Lack of education does not = stupid.

by bluecanary 37 Replies latest jw experiences

  • Mr. Majestic
    Mr. Majestic

    Lack of education doesn’t mean that you are stupid, but it does help you see more easily the truth, as these two scriptures show……

    (Matthew 11:25) 25 At that time Jesus said in response: "I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intellectual ones and have revealed them to babes.. . .

    (Psalm 146:3) 3 Do not put YOUR trust in nobles, Nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs.

    God.... I really miss Reniaa…….

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere

    Lack of education, however, does result in a lack of deeper understanding of topics.

    Those without a formal education tend to have a high-lever understanding of things, but not a deeper understanding. This results is them believing things that are not 100% accurate.

    As an example:

    According to the latest measurements, 95% of the u niverse's mass cannot be observed. The current hypothesis is that this 95% is made up of Dark Matter and Dark Energy; however this has not been proven yet.

    Uneducated new-age people like to say this is proof that there are ghosts, spirits and a whole other spirit world that we cannot see. THIS IS WRONG.

  • skeeter1
    skeeter1

    So cults appeal to humans basic instincts of feeling important, needed , and that no other group on the planet has any answers - only the cult. And believe it or not - some people are just ripe for the picking because they wantor need to know their future, they just can't let the future come on it's own. They have to choreograph their future . Peace out, Mr. Flipper

    Agreed. And, this is why arguing doctrine with the JWs usually gets me nowhere. They go into defense mode (elders are just human, isolated incidence, door-to-door proves we're right...) If you keep at it, then the apostate defense goes up and they slam the door on you.

    You have to get to the root of why they needed acceptance of this group that had all the answers. They needed this group for the group acceptance or Paradise dream. To swallow the bait, they were willing to gulp the hook of doctrines that they did not initially accept the reasoning. After a while, they've studied this stuff so much and had it beat into their head, that they see the once "kooky" doctrine as the Truth. But, getting to the root of the problem (wanted acceptance of group because parent(s) berated/abused them, wants to see lost child/parent in the New System, etc., wants to have children in the New System) That, is a scary place for most to go.

    Even though I disagreed and left for doctrinal issues after being raised in this religion, I now realizze that a large part was that I didn't need this group's acceptance. I was a star high school student and I wanted higher education. I saw through the "generation of 1914" calculation as being too "far out." I also was learning history, and saw how each generation could think it was "the End." This was in the 80's, before Internet and easy access to Apostate information. Add onto that what I learned from this and Freeminds and I had to formerly tell my famiky that the Truth and I had issues on many levels.

    Skeeter

  • undercover
    undercover
    There are many gung-ho JWs who KNOW a lot about a lot of things. There aren't many gung-ho JW who actually know how to THINK critically.
    I would assert that it is easier to thwart critical thought in someone who has never learned it than it is to do so in someone who has learned it.
    Independent THOUGHT is the main enemy of the WTS.

    Good point. The Society doesn't want its followers to think or reason beyond what they're told in the literature. If JWs start to use independant thought and critical thinking skills, the house of cards will soon start to fall.

    I agree that lack of education does not equal stpuid. But I think that the lack of education has made them mentally lazy. It's too easy to just accept what they've been told by 'mother' instead of taking the time to actually research it and study it outside of the publications. Those publications are written in such a way, that to do real research outside of the WT books/mags means real work and it hurts the brain...so they don't do it.

    Find a JW who is willing to start to thinking critically and do independant research and you'll find a soon to be ex-JW.

  • skeeter1
    skeeter1

    As far as education, I've met people with no education who were wise and smart.

    College does help with logic and critical thinking. Philosophy and sociology classes were key to me understanding illogical thinking and group behavior. In my philosophy class, we had to draft a commercial based on illogical argument structures (circular reasoning, strawmen, etc.). Looking at WTS publications was never the same after that class.

    Sociology was important, eye opening experience too. Ever wonder why people always ask, "Did they miss me at the KH? Did you tell them how sick I was?" After sociology, I looked at my sister's comments in a whole new light, pardon the pun.

    As for the Bible, there are some wise things in it. Just like is in other religious texts. There are also some kooky things in it. Just like in other religious texts. The Bible says it's the word of God, just like other religious texts. But, history shows that the Bible is not the only Hebrew books out there. Taking the Bible literally without examining these other documents is like reading a travel book but never visiting the country. The WTS puts too much emphasis on the Bible and does not take innto account the other religious texts.

    AS for God, I think there is a creator. But, he's not the Jehovah that the WTS preaches. I am agnostic.

    I wish Mr. Majestic the best on his spiritual journey. Too bad he needs Rennai for backup. I am not trying to convert either. But, I do wonder why they are disobeying the WTS and come here to post and sprawl with those who reject the WTS as the Supreme Authority on our Creator.

    Skeeter

  • bluecanary
    bluecanary

    Steve2, I agree that a lot of anti-witness literature is unconvincing. I find that people who have never been witnesses don’t know how to argue against it as effectively as people who’ve been there. If the high schools would even teach critical thinking skills (some probably do; mine didn’t) that would help.

    Farkel, I agree with everything you say. I just wanted to draw attention to the distinction between lack of knowledge and lack of ability to have knowledge. There’s a difference between people with little education and people with low intelligence. The former circumstance can be rectified. It’s harder to compensate for the latter.

    Parakeet, I see what you’re saying and I didn’t mean it about people using stupid in that sense. This was directed to those comments which are purposefully trying to put people down for believing in the WTS. I was dragged in from early childhood and I bought it. My mother feels stupid for buying it in her early 20s. We both had to be really shaken out of it.

    But I did believe it and I think I am a smart person. I always had the best grades in school (ok, my school system sucked, so that’s not saying a lot) and I always considered myself a rational thinker in the b0rg. I told someone once that I was a JW because it was the only religion that made sense to me. Turns out I didn’t have all the information and hadn’t been trained to properly use my reasoning faculties.

    Flipper, Amen! That’s exactly what I liked about being a Witness. Having all the answers.

  • quietlyleaving
    quietlyleaving

    lets not forget that the JW message is only one part of the overall package. When you have 2 smiling, friendly, earnest, dedicated people at your door it is very beguiling. Also a natural part of human desire is to make friends and form bonds with others. So, imo, much of our capitulation isn't to do with intelligence and learning but with basic human nature.

    I don't think Steve Hassan's idea is possible - it would contravene freedom of religion

    I would love to see every high school and college teach its students about mind control and destructive cults. The course needn’t mention any particular group by name; it should discuss the psychological principles of mind control and teach students to be suspicious of any environment that discourages them from asking critical questions.
  • bluecanary
    bluecanary
    I don't think Steve Hassan's idea is possible

    I agree. I think cult groups would do whatever they could to stop it. The government will never admit that mind control exists because then they would be accountable if someone accused them of it. I think that leaders realize that it's in their best interests for the masses to NOT have critical thinking skills.

  • quietlyleaving
    quietlyleaving

    I think that leaders realize that it's in their best interests for the masses to NOT have critical thinking skills.

    too true - its something we have to do for ourselves and I think very often life has to push us to do so

  • steve2
    steve2
    The government will never admit that mind control exists because then they would be accountable if someone accused them of it.

    Let's be fair: There are plenty of governmental bodies in the world who themselves exercise tight control over their people's thinking and it'd be like the pot calling the kettle black. Anyway, as much as I deplore the Watchtower mentality, I would be loathe to support any attempt to single them out for special exposure - it would simply fortify their conviction that they are "God's people ". Cults actually thrive on oppression.

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