Jan 1st WT: Reaching out, Higher Education and Providing for one's needs

by truthseeker 70 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  metatron

  This reminds me of the 'full court press' they did on contributions after the new arrangement was announced some years ago. They

  bombarded the KM and Watchtowers and assembly parts with pleas for cash. When that effort went nowhere, they started cutting back

  and partly gave up on the ceaseless begging.

  Considering the current bombardment on not going to college, they must be panicking. Perhaps C.O.'s are coming back with stories of

  young men in particular abandoning the organization en masse.

  Of course, like most of what they preach, it's a scam. Bethel has been downsized and a missionaries life is often pretty awful, even if you

  endure the years of penurious pioneering. As for being an elder or MS, they can never admit that this is largely their own fault.

  Why would anyone want to be one?

  metatron
• 

  Inquisitor

  Quote: "He might come to expect special treatment in the congregation"

  Funny the WTS should dare to imagine that special treatment is expected by college-going members. I wonder what treatment they are referring to? The opposite of neglect and out-right hostility? That would be sooo special indeed. Utopian even!

  INQ
• 

  Jez

  
  The thing that bothers me the most is the premise that higher education is for greedy people that want material things in life. Education is about so much more than that, what about getting a fulfilling career, something that you enjoy doing, not 'have' to do for $, reaching your potential, expanding your mind, increasing your knowledge base, security, brain exercise, etc.

  There are so many other reasons that people choose to go onto higher education, but giving ONE reason only is obviously an argument meant to sway the R&F a very specific way. Educated people would see right through that form of manipulation.

  This is just wrong, and it seems like many witnesses know it. Jez
• 

  Mary

  The whole thing is just another scare tactic by the feeble old farts in Crooklyn or Patterson or wherever they are. The main reason they don't want the youth going off to university, is because universities teach you to think for yourself and that's the biggest bug-a-boo they fear. How many times were we warned about "independent thinking"? I'm sure the course loads the students have certainly contribute to them "falling away" as well, but that the Society's problem because they refuse to "simplify" things and cut the meetings down to one or two meetings a week.

  For alot of Witnesses, I think it's falling on deaf ears. I know of three elders in my area whose kids are all attending university. If the Society decides to clamp down even harder and removing elders and MS's who allow their kids to go to university, (which I can see happening), then they're really going to be facing a shortage of elders and MS's.........should be interesting to see how this is all going to play out.
• 

  sweet tee

  The thing that bothers me the most is the premise that higher education is for greedy people that want material things in life. Education is about so much more than that, what about getting a fulfilling career, something that you enjoy doing, not 'have' to do for $, reaching your potential, expanding your mind, increasing your knowledge base, security, brain exercise, etc.

  I would ad to Jez's comment ... providing for oneself and living above the poverty level.

  Because the GB do not live in the real world where necessities must be provided by oneself they cannot comprehend how difficult it is. Even though they mention the economic state, they still fail to acknowledge that it has any real impact on the R&F. But, if the R&F cannot provide for themselve, the GB are not going to step in with any provisions ... more than likely they'll say that it is due to a lack of reliance on Jehovah . I like the expression "God helps those who help themselves" (Amen!). There is little to no welfare in the states anymore and what provisions are left are being cut every year. There is no safety net! You HAVE to take care of YOURSELF!

  My ex-mother-in-law pioneered for over 20 yrs. Where is her retirement plan? Where is her health plan other than Medicare? What about her burial? Nadda! She won't get so much as a thank you, let alone a gold watch . So much for caring for widows and orphans. So anti-Christ like.

  sweet tee
• 

  hillbilly

  Looks like the same ol' saw to me.... that same message is a re-hash of the early '70's diatribe...pre 75 message.

  Confident educated independant folks are hard to control........The GB fears that more than anything.

  ~Hill
• 

  Jez

  Because the GB do not live in the real world where necessities must be provided by oneself they cannot comprehend how difficult it is.

  Good point. You know I said in my post about reinstatement that the church that I went to before constantly encouraged a trusting of oneself, that since we were made in God's image, the answers were within each of us, and that answer is not the same for you as it is me. THEREFORE, why can't they just trust their members to be balanced, to make the right decision for THEM, why can't they just trust that through prayer and meditation, they can find the answer as to whether or not they should go to university or college, THEMSELVES??? AGAIN, this makes me so ANGRY, because members are being taught to rely on the GB, when they should be taught and encouraged to rely on themselves and their personal relationship with God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What is right for one is not right for all, what is wrong for one, is not wrong for all!

  Grrrr. Jez
• 

  Odrade

  I'm actually glad they've had this rash of articles and comments about higher education. A few weeks ago I had a conversation with my dad where he told me that his keeping me from college was a "misinterpretation." I pointed out that the Society is very aware of how a great number of JWs take their advice about advanced schooling, yet do nothing to correct the "misconception." So he can't entirely blame himself.
  He didn't really have an answer to that, but I guarantee every time he sees a comment in the magazines lately, disparaging higher education, it's going to be another crack in his JW armor.
• 

  sweet tee

  THEREFORE, why can't they just trust their members to be balanced, to make the right decision for THEM, why can't they just trust that through prayer and meditation, they can find the answer as to whether or not they should go to university or college, THEMSELVES???

  Hmm Jez ... that sounds a lot like independent thinking. When I started thinking for myself I figured out that they couldn't be the one and only way to God. Then I left. I truly hope that the up and coming GB members will relax the rules for the R&F but I don't know what it would take, or how long for that to happen. From what I read here it sounds like many are getting fed up just as I was with all the 'do more, get by on little or nothing, wait on the kingdum' gibberish. I say in 5 years the WTBS will be just a fraction of its former self.

  sweet tee
• 

  Virgogirl

  My father "reached out" for those thankless "priveleges" for forty years! He ran his a** off. He's 75 years old now and has some health issues that take up a chunk of his time with doctor visits. He got sick and tired of the backstabbing and rivalry among elders and stepped down to attend to his health. The feuding was just too demanding. When others see this sort of garbage, they don't want to be ministerial servants or elders. You'd have to be nuts! I still don't see why they don't realize that little education equals little income, equals little donations coming into the Crooklyn coffers, duh! Aren't they shooting themselves in the foot?