the society and education

by NewYork44M 22 Replies latest jw friends

  • NewYork44M
    NewYork44M

    I had a S.A.D. experience over the weekend. Just to clarify….. SAD is the society’s official acronym for Special Assembly Day. I attended yesterday at the Brooklyn Assembly Hall with approximately 1,800 others. Were were excited (NOT) to see 10, mostly young ones, get baptized (That sure seems like a small number). Most of the program was non eventful. For some reason the speakers were either from the south or attempted to mimic a very-very slow speech pattern.

    After setting for sever hours I was totally numb from listening….then, the last speaker started talking about education. I listened attentively to see what the society was about to tell the r&f. The context of the talk was that education is not prohibited however there are serious dangers in education. Colleges teach ungodliness. In addition, going to school to learn a career is not in harmony with our Christian purpose (i.e. placing magazines).

    Then… they interviewed a very attractive articulate young individual. She first stated that while she was not interested in going to college her “family circumstances” forced her to attend college. BTW, any time you here an experience about a young one going to college there has to be the required justification for going to extend education.

    She indicated that she was in an accounting program, doing very well, and had a full scholarship. But after three years, one year before graduation her conscience bothered her. How was she going to justify her actions to the multitudes that will soon be resurrected if she pursued a CPA instead of pioneering! And besides, she learned enough in the time she was in school to get a job. So, she quit school and began pioneering.

    The speaker congratulated her on her choice to promote spiritial interests and the audience applauded. So with a slight of hand the society gave the official policy for public consumption that they are not against education but by example told the r&f what really is the policy.

  • stillajwexelder
    stillajwexelder

    Double speak as usual - God it really is pi----g me off what they say about education -- at least The Mormons have an enlightened view.

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere
    She first stated that while she was not interested in going to college her ?family circumstances? forced her to attend college

    Oh the poor thing... don't you just hate it when "family circumstances" force people to get a higher education? What happened? Did the dean kick down her door and drag her kicking and screaming to class while waving all tuition and other expenses?

    I have always heard college spoken of as a privilege that most people aspire to, I have NEVER heard it spoken of in terms of being a burden that was forced onto a person by circumstances.

  • blondie
    blondie
    ?family circumstances? forced her to attend college

    I would hear this about young men whose non-JW fathers wanted them to go and the elders would explain that these young brothers had to obey their father. I never understood why they had to obey since they were 18 or older. The father had no legal claim on them.

    Some go to college and regular pioneer at the same time. I wonder what the WTS would say to that?

    Blondie

  • Phantom Stranger
    Phantom Stranger

    So bring the income up a click or two, but don't learn enough to really change your life.

    Fortunately, you can't go for a CPA until you've been in the field for a while anyway, so perhaps she will come out from under the ether...

  • JT
    JT

    somethings never change

    @@@@@@@@@@@

    1967 "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 Jun 8 1967 38}

  • JT
    JT

    1967 "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 Jun 8 1967 38}

  • JT
    JT

    it just would not paster correctly:

    1967 "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 Jun 8 1967 38}

    1969 "In view of the short time left, a decision to pursue a career in this system of things is not only unwise but extremely dangerous .. Many young brothers and sisters were offered scholarship or employment that promised fine pay. However, they turned them down and put spiritual interests first." {KMIN Jun 1969 3}

    THEN THEY CHANGED THEIR TEACHINGS ON HIGHER EDUCATION [compare with WT Nov 1 1992 18 "If .. minimal or even high school education will only allow them to find jobs providing insufficient income to support themselves as pioneers, then supplementary education or training might be considered. This would be with the specific goal of full-time service." A complete volte-face.]

    1969 "'What Influences Decisions in Your Life?'

    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 fulltime ministry, with the possibility of Bethel or missionary service your goal. This is a life that offers an everlasting future!" {WT Mar 15 1969 171}

    [statistics having revealed that people possessing anything more than the most basic level of education HIGH SCHOOL were unlikely to be converted to 'the truth', there was a danger that upon educating themselves, even existing followers would leave]

    1969 "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?" {AWAK May 22 1969 15}}

    just think [The poor high school youngster would now be 45+ years old and still be waiting..]

    . Awake ,5/22/69,pg15,

    : 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. .....all evidence
    : in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is
    : due to end in a few years. ....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 toward its finish, if not actually gone!

    THIS IS A POST FROM A WITNESS CHAT BOARD DISCUSSING THE JW VIEWS ON HIGHER EDUCATION

    Posted by N.H. [Pravo] on August 10, 1999 at 04:43:19 {.5VYJ7MmZUHSG.vl05doX.sgIvMbfw}:

    Some times when reading WATCHTOWER SOCIETY literature, one wonders about the mental processes of the writing staff in Brooklyn. Take a look at this little gem from the May 1973 KM and notice what the WTS call"encouragement"
    NOTICE THAT THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLE WAS HELD UP AS AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW BY MILLIONS OF JW YOUNG PEOPLE

    *** km 5/73 6 What is Your Heart's Desire? ***
    An elder in Korea encouraged his four children to pioneer. At a circuit assembly he and the children were interviewed. The oldest daughter related how she had been the highest scholastically in her high school. She herself wanted to go to college at one point. However, her father informed her that, while she was free to choose such a course, she could not expect financial support from him. She changed her mind about college, and now she is enjoying many blessings as a pioneer. The next oldest, a son, told how he also at one time wanted to go to college and follow a worldly course. But his father sat down and reviewed the Scriptures with him. His father also told him that, if he insisted on following a worldly course, he would also have to find another place to live. He heeded his father's counsel and is very grateful that his father was kind but firm in his stand. The two younger children explained that they were impressed by what happened to the two older ones. From the beginning they planned to become pioneers. The youngest son gave up his high school education to pioneer.

    So with this kind of "encouragement" who can blame the JW youth? "Of course you are free to go to college girl, but I won't pay for it! How "encouraging"! "If you go to college son, I will throw you out of the house! Wow, how "encouraging" that must have been folks! Of course the younger children learned a lot from all this wonderful display of "encouragement" from their father, the elder, so they gave up all thought of an education. This was in 1973, and in a competitive society like the Korean, I am sure they have enjoyed a long life of window cleaning by now, while distributing the same WT "encouragement". This little story from the 73 KM really captures the fundamental insanity of the WTS in an excellent way. It illustrates so clearly the tragedy of how they manage to rob people out of their whole lives, by forcing them to make insane "decisions" about their personal future.

    Norm.

  • Stacy Smith
    Stacy Smith

    Well the Crap-O-Meter must have been maxed out at that assembly.

    My parents were always given BS because of my grades in highschool. I was naive about certain things and would talk about going to college one day and how I would use my earnings to travel and see things. I know all of you know the comments I would receive from Sister Anal after say such things.

    Yeah it's clear why dad never got used there. He encouraged me to get an education so I'd have some options in my life. Instead of being spiritual and a toliet scruber.

  • CountryGuy
    CountryGuy

    Well, of course the society doesn't want little dubbies to go to college. College usually means you have to think for you self! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

    Actually, I remember going to college and trying to be a witless.... er, I mean witness. It wasn't anything I learned at school that made me want to stop going to the meetings. It was the actions of the witnesses themselves. I was working full time, going to school (graduated with honors) and still attending all five meetings and field service. But, the way they treated me, you'd think I was DF'd. Most looked at me like I had farted in the KH. This was both in my "home" congregation and the one in the town where I went to college.

    Personally, I'm surprised the society doesn't encourage congregations to send the really smart little dubbies to one specific school. Where, much like the methodists, baptists and catholics, they could have a JW Student Union to keep control of them and "counter-act" any thinking they do for themselves. This would enable each congregation to have one or two college graduates, thus boosting the contribution amounts.

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