Did WTS encourage college back then?

by sf 9 Replies latest jw friends

sf

Please post vital wt articles stating basically college was not for jws and why it wasnt....AND... what is the societies "new light" now? thx. I need this asap!!
thx,sKally
larc

sf,
I graduated from high school in 1958. Back in that era, both my sister and a cousin were valedictorians of their high school class. Neither went to college. Of about 50 JW kids in the city where I lived, I was the only one to go to college, and I had to talk my mother into it.
In an article the WT wrote in 1969, they warned about advice given by high school counselors who encouraged bright students to go onto college, "Do not be influenced by them. Do not let them brain-wash you with the Devil's propaganda to get ahead, to make something of yourself in this world. The world has little time left. Any future this world offers is no future." (Awake!, June 8, 1969, pp. 3-8)
Gianluca

Hi SF
Some time ago i found this on a web site.
The Watchtower Society's views about "Higher Education"
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has recently reversed another of its rules. The Society's publications
taught that education, especially "higher" education beyond high school is undesirable and a waste of valuable
time.The following quotations are typical articles the Watchtower has printed on the subject.
The first quotation demonstrates the common Watchtower Society belief that wisdom gained by education is not
helpful to one's abilities to be a minister of Jehovah.
w56 5/15 315 Careful Living Helps Avoid Life's Pitfalls
We are strongly urged to 'study to show ourselves approved unto God'; in the old world we would be studying to
gain 'wisdom' and approval of men. 'Be doers of the Word and not hearers only,' we are taught; but by following
the course of higher education we would have little time to be hearers or doers of the Word of God............20 God's
approval is upon no part of the old world, and that includes its institutions of learning that promulgate its
philosophies. Such 'wisdom' adds nothing to the stature of an individual as a minister of Jehovah, because that is
not its intended purpose, nor is it designed with this objective
The next quotation is typical of many that express the worry that education and exposure to college influences will
lead one to seek a high paying career and the material things that money can buy. This would mean one would
put less emphasis and time into the work of preaching the Watchtower Society's doctrine and distributing
literature. Parents are cautioned about contributing to this attitude, too.
w67 2/1 75-6 Fruitful Christians Manifest Godly Contentment
Young people, for example, are easily influenced by the materialistic outlook of the world around them, and
especially is this true if their parents are inclined to value highly the ability to command a big salary in the
business world.As a result, they may set their hearts on the education that is offered by the world's institutions of
"higher learning." Their desire is not simply to learn a trade so that they can work with their hands and not be a
burden on others; no, they want to be in an upper income bracket. (1 Thess. 4:10-12) But what is wrong with that?
Jesus frankly said that it would be more difficult for a rich man to get into the Kingdom than for a camel to get
through the eye of a sewing needle. (Luke 18:24, 25) Rather than being content with "sustenance and covering,"
those who devote themselves to getting a "higher education" usually want to be able to enjoy "the rest of the
things" that money can buy. (Mark 4:19) If they are going to succeed in the education they have set out to get, they
have to work hard at it. Study of the Bible, association with the Christian congregation and participation in the
Christian ministry are curtailed. Worldly associations predominate; worldly philosophy fills their minds. What
happens? Perhaps not what they expected, though they would have known if they took seriously what the Bible
says. (1 Cor. 15:33; Col. 2:8)
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(Probably because 1975 was not far away). The Society claimed that the only work
with a future is preaching or other theocratic activity:
w69 3/15 171 What Influences Decisions in Your Life?
Many schools now have student counsellors 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!
After the 1975 failed prophecy, college being a waste of time because of the "nearness of the end" is not stressed
as strongly. Instead, warnings of the dangers of college are made over and over.
w75 9/1 543 Questions from Readers
Today, there are many teen-age baptized servants of Jehovah. Their personal study, preparation for meetings and
sharing in the Theocratic Ministry School have given them a basic knowledge of Bible truth for Christian preaching.
They have also benefited by education in the public schools. But 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.......Many college and university courses are based on false theories, such
as evolution, that bolster the old system of things, which will soon pass away forever. (1 John 2:17) A goodly
number of the professors have no faith in God or in the Bible and actively teach their godless beliefs. Moreover,
there is the corrupting influence that the college atmosphere often has on morals, including the danger of drug
addiction.In most countries secular schools, public and private, are more filled with lawlessness, violence and
corruption (and also drugs) than they were years ago. Admittedly, some schools are very bad.
g87 1/8 15 College Education-A Preparation for What?
You graduate from college with dreams for the future. Sadly, most of your aspirations will turn to ashes. I don't
want to demoralize you, but you might as well hear the truth: When you acquire the possessions you covet, if you
acquire them, and when you achieve the successes you pursue, if you achieve them, they won't satisfy you.
Instead, at those very moments when you would expect to be reveling in triumph, you will feel empty rather than
fulfilled, depressed rather than elated, agitated rather than peaceful."
In 1987, the Awake! magazine "From Our Readers" section printed a letter which commented on the above article.
This letter contained the following disapproval of college education:
g87 8/22 28 From Our Readers
College Education?
When I first read your article "College Education-A Preparation for What?" I thought to myself: 'Another put-down
for a college education.' (January 8, 1987) But after careful consideration, now that I have finished college, I can
truly appreciate the advice given. Although it's too late for me, I hope young people who read the article realize
that a college education prepares you for absolutely nothing. I look back and regret those years of my life.
The Society again began using the shortness of time as a reason to avoid further education. In a 1988 Awake!
magazine "From Our Readers" letter, the question was whether to pursue a college education or not. The
Watchtower's answer included the following:
g88 1/22 28 From Our Readers
Third, the usual college environment fosters a spirit of independence and permissiveness, resulting in sexual
immorality and drug misuse that may be difficult for many young people to resist. We encourage young people to
continue acquiring knowledge, especially that found in the Bible because it leads to gaining everlasting life. (John
17:3) We also encourage them to cultivate the skills necessary to lead a useful, productive life with the emphasis
on Jesus' words at Matthew 6:33, to keep seeking first God's Kingdom and his righteousness.And fourth, the time is
short. (Luke 21:34-36; Ephesians 5:15, 16) It can be spent most profitably in serving our Creator.-ED.
g85 3/22 18 How Do I Choose a Career?
A Christian's view of the future should also affect his choice of career. With 'the world passing away,' a career
based upon worldly ambitions is most unrealistic. (1 John 2:17) Bible prophecy indicates how short-lived such a
career would be.-Luke 21:29-35.
The following article, gives little doubt about the Society's opinion of the value of a college education.
g89 5/8 13 What Career Should I Choose?
A university degree may or may not improve your employment prospects. But one fact is indisputable: "The time
left is reduced"! (1 Corinthians 7:29) For all its presumed benefits, would four years or more in a university be the
best use of that remaining time?-Ephesians 5:16.
The Watchtower Society even encourages young people to spend less time on their normal high school education.
The following is one of several articles they wrote that suggests shortening the school day to allow more time for
the Society's interests.
g90 11/22 27 Will an After school Job Help Me Grow Up?
There are activities available that may be more beneficial than working. These activities include reading and
studying outside of school and taking on the responsibilities of unpaid volunteer work or community service.' Nina,
for example, performs a most valuable community service after school as a full-time minister of Jehovah's
Witnesses. She says: "I worked it out with my guidance counsellor to have a short school day so I would get out of
school near noon. Monday through Wednesday I go out in the public preaching work. I love doing it. I just love it!"
Would your schedule and personal circumstances permit you to do likewise? Developing "godly devotion" in this
way would no doubt prove to be far more beneficial than working at some job!-1 Timothy 4:8.
But after all the above mentioned articles all of a sudden "New Light" higher Education is OK!
All this disapproval of a college education has now been replaced with a conditional approval of higher education.
In The Watchtower of November 1, 1992, both study articles and one short reading article were on the subject of
education. The first study article, pages 10 through 15 entitled "Education in Bible Times," was devoted to a
discourse on education in the Hebrew scriptures , with the last two paragraphs covering Greek scriptures. The
second study article, pages 15 through 22 covered educational needs in our modern times. The quotations below
come from this second article. The third article, on pages 21 and 22, discussed the educational background of the
apostle Paul.
w92 11/1 17-18 Education With a Purpose
9 How much education does a young Christian need in order to respect these Bible principles and meet his
Christian obligations? This varies from country to country. By and large, however, it seems that the general trend in
many lands is that the level of schooling required to earn decent wages is now higher than it was a few years ago.
Reports received from branches of the Watch Tower Society in different parts of the world indicate that in many
places it is difficult to find jobs with decent wages after completing simply the minimum schooling required by law
or in some countries even after finishing secondary or high school.
w92 11/1 18 Education With a Purpose
11 What is often the situation today? 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. Becoming physically exhausted,
they gave up the pioneer ministry. What can such ones do to support themselves and get back into the pioneer
service?
w92 11/1 18 Education With a Purpose
Christians should regard education as a means to an end. In these last days, their purpose is to serve Jehovah as
much and as effectively as possible. If, in the country where they live, 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
w92 11/1 19-20 Education With a Purpose
Who decides whether a young Christian should undertake further education or training? The Bible principle of
headship comes into play here. (1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 6:1) On this basis parents will surely want to guide
their children in the choice of a trade or occupation and consequently in the amount of education that will be
needed. In many countries educational and occupational choices have to be made early on during secondary
education. That is the time when Christian parents and youths need to seek Jehovah's direction in making a wise
choice, with Kingdom interests uppermost in mind. Young people have different propensities and aptitudes. Wise
parents will take these into account. All honest work is honorable, be it blue-collar or white-collar. While the world
may elevate office work and disparage working hard with one's hands, the Bible certainly does not. (Acts 18:3) So
when parents and young Christians today, after carefully and prayerfully weighing the pros and cons, decide for or
against post secondary studies, others in the congregation should not criticize them.t of or changed into a
materialistic goal.
17 If Christian parents responsibly decide to provide their children with further education after high school, that is
their prerogative. The period of these studies would vary according to the type of trade or occupation selected. For
financial reasons and in order to enable their children to get into the full-time service as quickly as possible, many
Christian parents have chosen for them short-term study programs in vocational or technical schools. In some cases
youths have needed to be apprenticed to some trade but always with a full life of service to Jehovah as the
goal.teaching"
w92 11/1 20 Education With a Purpose
This magazine has placed emphasis on the dangers of higher learning, and justifiably so, for much higher
education opposes the "healthful teaching" of the Bible. (Titus 2:1; 1 Timothy 6:20, 21) Further, since the 1960's,
many schools of advanced learning have become hotbeds of lawlessness and immorality. "The faithful and
discreet slave" has strongly discouraged entering that kind of environment. (Matthew 24:12, 45) It must be admitted,
however, that nowadays youngsters meet up with these same dangers in high schools and technical colleges and
even in the workplace.-1 John 5:19
With the Watchtower Society now approving the use of a young person's life in pursuit of further education, I
wonder what has happened to the Society's insistence that the end of "this system of things" is very near? And why
did they prevousely say that higher education is a waste of time? And why did they say that higher education is the
devils propaganda ?etc.etc........It would have been better if the Watchtower Society had kept their own opinions to
themselves and just said that the choice of higher education is a personal decision.
Ciao
Gianluca
chester

Hi SF,
I found this in the 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!
Chester
sf

I appreciate your time in responding so far. I will "copy shortcut" this and when more DOCUMENTATION is added to the thread.
It's a hot topic on yahoo voice chat today. We have a lot of diverse topics and many dynamic people involved in the conversation. Today a lady who CLAIMED she was studying was pretty emphatic that the WTBTS did not discourage college in any way, shape or form. And that "Jehovah (her capital "j") does NOT kill babies!" I bwahhhhhed good at that one!!! She insisted she KNEW jehovah well, even only after studying a while. I told her that's why I planned my sabotage out of the kult; college was not or never going to be in the picture for any of us kids. How would she pay for it anyway? All she worked for all those years, were for WHAT??????? Yes, the "conditional donation arrangement"/ "CHARITABLE PLANNING FOR JEHOVAHS KINGDOM SERVICES" I'm sure she's already sighed a "CDA" (>:(])!!! You know, I once asked her when I was a young girl "mom, how much money do you get from working?". I recall her answer being "$800 twice a month". That was late sixties. (sigh) It's really so very difficult to not stop and allow myself to ponder what might have been. And when I do, it's a feeling I don't wish any other person to have to feel such agony inside their soul. Dramatic? Emotional? Crazy? Neurotic? PERHAPS!!! hahahahahaha
Um, oh yea, back to the topic...thx again!!
Sincerely, sKally/ "wturls" on yahoo
Skimmer

Remember that there is always more than just the publicly available printed publications on most WTBTS directives. From my experience back in the 1972-1973 time frame, anyone who became known as considering college was immediately branded as a bad association. And it was not just fear of exposure to sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll. The big point at that time was 1975 and anyone who was willing to start a four year program that lasted after 1975 was marked as being unfaithful and also ungrateful for the "fine spiritual food in due season". There was also guilt by association; any male who let his children consider college was removed from consideration for any kind of advancement in responsibility or position.
Francois

I graduated high school in '63 and got the same song and dance. I'm certainly glad I didn't listen.
I'd have missed college in the sixties!! What a disaster that would have been. And I haven't gotten over missing Woodstock yet. College in the sixties for those of you who missed it was, it was, well - it was. Hummmm. Actually, if you remember college in the sixties you couldn't possibly have been there.
Helped me get out of the Borg, too.
Francois
teejay

sf,
could you post the link to the discussion on Yahoo or email it
to me? i was raised a jw (since the mid sixties) and may be
able to offer something to the discussion. anything i can do
to inform the public about the TRUE jw history.
thanks.
tj
Faraon

I have one about 16 pages long edited on MS Word. I copied it from their CD ROM articles and sent it to my daughters' attorney-ad-litem with comments I added. It only includes Watchtower articles, but it enlightens people's thoughts in viewing their attitude towards Higher Education.
It is too long for this post, but I can email it to you as regular email or as an attachment.
JRP
If I wanted your opinion, I would beat it out of you (seen in a bumper sticker)
Faraon

Here is another site and part of the article.
http://student.uq.edu.au/~s101663/jws/jws-edu.htm
The Watchtower policy until 1992 is shocking, and has been cited often by non-Witness parents to obtain custody when challenged by Jehovah's Witnesses.
Here is what the Watchtower Society's position on education was up to 1992: "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 Devils propaganda to get ahead, to make something of yourself in this world. This world has very little time left . . . make pioneer service, the full-time ministry, with the possibility of Bethel or missionary service your goal."
Another publication of the Jehovah's Witnesses said this: "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."
The result of the Watchtower Society's antipathy toward education is that today, Witnesses suffer the economic disadvantages that you would expect of a group that eschews education. Witnesses have a double disadvantage because in addition to generally avoiding college education, it is against their basic beliefs to plan for the future. As a group, Witnesses are generally the least educated and the poorest of the poor.
There is quite strong scientific evidence to support this. In 1993, two researchers published the result of a massive survey to identify trends within the major religious groups in the United States. Barry A. Kosmin and Seymour P. Lachman called their project the “National Survey of Religious Identification”. The survey had a sample size of 113,000 people, including 900 Jehovah's Witnesses. Of the thirty religious groups included in the survey, Jehovah's Witnesses had the lowest percentage of their members graduate from college.
Educational Rank - Religion - Percentage of members that are college grads
1. Unitarian Universalist: 49.5%
2. Hindu: 47%
3. Jewish: 46.7%
7. Agnostic: 36.3%
18. Catholic: 20%
19. Mormon: 19.2%
20. Lutheran 18%
21. Seventh Day Adventist: 17.9%
27. Baptist: 10.4%
28. Pentecostal: 6.9%
30. Jehovah's Witnesses: 4.7%
In the last few years, the Watchtower Society has started to relax their rules and now some Jehovah's Witnesses are allowed to go to college. However the anti-education attitudes persist, and very few Witnesses go to college. Why do so few Witnesses still not go to college, despite the softening of the Society's official position on college education? …
I hope this helps you.
JRP
If I wanted your opinion, I would beat it out of you (seen in a bumper sticker)

Did WTS encourage college back then?

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