What is the current thinking of the Watchtower Society concernng Higher Education these days? In 1977 I entered college from a full pioneer status and was duly criticized from the local Elders. Back at that time, higher education was actively discouraged. I eventually left the religion. I am curious to know what the current WTBTS thinking is on this subject, and how many ex JWs out there did not pursue Higher education as a result of Watchtower discouragement?
Higher Educaton
by franklin J 32 Replies latest jw friends
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iiz2cool
I just left this year, and the thinking was changed somewhat, but not enough. The position now is that some "supplementary" education may be needed, but the goal should always be the full time service. By supplementary education they mean short programs that could lead to a trade or position as a medical or dental assistant, or something along those lines. Construction trades are encouraged, since they can be used on building projects. I don't think they would approve of a university education though. I was deleted as account servant because I was taking part time networking courses on Saturday afternoons.
I guess the new light missed some of my local elders.
Walter
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crownboy
Right now higher education is viewed as a "conscience matter". It's not something that is readily encouraged, of course, but if you do decide to attend you are not automatically criticized like in the old days.
Generally, JW's don't mind if you go to a technical school over an academic one, so going to DeVry to learn how to fix computers is considered better than going to the state university to study buissness. If you do decide to go the academic route, however, majoring in something like accounting is more acceptable than majoring in, say, psychology (ok, so you'd be viewed with outright suspicion for that one ). I know a ministerial servant who is a CPA, and the elders never gave him any grief for his going to school to study that vocation. Also, if possible, going to a community college is viewed more favourably than a four year one.
So basically, the ideal is still to leave high school and start poineering ("spiritual" parents are expected to encourage their kids down this path, and convention experiences seem to always include one young person who turned down college for the "full time ministry", giving a not so subtle hint as to what the Society really thinks), but going to college is OK depending on your motives. Going to "learn a skill", or majoring in a non theologically threatening field like accounting seems to be OK, but going to college just for the sake of learning, or persuing subjects that might challenge the JW belief system, or just trying to persue a career that might possibly make you rich, disinterested in, or too busy for the JW's is strongly opposed though not expressely forbidden. My eventual career goal is to become a lawyer (I'm still an undergraduate), but when I talk to JW's about what I'm studying, I say that I want to become a paralegal (which is partly true, since I want to do that before law school ). Hell, even my parents from time to time may tell me that perhaps I shouldn't want to persue a career in law during "the time of the end", but they are actually quite hands off an supportive of me for the most part (obvoiusly, they don't know my true feelings on the religion).
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Stacy Smith
I'm in my third year of college and on track to graduate in 4 years. Back when I was in highschool and getting A's I was asked again and again why my studies were so important. I was proud of what I was doing and it showed. So the elders, pioneers, snoops, everyone always asked me why I put my education before Jehovah. Well my silent answer was so I didn't have to wash toliets for a living when I graduated. I just smiled and said I enjoy studying.
Study Jehovah's word.
When I started college my parents DAed themselves within a few weeks. It made things much easier.
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Joker10
JW's are 85% more likely to finish high school.
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herk
JW's are 85% more likely to finish high school.
85% more likely than who - a pack of orangutans?
The National Survey of Religious Identification found that only 67.6% of white Jehovah's Witnesses graduate from high school, compared to 80.9% for non-Witnesses. (Kosmin BA, Lachman SP, in "One Nation Under God," p. 272)
My wife was like many JWs. She felt it was wise to drop out of high school so that she could be a regular pioneer. The WT Society has a negative attitude toward a high school education and has even admitted that it has been common for JWs to drop out of high school. In an article where they attempted to soften their rules related to seeking a college eduction, they said: "It has been reported that in some countries many well-intentioned youngsters have left school after completing the minimum required schooling in order to become pioneers. They had no trade or secular qualifications. If they were not helped by their parents, they had to find part-time work. Some have had to accept jobs that required them to work very long hours to make ends meet." (The Watchtower, Nov. 1, 1992, p. 18)
Even those students who do stay in high school don't get the same well-rounded education as those not controlled by the WT Society. Under the banner of "Bad associations spoil useful habits," the Society cautions against and even prohibits participation in a long list of extracurricular activites sponsored by the schools. These include sports, cheerleading, homecoming, school dances, school clubs, school plays, raffles, patriotic music, religious art, birthday parties, Christmas activities and national holidays. (School and Jehovah's Witnesses, published by the WT Society, p. 22)
The Society's anti-education policies have produced the largest religious group in the U.S. populated by poverty-stricken, under-educated people. The education level of JWs is exceptionally low, and the high school drop-out rate is very high. This leads to poor career prospects, low social status, and poor self-esteem. This is just one of the many ways that the WT Society causes injury to its members.
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Phantom Stranger
I had the highest SAT in my senior class (higher than my friend who went to Harvard), had several academic honors, and I was admitted to Reed College at close to a full ride, but I didn't go to college due to pressure from family and friends of the family.
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Stacy Smith
85% more likely than who - a pack of orangutans?
Priceless. The majority of teen dubs at my old hall either dropped out of highschool completly or did the home study thing. You know the type, four years of education packed into two with a value of zero.
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freedom96
The fact is that most people will work for others, and in this time and age, one really could use college training.
It is too bad that the WTS limits what people do, whether it is to go to college, or even to make money.
I didn't choose to go to college, but I believe in what it can do for people.
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BULLFROG
I was a straight A honor roll student up until 7th grade, the year my family started attending meetings with Jehovah's Witnessess, I remember being the only child in the class not raising their hand when the teacher would ask who is going to college. I really wanted to go, but the current light of that time prohibited it, and my dad wanted to raise me the best JW I could be. None of the elders in my congregation were college-educated, and one in particular told me that it is not proper for a JW to attend college. I remember being so depressed in school, viewing it as pointless, I really was led to believe that all schooling would be a waste of time because of the nearness of armageddon. When I was about 17, already dropped out of public school and in home school, I remember articles saying a little technical college possibly could be OK as needed to pursue theocratic goals, but a four year education was mentioned as too much, I also remember the dramas at the assemblies around the same time using examples of teenagers saying no to college and yes to pioneering. That was around 1999. Needless to say, I have finally made it to college and once again making straight A's.