Position on College Changed?

by Maximus 93 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  jschwehm

  Hi Maximus-

  When I was growing up as a dub in the 1980's college was a major no no. According to Maximus it appears that it still is.

  I wanted to go to college so bad but the congregation and my parents were majorly anti-college and pro-pioneering. I figured since my parents were more mature and older than me that I should listen to them. I did the pioneering thing and while there were some fun things that I did while pioneering, I quickly realized that if I were to pioneer for the rest of my life I would also be living with my parents for the rest of my life as well and I did not think that was right or normal. In fact, numerous elders encouraged me to continue pioneering until the new system got here and to never set goals of getting married or having a family etc.

  We had situations where individuals from other congregations would go to college. These individuals were usually disciplined by the congregation in some way or at the very least considered spiritually weak. My JW father had no sympathy for these individuals for going against the guidelines of the Society on college education.

  I did really well in high school and had numerous scholarship offers. I turned them all down. You guys know the story.
  My father used to tell me that he was glad that I was not that intelligent. You see in my father's twisted JW mind it was good to be ignorant and unintelligent because if I was intelligent then not going to college would be very frustrating because I would not be able to use that intelligence to the full in this world. So, my father was proud that I was not that intelligent.

  After I left Bethel and could not get a job that paid a living wage, I saw my friends from high school who had gone to college who were doing well. I was furious. I wrote very pointed letters to the Society and told my folks what I thought. While I was at Bethel, I could see the double standards. Those individuals who go to Bethel with an education ARE treated differently than those who go to Bethel without one. They are treated better because Bethel knows that individuals with an education can get a much better deal on the outside.

  I used to read my letters and have discussions with my parents about the Society's ban on college. My father denied it. He said that he never remembered the Society ever discouraging anyone from going to college. Even my mother was floored by that statement and she is a true believer when it comes to this cult. She knows that the JWs discouraged college.

  It is amazing the difference a few years makes. My sister who was raised as a JW is now a sophomore at Louisiana State University. She lives on campus and my folks actually help her with school expenses. When I was her age, my folks made it clear to me and my brother that if we decided to go to school we would be on our own completely. In fact, my younger brother John stood up to my father and challenged this ruling from him. My parents eventually relented but not have numerous battles including physical battles.

  Jeff S.
• 

  Maximus

  Teejay, I've dropped you a note.

  M
• 

  Lindy

  Hi Maximus,
  Thanks for the update. I can't believe they are saying this same old grap. In our congregations around here, kids going to college is still a very negative thing.

  To the rest of you just starting college in later years, or are thinking you can't do it:

  When I graduated from HS it was a huge no-no and I never gave it a second thought that I must follow the Societies ways. But I really had always wanted to go. Now out from under the rule of religon, I went back (After three years of applications and chickening out because I was terrified!) and I absolutely loved it. I can't believe how exciting and wonderful it is to learn. I am very lucky to have a small campus to start on and the young people were extremly supportive. The faculty is fantastic so far. I look forward to this fall. My girls are doing better also with me there with them. They are very proud of me and let everyone there know that I am their mother. I even got on the dean's list which I never thought I could accomplish. If I never get on it again, I will at least know what I am capable of. It has been one of the best decisions I ever made. I just regret that I couldn't have done it earlier in life. It is hard, don't get me wrong, but it is fun, exciting, you are challenged and you get to use all the things you have gained from years of living.
  I too, think I may never get to use my education this late in life, but I am going to give it a heck of a try!! You never know what will be and what opportunities will come along. I hope to be prepared when they do happen by and I can say "yes" to them.
  Go for it! You have years left. Do the things you want to do with those years before and couldn't. No one and nothing, let alone the WTBTS, is there to stop you now baby---go for it. The years will pass no matter what you do and you never know what will be. Don't sit on "maybe" or "what ifs".

  Nice pep talk, huh? I will come back this fall and read it when I start getting scared before my classes start! LOL!

  As Always,
  Lindy
• 

  Lindy

  Hi waiting,
  Didn't someone post recently how the Society is sending several brothers to law school so they can "volunteer" their services to the Society? I don't remember who wrote it or where it was discussed but I think it was on here. Unless I misunderstood what was said. They need lots of legal beagles now that they have set off so may brances of the Society and the like, with the new divisons of the WTBTS. Plus all the up and coming law suits, they will need the best to divert the "wicked" from hurting their deep pockets.

  How you be anyway? Hope well, enjoying your posts along the way.

  Auntie Lindy
• 

  JWD

  Auntie Lindy,

  It was probably one of my pieces about the situation here in Japan that you are refering to.I mentioned that the headquarters in Ebina
  had developed a legal dept. lately and two of the five lawyers on
  staff were second generation JWs.One of them is the son of an elder.
  He is absolutely horrible as a lawyer (I`ve seen him in action in the
  court room on several occasions).He sounds like an overgrown boy
  reading from a pre-written WT script.The other JW lawyer is somewhat
  better.
  I believe these two guys are an exception and more precisely an
  example of double-standards in the organization.

  One elder who was in for over 40 years worked as a public school
  teacher.Prior to 1975 he and his wife donated a large sum of money to
  be used for KH building in view of the fact that the end was so near.
  Despite that fact when he decided to send his children away to college
  he was berated as a `bad example` and removed from eldership.

  One other interesting incident involving the education matter here
  in Japan had to do with child custody.A man in western Japan,living
  in Shimane prefecture got divorced from his JW wife.They had a legal
  battle over the custody of the children and the fight went all the
  way to the supreme court of Japan.The final verdict gave the father
  custody of the children and stated that the wife`s religion was a
  detriment to the welfare of the children.It is very,very rare for a
  father to win custody in Japan.

  JWD
• 

  Maximus

  JWD, here in the U.S. individuals have been sent to law school while members of the Bethel family. Recently met one man who had been in Purchasing, went to school and now runs a division in Legal that handles wills and estate planning and donations, the exact name of the department escapes me now. Used to be handled by Treasurer's office.

  I'll leave any further comment on this one to others. Has caused some very, very hard feelings among many. But they can console themselves or be "adjusted" when they read the Watchtower counsel not to feel envy/jealousy or otherwise get out of shape when certain privileges are extended to younger or newer ones. You know the material ...

  Maximus
• 

  Lindy

  JWD and Maximus,
  Thanks for the clarification on the attorney thing. What hypocricy it is to send "their own" to college and tell the rank and file to work the "interests of the Kingdom of God". I bet there was so problems for the r&f JWs in bethel over the matter. I would have been seething!
  On the matter of educated before the "truth". There is an elder and his wife who applied to Bethel a while ago from the congregation I was in. The wife had a medical education but the hubby didn't, but he had extensive computer knowledge, but no degree in it. They really thought that they were going to get in. They had some "connections" there and figured it was a sure thing. They were so excited. They figured they'd spend out "this system of things" there. But they were refused because they had no need for the hubby. They resubmitted at least once more if not twice. Rejected again. Such disappointment. They tried not to show it and went on, but they were never the same after that. They are still in though but now have moved to a neighboring town to "help" their son who seems to have "strayed". My daughter saw him at a concert last year, drunk, but not enough to be shocked at seeing my daughter there and having her recognize him. (My daughter never took to this religion, thank goodness, but just the same, they were shocked to see each other.)

  As Always,
  Lindy
• 

  Tina

  Greetings maximus and All!

  Thank you for the fascinating topic.
  Higher ed. was a major no-no for me as well.
  I did return to school later (WTG AUNTIE))))))))
  MoeJo,when I left in the mid 90's it was STILL being discouraged from the platform. There were only a couple college grads in my cong(not raised in the 'truth') and they lasted about 2 yrs and left.
  Until the day I left,I heard reaching for 'greater responsibility(brothers only of course) Bethel,pioneer pioneer pioneer.
  There is still not ONE individual attending college in that cong last I heard.
  It's shameful. The wasted talents and abilities of so many.
  It's a bit of a struggle to go back to school,but I encourage anyone so inclined to go for it!
  There is nothing like ,,regards to all.Tina
• 

  JWD

  Let me interject another thought about why the org. is down on higher
  education.Without a doubt all the comments regarding learning to
  think critically,etc. are the heart of the matter.But, I think there
  is another facet which is much more practical.That`s the area of free
  labor. Most of the work involved in running a printing operation are
  skills which can be learned on the job.What the organization needs
  more than anything else is young, strong, submissive, FREE labor.
  Free labor is without a doubt the key to the orgs. existence.It allows
  them to be financially successful regardless of what happens to the
  economy at large.

  For 7 years I worked in the printing field in a couple of companies
  in the Midwest. By far the greatest cost is labor cost. The materials
  involved in making a book or magazine only comprise about 10% of the
  cover costs.The remainder of costs are labor and sales.If you could
  get rid of labor costs, well, any company could succeed famously.
  (In the case of the WT distribution costs and advertising costs are
  virtually non-existence and sales are guaranteed.A situation which
  doesn`t exist in the real world). The upshot of all that is lots of
  disposable income available to be used to increase the `Kingdom`
  i.e. new real estate and buildings.The growing physical presence of
  the WT organization itself lends creedence to the mantra `Jehovah is
  blessing us.` But,it`s not Jehovah`s blessing...it`s free labor.

  I saw a very similar situation in another religious organization
  which I became very familiar with.I`m not free to mention the name,
  but this organization was set up structurally very much like Bethel.
  They also had a large publishing/printing branch which was staffed
  with communal living free labor.For years this organization was very
  successful.It was always said to be `God`s blessing`.Then one day
  due to tax laws and various internal pressures they changed the
  system and started hiring people,setting up pension plans,etc.In
  short, they began to operate responsibly towards their workers and
  the result was... corporate savings were eaten up and assets had to
  be sold off to maintain operations. For nearly 30 years they had
  attributed financial success to God`s blessing, but when they started
  to actually pay workers...suddenly the `blessings` dried up.

  I personally believe that the strongest single dynamic driving WT
  policy is MONEY and the thing the organization fears more than any-
  thing, even more than `apostates` is TAXES and new laws affecting
  operations.

  Just my thoughts...feel free to comment. JWD
• 

  MoeJoJoJo

  I agree that pioneering, Bethel, etc. are still encouraged above attending college but I do feel that things are not as strict as they were. Maybe different congregations have a different attitude on the subject. In the congregation I attend there are a couple of elders whose children attend college full-time. There are also two young brothers attending college and serving as Ministerial Servants. I see more of the attitude that you go to college first then pursue pioneering,etc. reflected in this KH. When I was younger this was a no-no.

  "plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers." -Veronica A. Shoffstall