Comments You Will Not Hear at the 6-13-04 WT Study (5-1-04)

by blondie 24 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  wannaexit

  I pity anyone -- kids especially-- who take these people seriously.

  Room

  These are my same sentiments. But when I was growing up as a loyal young dub, we did take everything the society said seriously. Many of us denied ourselves a good education because of them.

  I see kids in the congregation today making the same mistake. I feel really sorry for them.

  Blondie,

  good commentary. Today I am really happy because I didn't go to the meeting. I'd rather clean than go and listen to that b.s..

  Have a good one

  Wannaexit
• 

  Pistoff

  Wow, what a great group of comments.

  College; a source of my biggest resentment about the WTS. I had very good test scores; lots of scholarship opportunities, like so many.

  I did not go; the reason is the WTS gave it the kiss of death. The gist of it: if you went you lacked faith, love for Jehovah and were not whole souled. I don't know ANY of my peers that went to college; NONE.

  Which, you know, makes sense; we are all now underpaid, uneducated and struggling.

  Congratulations, WTS; you have a really shi**y group of contributors, both financially and creatively.
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  XQsThaiPoes

  the wts is already stuffering due to "unbanning" college. Women now have self worth. And a wt article hinted that at some halls people were making elder just because they went to college or a new rank opened up college educated elder and that this is not jehovah's way.

  The people you have with college is the fact that they usually are more indenpendant, with higher self worth and esteem, andtolerant. Things that dampens the juvinile peer pressure tactics. The wt is right just like about the internet if you expand your knowlege you gain the upper hand. So you can stay a jw if you wish but remain isolated from the control.
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  blondie

  Reply Section 1

  Good comments, all, I have a good time at the SNAP conference in Denver. I hope I can post my impressions on another thread today.

  Yes, Odrade, this is so true:

  Hey kid, you're not happy and you're not REALLY having fun, no matter what you think... c'mere. Put this suit on, and this lovely clip-on tie. Then here's a little bag and a bunch of Watchtowers. Now get in this minivan with a bunch of old people and drive around in the middle seat all day long, and get out once or twice and go knock on that stranger's door. That one there, with the giant dog. No, don't take off that suit jacket. Hey, no radio, and where did you get that comic? Read this "Learn" book instead... NOW, you're happy!!! Isn't this fun?!!!"

  And add that they will think that he is sexually immoral, using bad language and drugs, unredeemable, and "bad association" for their own children.

  So true, Maverick,

  Is it moral for a publishing company to steal the love and worship of God?

  The WTS places itself in the place of God, the only true interpreter of his word.

  Mineralogist

  , as to "emotional bad effects" I have quite a different slant on things such as overdrinking, drug use, immorality, because of my association with non-JW groups that combat the bad effects to individuals and the community. I had to go to these groups because the WTS does not provide a way for people to see the harmful effects to themselves and others when then, e.g., drink and drive, and a way to stop. No guilt, no hate, only hopefulness because the people around you have been where you are, have experienced the peace and love from those humble enough to acknowledge they are no different than you. The WTS process merely condemns, never supports and consoles.

  Room 215,

  how they seriously believe that for some, if not most, a high school education is adequate preparation for self-sufficiency in contemporary society

  Ever since an article a few years back, grudgingly giving JWs "permission" to get schooling past HS, the WTS has been trying to dial that back. I live in a university town and the number of JWs in college went up dramatically. The number of young brothers choosing Bethel and pioneering and reaching out as MS went down.

  Hi Dorthy and welcome,

  Sometimes I bring your points up to my Bible study instructor. I've had her stumped a few times!

  I?m curious what specifically stumped her. I was stumping elders and other JWs for years.

  Welcome Snowcrash,

  In my experience, the WTS seems to think youth ends at birth.

  That?s because they start squashing independent thinking "from infancy."

  Hi Klaus,

  if you leave they say you are worse

  thats The present WT curse

  I was just amongst a Catholic group that is trying to combat abuse in the church. We were comparing DF?ing to excommunication. They all came up and hugged me when they realized the institutionalized, world-encompassing effects to an individual in the WTS if they spoke against its policies.

  Good point, Quotes,

  Any given Watchtower rag could be used in a College Level "Introduction to Logic and Reasoning -- 101" class, as the "Case Studies in Logical Fallacies and Flawed Logic" section.

  Do you have an URL to that information or equivalent?

  So true, cyber-sista,

  I am glad I am not there to see their grieving faces when this article is gone over in the WT study. During one of the last articles like this I spent most of the WT study in the bathroom holding a sister while she openly wept in my arms (Her only daughter had been Dfd and she missed her terribly) There are only a few young people left in that congo and I can see by the faces of the majority of those they are already gone.

  They pressure parents and young people to be baptized early, before they are ready or want to and then cut families in two.

  Blondie
• 

  blondie

  Trailblazer, good life example,

  This is interesting in light of where I was yesterday...helping my stepkids get their college admissions stuff going...One is planning to be a nurse and the other one I'm not so sure...seems the WT is losing it's hold...and these kids literally grew up in the KH.

  With the "end" no longer breathing down their necks (like it was in the 70?s for me), the draft looming over the young brothers (with Vietnam in full swing until 1973), and JWs with more discretionary income, more and more young JWs are going to college.

  XQ and cyber

  , interesting points. Just to add some balance, I went to college as an older JW surrounded by younger non-JW students. Critical thinking was not any more evident among younger non-JW students. It was a difficult road for many of them in my psychology 101 class but they persisted and succeeded.

  But the dangers in college are just as you show, having one?s ideas challenged with new information, being able to see the whys of what you believe beyond "my parents said so," "my friends said so," rather than doing the research. Most young JWs (and older ones) are insulated from "worldly" knowledge, having it filtered by the WTS with dishonest quotes.

  Acsot

  ,

  We had a congregation in this area just as you describe below, "a party congregation" that attracted young people from all over the circuit. They have grown up and their children just do the minimum. The trend in the next generation seems to be marrying non-JWs; we heard of this 2 nd one this year?.

  Cyber-sista

  My adult daughter (who is out now too) has observed that city witnesses have a lot more freedom and opportunities than the ones in rural congos

  Good and accurate observation. In our circuit, several city sisters had double piercings in their ears and the sisters in the rural congos complained to the CO who tried to apply some muscle on the city sisters. He lost as they called Brooklyn who told the CO to back off.

  Heathen,

  It is a shame. I?m not going to say that everyone needs a "college" education but additional education with a goal in mind is good. The tech/voc schools in this area are very good and many businesses would rather hire someone with an 2-year associate degree with specific training in computer skills.

  Unlike the times of the apostles, todays world is fast paced and ever changing , technology has become the corner stone of society and to understand it one must have a college education .

  I worked with a man who had a PhD in Elizabethean Literature but couldn?t find a job until he went back and got a degree in law. So?.

  Flash,

  Living a sermon is more effective than preaching a sermon but can?t put that time on your slip.

  Lonestar,

  You need to be just a little more creative with your resume. Never underestimate the skills of talking to strangers effectively from door to door, conducting progressive Bible studies, organizing your time, considering pioneer school as schooling, etc. Remember that many non-JWs choose the ministry as a career and they have to put down something.

  I?m glad to hear you are going back to school. I try to keep up on my computer skills, and take one college level class each year. I skipped college to get a job to support my family after my dad walked out.

  What do you want to major in?

  SNG,

  No, you cannot read a paragraph verbatim?I call that regurgitation?some call it vomiting. I could never see the point of going to the WT study to hear the paragraph read twice?I told an elder that once?he had nothing to say in reply.

  can I just read a couple paragraphs verbatim? Would that count? :-)

  You're a way cooler conductor than any I've ever had.

  Wannaexit,

  But when I was growing up as a loyal young dub, we did take everything the society said seriously.

  Not me, not that I got out any sooner because of it. But at least I did what I wanted to. From what I see, most younger JWs don?t buy into the WTS propaganda like my generation did.

  Pistoff,

  I have a few regrets about my college education which I finally pursued later in life. But remember this,

  It is only too late when you are dead.?Malcolm Forbes

  When I went back to school in my mid-30?s, ½ of my classmates were over 30. Many had started college younger, but thought of it as a beer and party time and dropped out in 2 years. Now they were married with kids and were back with a different attitude.

  XQ, you are right "knowledge is power" and the WTS wants to control the information a characteristic of a cult.

  Blondie