and culture that allows their young adults to enter the 'lion's den' of higher thinking and still go back to an insular world.
What would it take? An open discussion, one that pre-emptively tells potential college students that their faith will be challenged, that in comparison to other faiths they are lacking this or that or are the same, that they just need to ignore this or play along for the sake of the congregation, that while this old world is still functioning we need to make use of the 'worldly wisdom' to righteous advantage, or some such nonsense, see, is isn't hard to come up with a 'logical' reason to attend college.
The real issue as I see it is that the WT has NO interest in developing the strong social inner structure of close knit congregations, with organized child care, elder care outreach, sports and recognition programs and the like, that would draw a college graduate back; after all, why would someone whose eyes are opened go back unless the strong sense of community and social structure made it worth being there?
They always fall back on their 'now is not the time for such endeavors', 'there will be plenty of time for that in the new system', 'the main thing is the preaching work' rebuttals to such proposals.
The men who run this are NOT bright enough to come up with a way forward.
The WT tried in the past to water down its anti-education stance. It did not work. People started streaming out after a few years. The reason it did not work is because higher ed is not compatible with a draconian, anachronistic, "the world is horrible and beyond repair", type philosophy. Higher education is about success, and success is more than just about starting a career. It serves to change your worldview for the long term.
Successful people don't make good robots. They see a positive way forward and work towards it. This is not how authoritarian regimes operate. They want you to believe everything outside is falling apart, and the only safe haven is within their confines.
In the end, JWs that pursue higher education do not leave simply because they learn critical thinking skills. Human nature tends to prevent one from using those skills inwardly towards their belief system anyway. Higher education is a pathway to a successful life, not only materially, but also in terms of satisfaction and overall happiness. Those that attain the latter cannot easily ascribe to a worldview that all is evil and under control of some evil supernatural force. These ones will walk given the proper incentive to allow them to overcome their social dependencies on the organization, with enough time.
In short, removing control mechanisms cannot be done without a wholesale change in what the organization stands for. They would no longer be "Jehovah's Witnesses".
d4g
