Smoking, Drugs, Education and Violence
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Author: Moxie
Tags: Jehovah's Witnesses and Education, JW's anti-education
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One of these things is not like the other…
Recently, a page out of the September 2008 Watchtower was brought to my attention. I’m including the scan here for quick reference. It really requires little commentary other than to point out item number two.
You’ll notice that “higher education at a university” is lumped in with smoking cigarettes and drug and alcohol use to name just a few.
Since the scanned image is small, I’ve reprinted it below:
What will be the “End Afterward”?
Young people are often exposed to temptations and pressures to experiment with things that seem popular. Here are some likely scenarios.
- Someone dares you to smoke a cigarette.
- A well-intentioned teacher urges you to pursue higher education at a university.
- You are invited to a party where alcohol and possibly drugs will be freely available.
- “Why don’t you post your profile on the Internet?” someone suggests.
- A friend invites you to watch a movie that features violence or immorality.
If you are ever confronted with any of such situations, what will you do? Will you simply give in, or will you carefully consider what the “end afterward” could be? You would be wise to ask yourself: “Can a man rake together fire into his bosom and yet his very garments not be burned? Or can a man walk upon the coals and his feet themselves not be scorched?”—Proverbs 6:27,28.
The writers of the Watchtower magazine have the audacity to group higher education in with detrimental activities such as drug use and smoking. While they don’t overtly state that Jehovah’s Witness youth are forbidden from seeking post-secondary education, they use persuasive (albeit erroneous) metaphors such as the one used above—lighting your clothing on fire and getting burned—as a way to discourage the pursuit of education. With constant repetition of messages such as these, they effectively brand something as wrong, bad or foolhardy.
I can attest to the fact that as a young person I was not permitted to go to college or university after I graduated high school. I was an honor student and indeed recall several conversations with teachers and counselors all urging me to continue my education. To be honest, I was excited at that prospect after speaking with my teachers, but my parents would not support me or allow me to pursue that goal. Instead I auxiliary pioneered after graduation. From personal experience I can honestly say that college or university was highly frowned upon in the congregation. At the time, when I was still a witness, I knew of no one in my congregation who had continued their education beyond high school (or at least no one who openly admitted it). Sadly it seems that nothing has changed in the last 10 years.
Articles—such as the one from which this excerpt was taken—and messages from the platform are repeated over and over again and reinforce the cult’s anti-education position. It becomes part of the fabric of the belief system of the rank and file. The end result is that bright children are denied an education that they have a constitutional right to obtain. They are robbed of knowledge, kept in the darkness of ignorance, and quite commonly live out their lives enduring the mediocrity of a low-paying job which must support not only their families but their ‘donations’ to the church.
You can see another example of this kind of anti-education indoctrination in this video, recorded at a convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R4f9ygxDbk
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Your article points out the hypocrisy you find among most Jehovah’s Witnesses and their apologists when they deny that going to college has become a “sin” in Watchtower theology.
About a year ago there was a subtle change in the way that “going to college” was handled by local Kingdom Hall elders. The word was out that if teenage JWs decided to go to college, that they would be subject to “reproof.” If the parents were baptized JWs and they “encouraged” their minor child to attend college or university and assisted them by providing financing or living arrangements for their minor child, then they would also be subject to “reproof” or even possible disfellowshipping.
I found out later that the original hardline position by the Watchtower has been tempered somewhat to allow attendance at local colleges for employment training, occupational licensing, and remedial education classes. I’m quite sure that the thousands of home schooled JW kids will be needing post-graduate “remedial education.”
For the Watchtower to equate college attendance with drug and alchohol abuse is unconcionable - but it is another example that the Governing Body is completely out of touch with the realities of the current job market. I guess their slogan should be: “Better an under-educated welfare queen, than to die at Armageddon with a degree in anything.”
John, do you know of anywhere one could get their hands on documentation that outlines the local elders’ mandate to reprove college attendees?
Thanks
Sorry about the spelling errors in my previous comment, but my computer locked up before I could go back and check my text and make correction. I guess I should just blame my errors on the fact that as a teenaged JW, I too was discouraged from going to college (1961-65) except to learn a trade. Nothing has really changed that much in the past fifty years.
Moxie,
I’ll see if I can get someone to send me something more substantial than second hand gossip from JW relatives. If so, I will certainly forward it to you.
Moxie,
(I just got off the phone with my inside contact who is currently and elder.)
The WT article described above came out about the time this new campaign began.
Sometime in mid-2008 there was something called a “CO Outline” that was required to be covered with all elders at each Kingdom Hall. Apparently there are few, if any copies of the original outline floating around. The guidelines were basically along these lines:
Elders and servants who supported, encouraged, or provided monetary assistance to their “minor” children to attend college or university would be subject to counsel and might have their privileges and responsibilities suspended or revoked.
Young people known to be pursuing a college education could be called in for “scriptural counseling” by local elders. They would be called to give an accounting for the reasons why they were seeking a higher education. An attempt would be made to dissuade them from attending college to acquire or attend classes for liberal arts, scientific, professional, or teaching degrees - all considered “dangerous pursuits” and “anti-theocratic” by the WT.
If they were going to college to learn to be an auto mechanic, dental technician, or bookkeeper, then the elders would likely relent and give their approval. If the local elders decided to counsel the young person against going to college and that young person ignored their counsel, then “reproof” or “disfellowshipping” would be supported punishment for rejecting the counsel of the elders and “God’s Earthly Organization.”
I guess it depends on the attitudes and responses by the parents and their future college student. It was pointed out to me during the call, that like so many WT rules managed by elders, some congregations have taken a hard line approach and have decided to disfellowship some elders and their college-going kids. In other congregations, elders seem to have chosen to simply ignore the issue and leave it to each family make choices based on their own conscience. For those affected by the ruling it seems to be the “luck of the draw,” since the WT has chosen to ignore the inconsistencies in the various levels of discipline. The rumor is out that the GB is planning to take an even tougher stance in the near future and will probably lean toward a hard line approach at the local level.
See href=”http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/members/private/160066/1/Fallout-From-GB-Anti-College-Letter-e28093-This-Will-Cause-Problems”>Fallout From GB Anti-College Letter – This Will Cause Problems, a recent forum discussion about this issue.
Sorry I have not been able to locate anything tangible and my contact does not have access to a copy, but maybe one of your other readers (or “Seeker4″)can get you a copy or scan of the original “CO Outline.”
OMG John, I think that kind of happened to me! When I decided to quit pioneering I had an elders meeting and one elder in particular was really discouraging me to discontinue my education ( I was only in community college btw). I wanted to be a paramedic and he said going to school would draw me away from the faith and I would most likely end up commiting fornication at school or w/ my coworkers after I got a job! No joke! I spent the rest of the meeting trying to convince him that I wouldn’t.
Sorry I made a typo! I said “really discouraging me to discontinue” when I meant “really encouragaing me to discontinue.”
I have been away from this organization for many years, however my mother and father still are active members. At the age of 17 I was disfellowshipped for dating a non-JW….who I eventually married and am still with 20 years later! My parents cut me out of their lives. I often tell my children about the things I was taught while growing up in this environment and I think they often believe I am exaggerating……No college, no recreational dating, no school dances, no college, no associations outside of “the truth”…UGH! what a crock! It upsets me that there are still so many people who blindly follow this cult as well as hundreds of other equally insane religions!
That’s one of the things that made me upset about the JW’s when I was still a part of them.
I could notice that girls were encouraged to marry at a very young age (20-22), and guys to work almost inmmediatly after college. Those were the guys who would reach higher proviledges. And that few people who kept studying were barely acknowledge.
It’s one of the things that make me feel relief now. I’m 28 and still not married. I don’t worry about it, but my goals instead. I’m an engineer, involved in research and science, I want to keep forward until I feel satisfied with my achievements. I actually want to go for a Marter’s Degree and if I still have the chance, a PhD.
I KNOW I wouldn’t be able to even think about it if I was still there. I would be married now, with three kids… and completely frustrated.
I found your site for only few days .I quit been JW 10 years ago and I still need to recover after all my childhood and teenager time waste there. I feel so relesed now when I found out are many people like me .
Thank you !
Greetings
There is this house with many windows and hedges lined all around. I’m in the bushes peering through various windows of the house from the outside to see which room to enter when i’m ready to go in.
Each room that has a window to look in is a religion or belief of some kind, one of the windows are to the room that’s called Jehovah’s Witnesses, that’s the one i’m now looking in.
Previously I’ve looked into many other windows even entered the rooms and dwelled there a while. I’m 53 now and have been into about 20 different rooms of this house. One window i’ve looked in but didn’t go in it was called the “college room” I would have had to stay there at least 4 years and study 4 courses opposite what my major would have been in order to just study my major subject that I went there for and paid for, they said it was a requirment of the college.
I weighed the difference first. After graduation what would be the average monthly/yearly income compared to specializing in one thing now from a trade school or community college that’s 6 months to 2 years study after high school. I decided to pass on the college because the jobs and skill I learned just working everyday earned me the same in income over the years. I’ve met thousands that have major degrees unemployed now or made less money than I over the years.
Worldly pursits lead to knowwhere like the bible says. What profit is it to gain the whole world and loose your soul in the process.
Before choosing the JW window and room,I was in the world and lived the life of a fornicator, adulterer, idolary, coveteous, lieing, gluteny, drugs/alcohol, loose dating, holiday worshipping all the sins of the flesh that I now find Jehovah hates. I’ve been there first.
The stories i’m reading from every ex-jw encourges me even more that i’m doing the right thing becoming a JW full time.
Thank You ex-jw’s for showing me how important it is to put Jehovah first and not myself and the I, I, concept.
Askduane
After 52 years of worldly living, I’m in the truth now studying with JW’s. I come from a broken disfunctional home that only went to church during holiday weekends and called myself a christian but not according to true scripture. I was abused while in gradeschool, had to learn mostly on my own by trial and error.
Was raped/molested at the age of 14 or 15, by my best friend’s older sister at the time. Yes i’m a man and boys get raped/molested to, it was exciting to me, i wasn’t forced, but the law calls it rape/molestation if an adult has sex with a minor, get it, she was 27.
My virginity was violated before I knew how to protect it and for what reason. Over the years I also learned how to master the art of having as much sex and dating as I can competing with my friend on how many girls can we break in a year. I was good at lying to women.
I learned from the Father of lies. I also learned how to be greedy in business, strive to make a profit for yourself and your company at all costs. Break hearts and pockets.
Started reading the Bible on my own some years ago, not agreeing with the system of things i’ve been in and agreeing with the Bible, I found exactly where I stood there. The picture didn’t look good.
I decided to believe and follow the entire bible but the churches of the world didn’t agree. I found one that did, it is called J.W’s.
What I like most about the Jehovah’s Witnesses Congregation’s? The studies, discipline, the families, the children with there parents dressed up, sharing the good news of Jehovah’s Kingdom with there families. I smile at every meeting with joy and delight.
See my friends I’ve been in the world, I know what’s out there and where it leads in the end. J.W. does have the truth, its hard especially in these last days to stick with it, I know, you want to date and do all these worldly things, but in doing so my friends, don’t knock something that works and is true, blocking others from experiencing the truth just because you want to do your own thing like Eve in the garden, she wanted to break free and do her own thing and that’s what i’m hearing from ex-jw’s. Good luck prodical people hope you find your way back in time.
As for me I’m now going all the way to become a publisher and getting baptised as a J.W.. I love every bit of the fellowship and pray to Jehovah daily that he finds me favorable to him.
askduane.
I wish to thank most off all for taking the time, once you spoted this detail on the watchtower to allert people of time. I spent almost 3 years studying with JW’s. I still had most of the watchtowers from 2008 so, my immediat reaction was to confirm right away. Needless to say you are right.Thinking about it, i remembered right away of the time i was attending the meetings regularly, i was desencouradge of taking my oldest daughther of portuguese classes - wich is my main language - since it was in the same day as one of the meetings and i couldn’t make it because i walk a lot and by the end of that day it was just too much.I mean how could i miss another meeting in the kingdom hall? I was only going wednesdays, thursdays and sundays.Of course i still had mondays off but that was the cleaning day and tuesdays, but that’s when i had my study with my teacher and thursday also study day. Thinking about it, i only had one day off, wich i spent cleaning and the all week was for them. keep in mind that i’m a single mother of 3. On top of it,whem i was very tired and eventually started skipping a meeting or 2, i had my instructor knocking at my door to tell me how i should try maybe harder.I think there is a name for it. I think MANIPULATION should do the trick
I am an ex-JW now doing formal academic research on WTBTS’ beliefs on higher education. I am trying to compile as many WTBTS documents as possible related to this subject. Unfortunately (and naturally), the wt.org site doesn’t make many of the articles public. If people find others, please post them here! Thanks so much, and stay strong.
While it is infuriating to hear of how so many have been denied the benefit of higher education, it is somewhat comforting to know that my situation was not unique.
I remember growing up as a witness and hearing from the platform how “going off to college” was a sure way to end up disfellowshipped. My parents were very serious in their discouragement of pursuing a higher education anywhere but close to home.
I was an Honor student and graduated at the top of my class. I could have gone to any college I wanted, but I eschewed MIT and Berkley for a closer university (one that I could attend while living with my parents) and thought that I had managed to both satisfy my desire for knowledge and the congregation’s desire to protect me from the dangerous influences of college (where I would surely become a fornicator and drunkard).
Despite staying close to home, I ended up in a judicial committee meeting over something unrelated to attending school. During the judicial committee meeting, one of the Elders brought up the fact that I had decided to go to college. He used it as an example of my lack of interest in “spiritual matters” and made it clear to all in the room that he specifically held that against me when he cast his vote on the disfellowship/reprove decision. I ended up being disfellowshipped.
After being reinstated about a year later, I got into more “trouble” and had another judicial committee meeting in which the same Elder again brought up the fact that I was still pursuing higher education and noted the deleterious effect that it would have on their decision.
While the WTS claims that they want to encourage young people to “put first the kingdom” and that the pursuit of a college education will make that difficult, the truth is that their argument is totally disingenuous. I realized soon after being disfellowshipped the second time that the reason that the Watchtower Society discourages higher education is because it encourages critical thinking. The “dangers” of higher education are not those of “worldly” vices, but those of individual thought and the empowerment that comes with knowledge.
I am an exjw, very happy to be out! and love to read about the smart ones who muster enough courage to stand up for what they believe or NOT BELIEVE. For everyone who leaves this cult, I can truly say, Good for you!! Day-by-day more people are realizing the GB’s manipulation through the elders and their so-called “truth” or the one that was pulled on me… ‘the light is getting brighter’- Yes.. I did see the light alright and in time. Advice - if you do your research diligently, you won’t find yourself in this cult. Thanks for the opportunity to share my thoughts
Jesus is my Saviour!
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