I do not believe it is a coincidence that I became inactive as a JW at about the same time I started learning critical thinking skills in college (I started college almost 26 years after I finished high school).
I am constantly discovering things I believed I "knew" -- believed to be fact -- that were not fact at all.
Also, writing research papers in college taught me that when one quotes a source, one needs to do so "in context" and provide full information regarding the original source. Sources that are quoted need to be available somewhere so a person reading your research can check your source if they wish. If one is quoting from an older source that may not be available to many, one needs to make the reader aware of that.
I learned the art of manipulating conversations from the Watchtower, and the art of manipulating the truth. I don't use either "art" now, as I prefer honest discussion and openness.
I learned to read before I went to school. My father read to me constantly. But that wasn't the Society -- that was my Dad.
The art of "finding the right answer" that I learned from the JWs was slightly helpful in my studies, when it was necessary to "parrot" an answer back to a teacher. Thankfully, most college professors do not want a classroom full of parrots, they want adults with critical thinking skills.
I give the Society credit for delaying my education by 26 years. That was ENTIRELY their doing.
Ruth
