Higher Education - is it that risky?

It’s that time of the year when the electro-shock therapy called the District Convention is foisted upon the unwary and brain-dead. This year we are seeing the same old standard themes that work to numb the brains of the attendees rolled out by the WTB$ glitterati.

The topic – Higher Education, so here is my counter argument based on facts and not supposed scripture.

It is of interest that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports on the overall unemployment rate from a number of perspectives. I would hold that the rates they post are no different here in Canada or perhaps other parts of the developed world. The BLS reports unemployment rates for the following four groups classified by education attained, all groups consist of individuals 25 years old or higher:

1. Less than a high school diploma

2. A high school diploma but no college

3. Some college or an Associate degree

4. Bachelor's degree or higher

The rates for May 2012 were Group 1 @ 13%, Group 2 @ 8.1%, Group 3 @ 7.9% and Group 4 @ 3.9%. In May 2012 the only group that saw decline was Group 4, all other groups increased over April 2012. This means that if you have less than a high school diploma you are four times as likely to be facing unemployment that a counterpart with a Bachelor’s degree or higher and twice if you graduated from high school and/or took some college. Of interest is the Group 4 has seen the most rapid decline in unemployment over the last year at a rate of two -three times faster than the other groups. The BLS also reports that age does not seem to impact the numbers so clearly education choices do.

We all know why higher education is frowned upon as it is seen as a drain on the door-knocking ranks and valuable money that would otherwise go to the coffer$ of the WTB$. So it would appear counterintuitive that in preventing higher education they are in fact contributing to their own downfall. The US Department of Education shows that 60% of all new jobs in the 21st century will require skills that are possessed by only 20% of the current workforce. A staggering statistic indeed!

My argument then is that if higher education is bad then why we not see would the benefits of such a decision in the statistics? We can see the benefits of not smoking, keeping our weight down, not abusing alcohol/drugs and sticking to the speed limit….things that are tacitly addressed in scripture. So why would a loving, caring God put his children at such a risk of not being able to provide for their family as encouraged at 1 st Timothy 5:8?

The discouragement of higher education by the WTB$ is glaringly evident. How many do you know that are facing employment challenges? How many JW’s are saturating the window cleaning and janitorial market, often undercutting one another to just get by? They face a future with large numbers of unskilled workers looking for jobs that require skills they simply do not possess. Add to this that very soon Boomer JW’s (many of whom decided not to pursue higher education in the mid 70’s)will start to peak with no source of retirement income and the expectation that their family will pick up their care costs – assuming their family is still in the so called truth and there is a kingdom hall for them to bunk out at….

mynameislame

I'd say Mormons prove it isn't all that risky

But...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Wednesday their annual report on health in the United States where statistics showed that, on average, 25-year-olds who received a bachelor's degree had a life expectancy almost nine years longer than those who did not have a high school diploma.

So by denying them college education they are actually shortening their life span.

ShirleyW

Are they still singing this no college song? Practically all the Jdubs from the 1980's and up are college educated. Since these Dub rules are sometimes regional, maybe in certain parts of country they still believe in no college after HS, but I certainly can't speak for all the younger folks from the 80's until now, but just about everyone's young brother and sister and the kids of the Dubs that I grew up with are college educated.

Simon Morley

College vs. University is very differnet in many parts of the world. Here in Canada some pursue a two year diploma at a technical college. However, many of the colleges here are moving to three and four year degree courses and dropping diplomas. that will create yet another cnundrum for WTB$.

Magwitch

Once a person learns critical thinking skills, staying a JW is next to impossible. So it is very risky to let any JW go to college.

Band on the Run

Mormons stay Mormons, though. When Rick Santorum scared and shocked everyone by deriding college during the primaries, the Dems responded with Pew Foundation data that a college education usually increases faith. It suprised me.

From my personal experience, my teen age JW certainty was utterly crushed in college. My interest in the area led me to take academic courses that redefined my faith. I no longer believe any fundamentalist ideas. It made much more sense to see deeper truths.

Religious studies at a secular university allowed me to keep my intellectual and moral integrity in Christ. The JW nonsense was obliterated.

I doubt that it is actual knowledge that changes the equation. My world-view changed. Once I learned how to do research in an unrelated topic, the same principles applied to Witness belief. It was so much easier to walk away.

Seminaries are flourishing, though. Graduate seminaries that are competitive draw many applicants. Most colleges started as seminaries. Non controlling religions risk little. So much of what is objectionable in the WTBTS has little to do with their theology. It is their frantic overreaching and distortions that cause problems.

breakfast of champions

BOTR - yeah, that Pew survey was really pretty interesting. But that positive effect is found in more moderate or "liberal" religious denominations, not fundamentalists like JWs. And although I agree with MAGWITCH that critical thinking skills are indeed instant death to JW belief, I really don't think college students always invest this amount of depth to their education. At my university, teachers and counsellors emphasize the need for critical thinking skills, yet looking around me, I see a bunch of kids being kids. That may just be my adult, jaded, ex-JW filter working, but I honestly don't think the average 18- 21 year old really comprehends the importance of critical thinking. That being said. . .

I think the society's decision to keep bashing higher ed is certainly hurting them. Financially, they need college grads who make $money$ making donations - not folks just scraping by. Pioneers do not create cash flow in the ministry. You can just forget about that.

Not to mention those (like myself) who were college-bound, but gave it up and now regret it. Regret leads to hurt and revenge. The last thing the society needs is people working from the inside plotting their demise in revenge for the life that could have been.

Band on the Run

When I was in college, I thought I was only learning new information. The professors honed critical thinking skills. We were told that anyone can parrot info. Asking hard question was so important. Law school increased the thinking skills by a factor of one thousand. Also, I came from a solid working class neighborhood. College was my first exposure to the middle class.

Starting college was hell for me. I wanted to do well so desperately. My relatives were mocking college students which contrasted to what classmates faced. I assimilated over time.

Faith in Christ increased. Religious denomination no longer mattered to me. I suppose I became a Chinese menu Christian.

The ambiance influenced me. I took some courses at a local community college and saw no sign of critical thinking skills. There was no way I could compete in the beginning b/c I was only a trivia machine. I assimilated over time, though. In my current church, I am known for being the one who asks the hard questions (and often disrupts the flow of the program) and I am so honored.

Flat_Accent

The only risk is the £9,000 a year it's going to cost me to attend.

I'm still going this september though.

Higher Education - is it that risky?

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