Hypocrisy 101 - Watchtower has Payed for College/College Courses for Bethelites!

by Crisis of Conscience 43 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  LongHairGal

  CRISIS:

  This doesn't surprise me and I believe I have heard this before. They DO educate those who they want. But this doesn't address why they should begrudge people in the congregations who are paying for their OWN education. After all, the average JW is not asking the religion to pay for their children's education.

  Bottom Line as I see it: the religion doesn't want YOU (i.e. the average JW) to get an education if it will make YOU smarter, richer, happier. They would rather see you illiterate, poor, starving and dying prematurely --------However, it DOES want YOU to get an education if it will benefit THEM DIRECTLY.

  How's that for selfish and not to mention hypocritical.
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  Scott77

  marked for later
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  Roski

  A sister in Australia who is now (I assume is still) in Bethel was looked down on by some members of the congregation for attending uni to study law. She was asked to go to Bethel ( I believe) before she finished her degree. Lovely person - I wonder how she copes there.
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  Band on the Run

  Overseer - I feel we are Israelite in Egypt or a slave in the antebellum slave. White men with whips with a passion for rape. It does not have good connotations in English.

  If all Bethelites or Witnesses took standardized test and submitted work products, educating a few might make sense. This method appears to be ad hoc. More deserving brothers and sisters are denied education. Paul's theme was the cessation of classes within Christianity. It was what first marked Christianity when outsiders described them.

  Is anyone really surprised?
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  ziddina

  "...I remember, long ago, when they would announce from the platform that they were seeking JWs to sign up for Bethel who had college degrees. That was a small prick in my mind - it was kinda like... "We discourage college education, but need people with college degrees." ..."

  OOOOO, Jim_Tx, I remember that sort of announcement in my congregation clearly... In my case, [western U.S.A.] the announcement was made in the early 80's - very shortly after the Watchtower Society purchased new computerized printing presses, and went something like this:

  "The Watchtower Society is seeking computer programmers to serve at Bethel. These must be COLLEGE-EDUCATED computer programmers, NOT self-educated programmers..."

  I hit the roof. After giving up on a degree in geology because we were told all thru the 60's and early 70's that "Armageddon" was coming, there I was without a degree thanks to the Watchtower Society, and they were demanding COLLEGE DEGREED computer programmers... From the rank&file Witnesses, no less...

  That wasn't the ONLY reason I left, but I left the JW's within approximately a year of that announcement...

  Zid
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  Crisis of Conscience

  @ LongHairGal - You are absolutely right. I shouldn't be surprised. I guess I still have it in my mind that when a group puts themselves on such a high pedestal, and for so long, anything shocking should provide a positive feeling. But what I continue learning, that is truthful, has all been negative.

  And yet they continue to say that apostates only say twisted things. But the org are the ones hiding the truth or trying to keep things on the hush. That's what in reality is twisted!

  CoC
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  LV101

  a couple of ex-bethelites told me this years ago -- about 1991-92 -- how they picked up the tabs for lawschool w/the agreement that they'd serve the tower upon graduation. seems these individuals were witnesses who had finished their undergraduate studies when the religion grabbed hold of them.

  also heard they conned a seasoned lawyer in private practice to join their ranks in brooklyn paying off all of his debts and mortgage as an incentive.
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  LV101

  YES -- they certainly do hire outside legal counsel. they'd have to hire some hitters who have real litigation experience w/all the fraud they have going on.
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  Crisis of Conscience

  @ LV101 - Addressing your first comment, that's the way the Bethelite I spoke to said it. The brothers whose education was paid for were committed to staying at Bethel, otherwise known as faithful brothers, and so the society took that step.
  Still hypocritical!! Gotta love it!

  CoC
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  Seeker4

  I know for certain that Rob Pollock, the Bethelite head of the Society's engineering projects, got his education while at Bethel and paid for by the WTS. He was a friend at the time and married to a girl from my congregation. They told us, and it was supposed to be kept pretty quiet. The wife complained that between school and his work of the WTS, she seldom saw him, and his meeting attendance was sporadic at best.

  On the other hand, I'm fairly certain that Judah Ben Schroeder's education was paid for by his father in law, who is quite wealthy. I've had it under pretty reliable authority that JBS may not be the strongest believer in the WTS. The last I heard he was working on either his Masters or PHD. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he'd quietly moved on from the WTS.

  And yes, there have been several others the WTS sent to college and got degrees for.

  S4