Mama,
I was a teenage JW. I feel sick now when I remember how I got top marks in all of my classes but was still told to take a "practical" course at college for 1 year and then work. I missed out on higher education entirely, much to the despair of my tutors.
I thought it was the right thing to do. As a teenager, you are finding yourself. You look to those around you as guides. JWs tell you OVER and OVER that there is no future with the *world* and that higher education is basically valueless. You have NO ambition and that is encouraged.
Its a time of waiting. Rather than enjoying your youth and getting some knowledge of how to best live your life, you are told to wait for armageddon. Bide your time, get a basic low paid job, tell other people to bide their time until armageddon. The most exciting thing I had to look forward to was getting married and having children.
Your daughters boyfriend simply thinks that he *must* live like that. He is biding his time until armageddon. WASTING HIS LIFE.
At 24, I finally realised what was happening to me. I realised that if I didn't do something, I'd always work in an office on low wages and I'd never LEARN anything. I knew that one day soon, I'd be 50odd wondering where all the years went as I attended one JW meeting after another and knocked on one door after another. I would never achieve anything, I would never have a positive influence on other peoples lives, I would never be anything more than I was at 24.
I really, really hope that he realises this too, sooner rather than later.
After this realisation of mine, only then did I discover the lies I'd been told by the Watchtower. You simply don't imagine that they'd lie to people! Its a shock to find out.
Lies I'd been told:
1. That as JWs we are free. This is simply not true. Noone explained to me that if I decided to leave (or express opinions contrary to standard JW opinions), I'd be shunned by family and so called friends, whether I'd committed sin or not. Some JWs still believe its only EVIL people who are shunned.
2. That CT Russell had looked at the bible objectively with no other religion influencing him, and he had discovered the truth.
3. That at the time of 1914 Jesus could look at the Bible Students and see a clean and pure group free from pagan influence or false religious influence. This isn't true since I now know that the early bible students were just like any other cult-like religion.
4. That light has always got brighter and teachings have not changed. WOW how much of a lie is that?!
5. That the New World Translation is the most accurate translation of the bible in the world. In actual fact, it is laughed at by the scholars and the people who translated it have changed things to match their 'theology'
6. That the Faithful Slave are faithful...and that they are Gods Channel on earth. As such, their advise has always been for people's good. Clearly this is a total lie, since people have died from following their 'advice'
7. That things like child abuse and domestic violence don't happen in JW households, and if they did happen, the elders would act immediately. This is also been shown to be lies.
8. That the JWs dont predict the hour or the day of armageddon. At this point I wasn't aware of the 1975 fiasco! or any of their other failed prophesies.
9. That women are 'equal' in the JWs. Oh, I realised this as I became an adult!
10. That apostates are demon-possessed. enuf said on that one!
11. That if something is a matter of 'conscience' then you can make your own decision about it without repercussions.
I could go on, but suffice it to say that the more witnesses are told that they've been lied to, the better. If they still choose to stay in the 'org' then thats their choice.
Sirona
** http://www.religioustolerance.org **
