JWs who where raised in the Truth and went to college or University .. how did you justify going?

Question

jt uk ... fair enough

And if any of you are saying that the Watchtower does not discourage or even supports post secondary education .. please any reference would be great

Vot Ana: thank you for your answer .. maybe it varies by region but When I brought up education for some Witnesses Children ( bright kids.. could be and do anything ) I was met with anger and hostility that could come from nowhere but Fear.. then I did my own checking.. and found this little tidbit

"Many, both young and old, extol the importance of an academic education. Some experts even say that they “fully believe that you will never be able to find a [decent] job without a college degree.” Yet, there are a number of human needs that go beyond material achievements. For instance, does higher learning help you to be a good parent, mate, or friend? For that matter, people admired for their intellectual achievements may develop undesirable personality traits, fail in their family life, or even end up committing suicide."

These folks are terrified that I would even consider Education for their children

http://www.watchtower.org/e/20051015/article_01.htm

vot ana: seriously nobody questioned your desire for college.. and if they did what did you say or do ..

Guys I give the GB of the WT&TS a very well deserved hard time .. but if you can point to WT teaching supporting education I would be enternally greatful I have people throwing away their lives right now

Not Picking a fight I know the arguments given to kids against education I do not know any given towards it

Answer 1

The asker seems to imply that the JWs believe that going to college is wrong.

There is nothing wrong with getting an education. One needs to know how to read in order to study the Bible, and we learn good communication and "human relations" skills at school that can help us in our ministry.

We need to support ourselves and our families, that's a Biblical requirement.

1 Timothy 5:8- Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.

2 Thessalonians:3:10- In fact, also, when we were with you, we used to give you this order: “If anyone does not want to work, neither let him eat.”

There are JWs in almost every profession, or do you think all of them became Witnesses after college?

EDIT: There is no such thing as "varies by region". JWs worldwide know that whatever they pursue in life, their main purpose in life is to serve God. PediC, it is not true that education is not an option. We are warned against the dangers of higher education- i.e getting so absorbed in worldly activities with schoolmates such that we forget that we are servants of God, there's the pressure to smoke, abuse drugs, binge-drink, commit fornication, cheat in exams.... and most students believe college is a place to experiment with anything and everything; anyone can be pulled in along with the crowd if they are not careful.

Many of my fellow students here raised in "Christian" families would cause their parents so much shame if they knew what their children were up to away from home.

We are shown the pros and cons. No more, no less.

EDIT: Ahhhh, you are just picking a 'fight'? I thought you were seriously wondering.

Answer 2

Jehovah's Witnesses have always encouraged young people to pursue a career in the full-time ministry. That is elevated above EVERY earthly vocation, but neither full-time work nor education have ever been discouraged.

Young People Ask, page 176-179
[quote]
The Bible, of course, does not spell out exactly how many years of schooling a Christian youth should obtain. Nor does it condemn education. Jehovah, the “Grand Instructor,” encourages his people to read well and to express themselves clearly. (Isaiah 30:20; Psalm 1:2; Hebrews 5:12) Moreover, education can broaden our understanding of people and the world we live in. ...Employment prospects and educational systems vary from place to place. Youths have different abilities and inclinations. And while a career in the Christian ministry is recommended as being beneficial, it is still a matter of personal choice. You and your parents must thus carefully weigh all factors involved in deciding how much education is right for you. ‘Each one must carry his own load’ in making such decisions.—Galatians 6:5.
[unquote]

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20051015/article_01.htm

Answer 3

the people I grew up with in the Hall did not go to college after high school. "Getting a job" or "pioneering" were our options, and education was discouraged. I think the witnesses commenting here must be in their 20's or so and do not remember back in the day (or weren't a witness back then).

So you're saying these days those beliefs are still held? You mean the literature says one thing but the oral teachings are different? Innuendo is very powerful, and saying "it's ok to do this BUT... "good witnesses" will consider pioneering rather than the temptation of college and worldly thinking." see how that works?

Edit: for those who think back in the day (twenty years ago) was so long ago, I am still in the workforce, and my earning potential was completely screwed over by going to college later. think about this next time the light brightens and what was discouraged/wrong for so long is all the sudden ok and you've missed the window of opportunity in your life.

Vot, you need to read more closely. I was talking past tense, not current. And I don't truly believe it's a current situation, if so many JWs outside the hallowed walls of Yahoo Answers are saying it's still wrong to go to school. I think Yahoo Answers JWs must be the most liberal bunch of JWs I've ever seen.

Lover of Jehovah: many of us ex-JWs love God and have a great relationship with him even though we are not part of the WBTS any longer. Are you inclined to believe this?

Answer 4

Pedi c is right...Not too long ago, not a single solitary Witness that I knew or was raised with, went to anything higher than High School..we were all told to marry or go into the ministry or to get a Job...
There was no reason to get a higher education, because Armageddon was coming, and we would not need any education...We were too busy picking out the houses of the dead so called Christians that we would occupy.



Suerte...I am proud of you for sticking to your beliefs...congrad's to you..Kool!

Answer 5

JW's CAN go to college.
I know plenty that DO.
If you are a JW, you are sending people the wrong message.
And you know the other options you have. If you are encouraged to not go to college it's just someones personal opinion. If that is what you want..go for it. You have morals. Live by them.

Answer 6

When I graduated from high school in 1994, I got a great deal of pressure to go to college from counselors and teachers since I scored well academically. I even secretly applied for a scholarship and I won it. However, my mother and the JW organization put greater pressure on me to avoid college. I was so terrified that they would find out what I had done that I immediately turned it down.

Back then, I remember getting direction at District Conventions, Assemblies and elsewhere that higher learning was to be avoided at all costs. Interestingly, there was one older JW I knew who was more moderate, and the rest of the JWs in my hall treated him and his wife like lepers because of his views. Because he was a fiber optics engineer, he recognized my talents. I remember that he told me not to waste my gifts, and go to college regardless of what the organization said. I didn't listen to him at first, but when I got out of high school I began to realize that if I wanted a family, I would need a job that made use of my talents and frankly my talents needed to be cultivated at a university.

Well, my decision didn't sit well with my JW mother or the congregation. "Privileges of service" were taken away from me, and my family refused to help me financially. I just mustered up as much courage as I could and stuck with it anyways, and eventually, the organization got some "new light" and backed off of its prohibition. Now, they don't recommend going to college, but they don't prohibit it like they used to either.

It took me awhile, but I graduated in 2004.

Answer 7

How about, They needed A trade to get A job to support themselves. They are people who have to eat like everyone else.

Answer 8

Are you saying JW's don't go to college? Interesting fact. Why in the world not? I'm being sincere.

Answer 9

I went so I could learn. One of the things I learned was the difference between the word 'where' and the word 'were'.

Answer 10

the society needs lawyers and doctors and accountants and people to build stuff