by Atilla 31 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Attila,
Here's a thread from a couple of months ago that you might want to read. Another forum member (who works in the school system) was discussing this very issue and how difficult it can be. Hope it helps provide some insight.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/58565/1.ashx
tal
Atilla, just a few more opinions. Don't ever mention to your kids or parents that you are disfellowshipped. It's simply not relevant. It's possible one of your students will try to convert you, just tell them you have seen that particular book or that you will look at the article (you should just to be familiar with what they are up against in their indoctrination at the moment.) If you EVER say you are DF'd you will have lost any opportunities, as the kids will now be "bullet-proof" against all your efforts, no matter how sane or innocuous.
As a history teacher you are in a very good position to introduce a little critical thinking without ever mentioning the JWs. You can make sure they are aware of just how many countries, organizations and religions write revisionist history. And you can tell them the ways of researching to find out the real truth. You can also teach them how to spot revisionist history in the making, the methods that are used to let people "forget" the true story while the "new" history is gently being remodelled.
If a JW student hands in a paper that is primarily from JW sources (you should always require bibliographies, especially since religious organizations often omit them), hand it back and explain that they need to document their information from more neutral sources, then give them an extra day or two to do it on the first one so they don't think they are persecuted. I had a lit teacher way back in high school that might have been able to reach me. She almost did, but then blew it by handing my parents the "persecution" wedge. I was an excellent writer but she failed my term paper because many of my sources were from the JWs. Her criticism was valid, but her implementation completely overshadowed the point she was trying to teach me.
Being a devout and fanatical JW while in school was a hard row to hoe, and there were moments when I had a glimpse of critical thought processes, but I was so indoctrinated that the first mis-step by the teachers in letting their personal bias show was usually enough to shut down those thoughts and go to "defending my faith" mode. The teachers who just taught fairly and did not single out my religion in any way accomplished the most toward my being able to see through the WT fog eventually.
O
