by Collegegurl 50 Replies latest jw friends
LOL, well I've heard just today that a son of prominent elder in my old congo is going to university. It goes without saying that when I attended college for the first time he was one of those that found it repugnant.
As for WTBS doctrine, it doesn't surprise me. But they will render themselves irrelevant as times goes by because of having nutters lead people in increasingly complex world.
Is anything written in writing about this new (or rather) old policy? If so, I really need a copy for something I am working on.
Thanks,
Ned
There never was a policy on this, and, according to the notes on the recent Elder's School, there was nothing said about deleting anyone just for attending college. Of course, they heavily discourage it, which may amount to the same thing, but there is no policy. The attitude for/against college varies greatly by the congregation.
I can see the elders not appointing young JWs as pioneers if they are going to 4 year or more college. Not exemplary, you know.
I can see some getting around it by saying it is only one or two years and then extending it later.
According to our new CO, elders nor their children are allowed to go to college.
"allowed"??? Did the CO really say "ALLOWED"??? When did the US of A stop being a free country?
Quite frankly, the CO probably has no education beyond a GED. I'm certain that part of this trend is due to the "higher ranking" JWs feeling threatened by the intellectual capacity of young JWs (or any JWs for that matter) who have the wherewithall to get a college or university education.
It's a lot harder to get compliance out of people who have learned the skill of critical thinking... which is something you don't learn in high school. They are very worried that the more educated JWs become, the less likely they will be obedient to the WTS.
Two examples of how elder bodies have taken something the WTS said and blown it out of proportion. The WTS has a hard time controlling their Talmud.
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w89 11/1 p. 30 Do You See Only the Outward Appearance? ***Obviously, then, the elders in one congregation went "beyond the things that are written" a few years ago by requiring every public speaker in their congregation to wear a white shirt, even though pastel colors were generally acceptable in that country. Guest speakers who showed up with a colored shirt were asked to change into one of several white shirts kept in the Kingdom Hall for just such emergencies. How careful we have to be in order not to impose our personal taste on others!
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w96 9/1 p. 21 Living by the Law of the Christ ***Others tend to turn the Society’s suggestions and guidelines into rules. For example, in the March 15, 1996, issue of The Watchtower, there was a fine article encouraging elders to make regular shepherding calls on congregation members. Was the purpose to establish rules? No. Although those who are able to follow the suggestions find many benefits, some elders are not in a position to do so.
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w96 9/1 p. 21 Living by the Law of the Christ ***Similarly, the article "Questions From Readers" in the April 1, 1995, issue of The Watchtower cautioned against detracting from the dignity of the occasion of baptism by going to extremes, such as wild partying or staging victory parades. Some have carried this mature counsel to extremes, even making a rule that sending an encouraging card on this occasion would be wrong!
I've never heard such a rule about the college thing.
Blondie, your're right about that last ref. to the WT article on celebrating one's newly baptismal. But I did get a card from a sister in my hall. (She was a regular pioneer who was deathly afraid of getting pregnant and was religiously on the pill-but I saw her 2 months ago and she's got a daughter now, blew up like a whale and is struggling as a cashier at Home Depot; How sad.)
Anyways-yeah, after my baptismal my folks did not take me out to dinner, no gifts, just a hug and a reminder that "now if I messed up I would have to ansewr to Jehovah" Gee, Mom-that advice has really lit up my day.
Since it came from the CO, it might represent new official policy. If it is, then we may well hear more of it happening as time goes by.
Forscher
The beatings will continue until morale improves!!!
Forscher
It's not completely far-fetched that this is of concern, though I am not aware of a rule against it.
Pg 41 of Crisis of Conscience says of the GB, "discussions were held on such subjects as whether a father qualifies as an elder if he...approves of his son or daughter taking higher education..."
Is it possible there is some other reason your father is being demoted--something he's not telling you about?
