Nashville Public Radio: Lack Of Education Leads To Lost Dreams And Low Income For Many JWs

AndersonsInfo

http://www.npr.org/2017/02/19/510585965/poor-education-leads-to-lost-dreams-and-low-income-for-many-jehovahs-witnesses

February 19, 20176:51 PM ET

Growing up on Long Island, Zachary Linderer was obsessed with science.

He grew up a Jehovah's Witness, and like many others in the faith, he was homeschooled his whole life. By the time he got to high school, Linderer knew that he wanted to go to college for something in the sciences: physics, oceanography, something in that realm. But he realized at a young age that wasn't going to be a possibility.

"I knew that it wasn't going to be encouraged that I get an education," Linderer says. "My dad told me that he knew people who were into science, and it dragged them right out of the organization, right out of the truth."

The organization that Linderer is talking about is the Watchtower: the governing organization of Jehovah's Witnesses. The view that higher education is spiritually dangerous is very common among Witnesses, and for Linderer, it meant that his parents wouldn't support him going to college.

Still, he knew that he wanted to study, so he decided to keep his ambitions a secret and figure out a way to attend on his own. Close to high school graduation he let his plans slip to a couple of his Jehovah's Witness friends. Word got back to his family.

"When they found out, my dad and uncles made fun of me," Linderer recalls. "It really squashed my hopes. I knew I wasn't going to get their support, and without their support, it was really obvious to me at the time that I wasn't going to be able to do it on my own."

Finkelstein

..............and one their top GB members said that seeking higher education is like placing a gun to your head and playing Russia Roulette.

Nice hey

LongHairGal

FINKELSTEIN:

SO.... a guy who lives on charity of people who WORK.... says that higher education (which would logically lead to better jobs and more contributions) is like playing Russian Roulette??

Well, then...any JW who got higher education and obtained a higher paying job should stop contributing money. Their money is "no good". It should be considered contaminated. Right?

Seriously, this idiot religion has caused untold trouble and misery to anybody gullible enough to have followed their bad advice.

I DIDN'T...But, I also don't want to be around anybody who DID.. I would literally run from these people looking for handouts and that's the truth.

Finkelstein

Let it be understood that the GB members know that there is knowledge outside of their own control which to them presents an imposing threat to their acquired power and control.

Not only in bible theology but the many sciences that would contravene the bible's mythological Creation story.

So what do you do ? You demean higher education where one has to have deep investigative thinking skills. Oppress knowledge whenever it appears and this also means the reading of books, lectures, movies etc.

LongHairGal

FINKELSTEIN:

I was being sarcastic. I know full well they're afraid of knowledge that will show them up. They are also probably self-conscious about their lack of higher education and resent R&F who obtain it. This is about their ego.

But, in their desire to wish poverty on people rather than have anybody seeming better than they are, they deserve to be punished in my opinion.

They made a monumental error with their stand against college and careers. I'd never give them money no matter if they were destitute in the street. No, not after what they did!

Finkelstein

they deserve to be punished in my opinion.

Yes I agree they are a blight upon humanity.

They have caused the deaths of thousands, broken apart millions of families and instigated the suicides of many as well.

darkspilver

Ah, an article about education. But be honest - how many JWs will spot it? - did you?

under the radar

Good eyes there, darkspilver. Could be a spelling error or a simple typo. Either way, it originated with someone at NPR and not necessarily a JW.

Or it could be a case of Autocorrect being autowrong. That "feature" has been known to completely change the intended meaning of a sentence, sometimes with hilarious or shocking results. If you ever need a giggle or two, check out "damnyouautocorrect.com". It's addictive.

NVR2L8

There's another typo.....she wanted to be nurse. ..

darkspilver

Good eyes there, darkspilver. Could be a spelling error or a simple typo. Either way, it originated with someone at NPR and not necessarily a JW.

haha - yeah, I realise that, it was more if a JW would actually spot it.

NVR2L8: There's another typo.....she wanted to be nurse. ..

oh dear!

TBH I'm still trying to sort out the opening section in the article.....

like many others in the faith, he was homeschooled his whole life. By the time he got to high school,

hmmm that's kinda confusing :-/

Was he homeschooled up to 8th Grade (age 13/14) before going to High School for 9th to 12th Grade (age 14/15 to age 17/18)? Or what?

Nashville Public Radio: Lack Of Education Leads To Lost Dreams And Low Income For Many JWs

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