Jehovah's Witnesses - Is higher education your enemy?

Antonette Shappy: Education is boring... not evil!

Marita Stadick: can be..I am JW...36 years old ...and I studied in the university... Civil engineer....and honestly my spiritually was in risk...I commit a gross sin...while was in the University ...and received and admonishion for that....Many will say that no.....but God can kill me right now if I am lying......it has danger....if there are other options we should consider it...Unsilenced Lioness says sho doesn't know any educated JWs...she lies...as always she know me...shoe knows that despite english is not my native language...I can communicate pretty well...and if she want to talk about Finite Element Analysis...she can't do it with me........Show more

Dexter Gold: education and higher learning take away time that could be better spent in the ministry. i don't think you misheard anything. i was told the same thing. so were many of my peers. we were discouraged from attending college or university an! d encouraged (pressured) into full time field service/pioneering. it's true. i did it. then spent a few years snorting questionable substances because i felt it was a much needed break. maybe if i went to university i would have spent those years doing something more worthwhile with my life......Show more

Mitzie Clough: they always downplay what's said at their conventions if it's something they really don't want to hear or it's embarassing to admit to the general public. kindof like the statement made at the convention, "stay alive til '75" embarasses them today.higher education was my JW family's savior, providing my husband and me with valuable career skills that gave us the retirement funds my JW father in law and JW mother do not have because of their "faithfulness" to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society Organization. Now we're being asked to kick in money we've earned to pay for their retirement while my husband's father shuns our family. Funny, he'll ! take our money, though....Show more

Burt Stoecklin: Educ! ation is the enemy of all abrahamic religions, not all religions though. Most eastern religions don't defy history and science like the abrahamic religions frequently do.

David Boehler: Chris S - I did not "mishear". That is exactly what he said. I also asked others I know who were at that assembly and they heard the same thing but tried to downplay it as you are doing. I am glad you were not denied a college education as a jw - but you are not the norm, as anybody who has spent time as a jw can attest.

Tyrone Disanti: Education is the enemy of all religions.

Irma Poiter: you probably misheardhe must have meant the time taken. when, from our point of view, we could be doing more important things.we have good educations, the witnesses are well known for performing well at school and being industrious people.personally i might go to uni soon, already been to college and schoolEDIT: well maybe he said it wrong, or he was silly. but either way education is not! our enemy...Show more

Coy Tapley: It's not against higher education, they just feel younger folk are putting careers ahead of faith.

Mel Crapo: Yes. To be specific, university education is the enemy of the Watchtower.While JWs with college educations exist, these are a small minority. In 2008, the Pew Forum commissioned a survey of religions in the USA. The survey showed that the JWs are the least educated and the second-poorest religious tradition in America (just behind the historically black churches).To my knowledge, you will not be expelled from the religion if you attend college, but there is no doubt that it is strongly discouraged. Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is simply not being honest.To prove my point, here are a few examples of the Watchtower Society’s consistent view of education over the past years:- 5/22/1969 Awake, p. 15:“If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that YOU WILL NEVER GROW OLD IN THIS PRESENT SYST! EM OF THINGS. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible! prophecy indicates that this corrupt SYSTEM IS DUE TO END IN A FEW YEARS. Of the generation that observed the beginning of the 'last days' in 1914, Jesus foretold: 'This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.' Therefore, as a young person, YOU WILL NEVER FULFILL ANY CAREER THAT THIS SYSTEM OFFERS.”(caps added) (Note that this article was published 40 years ago! Did the statements prove true?)- 3/15/1969 Watchtower 1969, p.171, para. 12“The influence and spirit of this world is to get ahead, to make a name for oneself. Many schools now have student counselors who encourage one to pursue higher education after high school, to pursue a career with a future in this system of things. Do not be influenced by them. Do not let them "brainwash" you with the Devil's propaganda to get ahead, to make something of yourself in this world. This world has very little time left! Any "future" this world offers is no future! Wisely, then, let God's Word infl! uence you in selecting a course that will result in your protection and blessing. Make pioneer service, the full-time ministry, with the possibility of Bethel or missionary service your goal. This is a life that offers an everlasting future!(so guidance counselors encouraging higher education are “brainwashing” JWs with “the Devil’s propaganda”)- 9/1/1975 Watchtower, p.543“Question: How many years of secular education are advisable for children in Christian households?Answer: It would hardly be consistent for such a youth, of his own choice, to pursue extensive secular studies beyond what is required by the law and by his parents.”- 10/15/2005 Watchtower had a study article strongly discouraging higher education....Show more

Abraham Ladick: Because it teaches people to use critical thinking. This is what they fear, their youth asking too many questions. Their youth exploring other ideas. Can't have that now, can we? ;)

Jestine Osumi: No.

Davi! da Gisriel: No, it is definitely NOT our enemy. I love to learn...and i! love EDUCATION. I am all for it. However, it maye become the enemy if higher education takes over our spiritual goals and spiritual priorities. We have many in our congregations who are nurses and have jobs that requires a bachelor's degree/AA and we have youths who actually are in college but so far so good because our youths still attends the meetings regularly and share in the kingdom preaching work as pioneers. However, it is sad that some who have put so much effort and time to education beyond what is required by law have allowed for their spirituality to weaken or have become in-active. I'm a mother and when the time comes, I will encourage my child to go to college but if it ever interferes with her spirituality and distracts her from her obligations as being a true Christian...then yes, I will make sure she sets her priority straight for the Bible says at 1 John 2:15-17 says:"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, ! the love of the Father is not in him.For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (KJV)....Show more

Teodoro Lamond: Its not our enemy...its just that sometimes education can be a distraction to our ministry. And the young are so easily misled through bad association.Personally, I know a few witnesses who have returned to further education as mature students and they seem to get the balance right. BUT I live in the UK and now owe thousands for my education and you know its true what the bible says about the wisdom of men being foolishness to God..there is so much nonsense being taught. But I suppose it depends on your choice if topic. Psychology may have, more than its fair share of daft theories. - Freudian theories being the most ridiculous.So in answer to your ques! tion, no education is not our enemy but the foolish philosophies of an ! ever changing academic scene may be. Whats in vogue one minute suddenly is out of favour and you are expected to praise the latest in vogue theory. Dont get me wrong some research is valid and reliably tested but there are others where it is obvious there has been biased methodology....Show more

Rachell Meese: Those who have tried to say that jw's do not discourage education are either newer jw's or are being dishonest. I grew up in the eighties as a strict jw, and I can tell you that not only was college discouraged, it was absolutely not an option. I was telling my teachers as early as 5th grade that I would not be going to college. In fact, the only people I remember going to college were those whose family had become inactive or had left "the truth". If it was rumored that a graduating high school student was planning to attend college, the first thing other jw's would say was "What happened? I thought they were witnesses?"You know, it's all nice and easy for th! ose jw's here who were not deprived of a college education - some may have become jw's AFTER they were college educated; some may have grown up after the society relaxed it's stance on that issue - but that doesn't change the fact that so many people like me were denied their potential and raised to view education as "a waste"....Show more

Azzie Trembly: higher education is not doing such a thing it is helping us to get a career for us to survive in this world yes jesus must be a part of this but gettin an eeducation doe not affect anyone. this tell us that the jehovah witnesses are ignorant and they are all about false doctrines

Lauri Ohl: Basil was a brilliant straight A student. His folks heeded a call at an Assembly to not bother with higher education. Last I heard he wasnt doing that well.Peter was an ok student. His parents sent him to eternal college and he is an advocate today and still in the truth today.I dont think education should the an enemy of an! yone. Living for the end of the world is a pitfall for everyone. Equip ! yourself with life skills whether you are a Jw child or not. Please....Show more

Clinton Quant: I'm wondering if you listened closely to the entire talk. Education is useful, but it isn't the ultimate thing. Some have been able to maintain a balance between further education and spiritual goals. It can be important to learn how to survive in today's world with education to keep up with the choices of employment that vary as time goes on, but spiritual goals in addition to secular learning are going to get a young person through this period of time and additionally give them a future to look forward to as well. Spiritual success is more important than material success, because material success is not lasting. It is strange how some will hear but not really listen. The point is that there is much more to life beyond only secular education....Show more

Margy Sandquist: I don't know what the JWs believe, I don't see any problem with being an educated Christian, it'! s definitely more desirable than being an uneducated Christian.

Patrick Bitsui: JWs have ALWAYS frowned upon higher education. The end of the JW organization is beginning, I think. I have noticed a trend in their "recruiting" in the last few years. When you look at the service report, the only areas of the world with rapid JW growth are poor, undereducated nations. The areas with the largest "dropout" rate (previous year average plus number baptized in current year minus current year average) are developed nations such as the United States. Conclusion- Educated people are more likely to see through the web of deception spun by the organization!...Show more

Flor Lizardi: The point of the talk was not "education" itself, but what it means to an individual. Seeking a higher education or more education is not bad in itself. the problem comes in with what one is led to believe along with training to become a doctor, lawyer, engineer, etc. Spiritual things tend to ! become a lower priority. Materialism or ego often rises up of primary ! concern.So with this education comes other things dangerous to human survival. None of us know when the cut off date will be when the door to life will be closed. We don not know either when God will place it into political governments' minds to total annihilate all false religion. (Rev. 17:17) By that time we likely will not be preaching hope any longer. Too late.So is it a wise course to go for other destinations now like getting all the money and power one can get?There are many JWs with every sort of both white collar and blue collar job one can think of. They got there by getting their degrees at those higher learning facilities. As long as they keep spiritual priorities first in their lives, there is nothing wrong.Keeping God's Kingdom and its honor of Jehovah as #1 priority in our life means all other things fall into place after that. Personal lives, family life, contacts with others, our communities and professional life as well.We see in the news each night! the folly of Ponzi schemes, bank officers taking millions in reward for outright theivery. This is not living with honoring Jehovah or His Kingdom....Show more

Rosie Travino: It is their organization to ask them to volunteer their time for the WTS gospel. There was a time they asked people to wait with marriage plans and they even encouraged people to sell their homes and work hard since the end was going to happen soon

Horace Escue: I attended my circuit assembly in September. I don't specifically remember that comment. But I have a recording of the talks on a CD, and I will take the time over the weekend to go back and see if I hear what you are saying.I was a Witness before I attended college. This was from 1964 to 1967. I have also attended individual classes of interest since then in more recent years.What I majored in was elementary education. As a teacher, education is important and instilling a love of learning is crucial.So I think it is unfair to sta! te that Jehovah's Witnesses are not interested in education.It is also ! extremely narrow-minded for a person to state that they do not know any educated Jehovah's Witnesses. A person that makes that statement is either lying or has not met many Witnesses and is making unfair assumptions.In my congregation, we have two teachers, an accountant, an airline supervisor, a nurse, an architect, a lawyer (young md-20's Witness), several large business owners, a writer/author, a jewelry designer, a model, an IT professional, a financial advisor, a professional touring singer, a physical therapist, and these are in a congregation of less than one hundred. Don't forget part of the 100 are children.Near-by congregations in my same town have a college professor, a doctor, a dentist, several more nurses, a world-wide known musician with his own weekly broadcast show, a nuclear medicine technologist, several more financial advisors,and others too numerous to mention. Obviously the majority of these are college/university trained.It is by no means correct to ! say that higher learning does not "match" teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses.But I can tell you from personal experience that there are unwholesome influences that are prevalent on campuses. It takes a strong young person to avoid these, whether they are a Witness or not.Many young people are just really beginning to get their independence at "college age". And it can be hard to handle physical and intellectual independence at the same time.It is not impossible, but VERY difficult. Therefore the statement that you attribute to the district overseer - "Education is stealing our youth".There have been numerous articles in the magazines that have helped young Witnesses and their parents to consider living at home and attending a local university as a safe-guard for the student.EDIT: FOR CHUCKI don't know if these countries (according to the 2008 Yearbook) would want to be classified as uneducated - CORRECTION - "Undereducated"Iceland - 6% increaseIsrael - 5% increaseRussia - 4%! increaseTaiwan - 7% increaseCayman Islands - 10% increaseTurkey - 5% i! ncreaseUkraine - 4% increaseThere are others. And educated to what standards?Thailand - vacation capital of Asia had a 9% increase.Even the USA had a 3% increase, which is more than the population increase in the same length of time....Show more

Fannie Collingwood: You bet it is. With the access to their sordid past, all you have to do now days is log on. I know almost no educated JW's.I think Thinking is their enemy

Arden Strachn: Heres and article about the matter:young people ask:Most pioneer ministers support themselves with part-time work. But what if later on you need to support a family? Surely one would never regret devoting one’s youthful years to God’s service! Still, would it not make sense for a youth first to obtain a university degree and perhaps pursue the ministry later?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.Nevertheless, is a university degree always worth the huge commitment of time and money it demands? While statistics indicate that university graduates earn higher salaries and suffer less unemployment than high school graduates, the book Planning Your College Education reminds us that these statistics are mere averages. Only a minority of university graduates actually receive sky-high salaries; the rest are paid wages that are far more down to earth. Besides, the high incomes attributed to university graduates may also result from such factors as “unusual abilities, motivation, area opportunities for employment, . . . special talents”â€"not simply the amount of their education.“A [university] degree no longer guarantees success in the job market,” says the U.S. Depart! ment of Labor. “The proportion [of university graduates] employed in ! professional, technical, and managerial occupations . . . declined because these occupations did not expand rapidly enough to absorb the growing supply of graduates. As a result, roughly 1 out of 5 [university] graduates who entered the labor market between 1970 and 1984 took a job not usually requiring a degree. This oversupply of graduates is likely to continue through the mid-1990’s.A university degree may or may not improve your employment prospects. But one fact is indisputable: “The time left is reduced”! (1 Corinthians 7:29) For all its presumed benefits, would four years or more in a university be the best use of that remaining time?â€"Ephesians 5:16.Would a university education steer you toward or away from your spiritual goals? Remember, a high income is not a Christian priority. (1 Timothy 6:7, 8) Yet, a survey of U.S. university administrators described today’s students as ‘career-oriented, concerned with material success, concerned with self.’! One group of students said: “Money. It seems like all we talk about is money.” How might being immersed in an atmosphere of intense competition and selfish materialism affect you?Universities may no longer have the riotous scenes of the 1960’s. But a decrease in university bedlam hardly means the campus environment is wholesome. Concluded one study of campus life: “Students still have almost unlimited freedom in personal and social matters.” Drugs and alcohol are used freely, and promiscuity is the ruleâ€"not the exception. If this is true of universities in your land, might living there thwart your efforts to remain morally clean?â€"1 Corinthians 6:18.Another concern is the well-documented association of exposure to higher education with decreased “adherence to core religious tenets.” (The Sacred in a Secular Age) The pressure to maintain high grades has caused some Christian youths to neglect spiritual activities and thus become vulnerable to the onslaught! of secular thinking promoted by universities. Some have suffered shipw! reck concerning their faith.â€"Colossians 2:8.If, for example, your parents insist that you attend a university, you have no choice but to obey them as long as you are living under their supervision. (Ephesians 6:1-3) Perhaps you can continue living at home and avoid getting caught up in the university scene. Be selective in your choice of courses, for example, focusing on learning job skills rather than worldly philosophies. Guard your associations. (1 Corinthians 15:33) Keep yourself spiritually strong by meeting attendance, field service, and personal study. Some youths who have been obliged to attend university have even managed to pioneer by choosing a schedule of courses that made that possible.Choose your career carefully and prayerfully, so that it not only will bring personal happiness but will enable you to ‘store up treasures in heaven.’â€"Matthew 6:20.Check my profile as to clarify my thoughts on Jehovah Witnesses.Also, do not let one sentence that you may,! or may not understand, send you away from the circuit assembly with out anything else.The circuit assembly was wonderful! So many great points. And to clarify, yes, there was a brother who was talking about higher education....Show more