To become a Jehovah’s Witness one must totally change their outlook towards work. Work has to take second place. The idea of pursuing a long-term career or striving to establish oneself in a profession is totally discouraged at every opportunity. Secular work is seen as an unfortunate distraction from the ultimate goal of every member – the pioneer service. Members are encouraged to leave school as soon as possible; to take an untrained menial job and pioneer is highly praised. To plan for the future financially shows a lack of faith that the world’s system is ending at any moment.
Many of the members spend a great deal of time helping to build assembly halls and labouring voluntarily on other long-term ambitious projects for the movement. This is never seen as a lack of faith in the same way. The reason why has always escaped me. Young Witnesses are trained to view employment as a means of earning sufficient money to finance their Kingdom activities. This often leads to a hand to mouth existence. The great joy and sense of achievement that can be experienced by those who become absorbed in meaningful employment is sacrificed as a result.
This is a deliberate policy on the part of the Society; they know that such work satisfaction and ambition leads people away from devoting time to their cause. This attitude towards further education, promotion, self-betterment and ambition, affects adults as well. With few exceptions, adults are also held back from developing their abilities and reaching their full potential. The effect this has on their family’s standard of living is considerable.
The financial sacrifices are not the greatest loss. Intelligent people, when trapped in employment that offers no challenge or room for expression, can experience intense frustration. Young Witnesses seldom consider their career carefully, not realising that the decision they make early on will affect the rest of their lives. Those who encourage them to abandon their career prospects in favour of the pioneer service, do not take the responsibility when young people find themselves unable to find meaningful employment in later years. They are told that pioneering was their own idea and that no one actually said “The End” was almost here, despite publishing this message for more than a hundred years!
Taken from the book - Opening the Door to Jehovah's Witnesses.(Click on my profile for free download)
