This topic brings back a lot of hurtful memories.
I was a born in JW. My father is self employed. He is the owner/operator of his own business that I was not invited into. I was not born with a silver spoon. I was not going to inherit a fortune. I had to play by Watchtower rules.
Here are the Watchtower rules -
- You must be self-sufficient. Food, clothing, shelter, vehicle that can be used in the ministry, and any other expenses are all on you. Do not even think of asking the organization/congregation for financial assistance.
- Do not seek training or education that will assist you in obtaining employment that will fulfil rule #1. If you do you lack faith in Jehovah and that the end is near. You will not be disfellowshipped, but you will be marked, which is almost as bad.
- Whatever job you do find must have a work schedule of Monday through Friday from the morning to 5:00PM. You must not accept employment that will interfere with meetings or Saturday field service. In addition, you must be able to take time off for Assemblies and Conventions. If you cannot get the Friday of the first day of a Convention off you are to quit that job to make the Friday session of the Convention.
- Whatever job you find must not violate Watchtower religious principles. If an employer is involved in anything that goes against those principles you cannot accept the job even if the actual work you will be doing is benign. If you are a janitor for a tech company that has a division with military contracts the whole company is deemed blood guilty. Even the janitor of that company is blood guilty.
There I was; an 18 year old high school graduate who earned straights A's and took the military ASVAB test where I scored 95% or higher in all areas. I had no car. No family business to take over. I was working minimum wage jobs in construction.
Now, remember, if I wanted to be in a romantic relationship I had to be in a position to marry. So, not only support myself, but a wife and children. So, young adulthood was highly frustrating and depressing.
It is insulting to the intelligence of the human race why the Watchtower either cannot figure out why young Witnesses are leaving in high numbers or intellectually dishonest on the behalf of PIMI Witnesses.