I'm not sure how this got blown out of proportion, my question was not about whether Bethel provided scholarships. I was asking: if you went to Harvard law, would Bethel pretty much just accept you because they want your skillzzzz or would they really care more about your spirituality?
Lawyers at Bethel
by nbernat 33 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Forscher
Back in 1978 an old brother I knew who'd been in the organization for years told me that the WTBS does occasionally pay for an education for brothers of proven loyalty when the need is projected for a loyal dub to fill an organizational need. And that included an undergraduate and graduate education. He was making an argument for me not to apply for a position at Bethel and ignore the ban by seek an education instead. I took part of his counsel at the time and did the rest twelve years later just before the ban was lifted.
Forscher
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james_woods
Nbernat: as you said -
I'm not sure how this got blown out of proportion, my question was not about whether Bethel provided scholarships. I was asking: if you went to Harvard law, would Bethel pretty much just accept you because they want your skillzzzz or would they really care more about your spirituality? That is why I posted my experience with old Hayden Covington. What the WTS put up with in the case of this old reprobate was actually unbelievable, but he was their attack dog back in the 40s and 50s on various political/legal issues. Mostly on the freedom to ignore the flag salute, the absolute right to go door to door, religious versus civil status, etc. And, of course - estate settlements to bring them in money. I personally do not think he was ever a real believing witness in mind and soul - it was just a good place to find cataclysmic cases that could get him before the Supreme Court. Let's do a search on this individual and see if we can come up with a link that explains the Hayden Covington history with the WTS.
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james_woods
Here is a JWD link from a while back that might be interesting:
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/11/103871/1.ashx
It says that "Covington was always a lawyer first, witness second..."
Another JW lawyer mentioned there was an Olin Moyle, (Covington's predecessor), a person I have never heard of...
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Jenlet
It looks like this happened at the Canadian branch in the case of Shane Brady - he was reworked from a baker into a lawyer in a Cinderella story only a JW could love. Here is a re-print of a National Post article about Brady from 2007 - I hope the link works.
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Seeker4
If you were a brother or sister with a Harvard Law degree, and your congregation recommended you for Bethel service, I bet you'd be snapped up in a second. If you were of questionable spirituality, as indicated by you BOE, I doubt if they would take you.
Sorry if I misunderstood your initial question. Also I totally agree with Forscher's comment a few posts back that the WTS will occasionally pay for a Bethelites education if they are of proven loyalty and the Society has a need.
Covington was at one time a member of the Governing Body - but did not claim to be of the anointed. Eventually that was changed, so that only anointed ones would be on the GB. He did defend Muhammad Ali against the Selective Service. Interesting in that to do so, he would have had to argue for things that, as I remember it at the time, seemed to me contrary to what JWs taught and believed.
There is an interesting tape, I had it at one time, of a talk about Covington, perhaps his funeral talk, by a brother who knew him well. It's pretty interesting, and does not gloss over Covington's problems with alcohol. He argued, and won, a remarkable number of cases before the US Supreme Court.
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itsmarkyboy
I see from the Brady story (Canada) that Glen How - the other (or perhaps retired) WTBTS of Canada lawyer was awarded the Order of Canada. How odd that someone separate from this wordly system of things and neutral in politics would accept an award from the government for service to the nation.
And yet celebrating my birthday is too self-indulgent?
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yknot
I'm not sure how this got blown out of proportion, my question was not about whether Bethel provided scholarships. I was asking: if you went to Harvard law, would Bethel pretty much just accept you because they want your skillzzzz or would they really care more about your spirituality?
Skills
The fact that you were applying to Bethel, willing to sacrifice your $$$$$$$ potential in service to them show loyalty to the WTS.
Loyalty to the WTS= spirituality
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Sasha
So then, no COLLEGE allowed except if you wanna be a JW lawyer?????
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james_woods
Or a doctor. Or a Greek Scholar. Or a printing press master engineer. Or a veterinarian. Or...
Just so long as you believe it page by page. Or can convincingly act like you do.