The following are typical quotes from Jehovah’s Witnesses in response to queries about their opposition to education beyond high school. These claims seem a bit exaggerated, fanciful, and replete with propaganda from the WTS. If not the Jehovah organization, what could explain this sort of crazy ideas?
1. “Those with nursing and engineering degrees are ending up as waiters/waitresses cuz they can't find work in their chosen field.”
2. “The ONLY real reason people pursue higher learning is they love money & power, not because they want to make the world a better place.”
3. “We recognize that in the times we're living in now, additional education beyond high school is completely unnecessary and very unwise.”
4. “It has been statistically proven that those who go to college wind up not being able to use their degrees because the economy is so bad and there is no need for advanced jobs like doctors and engineers.”
5. “Higher education isn't necessary to complete the task that Jehovah has given us to do because soon universities will have no place anymore.”
6. “What is the point of attending university for four years when all university graduates are ending up unemployed and struggling to pay off thousands of dollars of debt?”
7. “There have been countless scholarly studies to confirm that university education does NOT lead to higher income."
8. “Anyone who truly loves Jehovah would recognize that college would be detrimental to our faith because of the bad associations of lewd and lascivious sex and drinking at all times.”
Answers & Comments
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1. People I know who have degree's are in rubbish jobs because of the lack of jobs here in the UK.
2. I've never heard them claim it is the only reason people pursue higher education. Some just want to learn or as you said, "make the world a better place". However Money and Power are behind many things - most just want a comfy career where they are earning £60k a year, have a flash car, nice house and whatever else they want.
3. In ways it can be unnecessary and unwise. Firstly, you have costs of university. I think I heard it was about £9k here for a degree in something. Then you need to consider everything else - accomodation and the likes. I certainly don't want to go in debt just for a bit of paper saying I learnt something. Secondly, with the job crisis at the moment, it seems pointless too.
4. The economy is bad. Most do not end up with the cushy career they expected, but some do.
5. Very good point. Jehovah asks us to do his will, and to put him first in our lives, yet will we be doing so if we are chasing after education, a good career, money? And in regards to Bethel and other avenues of service to Jehovah, one is trained. We have the TMS for training us to become better preachers, we have all sorts of training.
6. Another good point. I'd rather find a job now than head for university and only have to do the same after and be in debt too.
7. As a student, I've been told myself by higher education teachers that it does lead to a higher income - something about over £12k more than someone without a degree. But then, you don't know who to trust in this world do you? You get told one thing by one person, and something opposite by another. Anyway, again, this is chasing after money is it not? Who cares about a higher income? If I could support myself, i'd be happy.
8. This is true too. How do I know this? Well. Just being a student going into my last year of education has shown me how bad people are. Just spending 5 minutes with people at my local school I hear constant foul language (F this, F that, S this S that, B this B that...), Rude language, bullying, etc. People may not drink alcohol at school, but they certainly smoke and many do weed. When I have associated with some of these outside of school (Of course, I wouldn't dream of it now - I have been avoiding this association for over a year now and am happy with that decision), they drink, swear, act inappropriately, try to get me to act inappropriately, offer me cigarettes etc. The organization is trying to protect us. I'm happy I have this. I dread to think how I would have been had I never have been brought up with the truth - not a very pleasant person. Just being around bad people has an effect on you, as I know from experience.
The present system of things we live in today has no future. An analogy is like a ship that is sinking soon but the crew are busily polishing it's brass instead of lowering the lifeboats while there is still time. (Matt 24:37-42)
True Christians are that being true in all aspects of faith and practice and Jesus taught his followers in Matthew 6:33 "Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these [other] things will be added to YOU." A diploma and a high status job is not going to get you into the kingdom itself when the time comes. but whole souled service to Jehovah will. The knowledge that true Christians gain from Jehovah is higher and more beneficial to our success, hope and happiness.
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If, then, your eye is simple, your whole body will be bright" Matthew 6:22. Keeping our life simple as we can gives us the benefit to putting our time wisely to serving Jehovah and increasing our opportunities to proclaiming his kingdom to others.
When we have everlasting life on earth with perfect minds and bodies what would be achievable will pale anything academically achieved today. Jehovah will provide us with worthwhile activities and since humans are blessed with the ability to discover and create in the new system of things in God's perfect kingdom and to live forever imagine what someone like Isaac Newton could achieve or Mozart.
1 Peter 1:11 reminds us that true Christians are temporary residents of this system of things that Satan is ruler over (2 Cor 4:4; 1 John 5:19) so we don't look to find some permanency in this world. We have examples in the Bible of the faithful who left a life of privilege, worldly education and comfort such as Abraham, Moses and the apostle Paul and instead served Jehovah with complete and whole dedication and not concern themselves with the things they left behind. (Phil 3:8)
Further some of the numbered points you brought out are not just published in Watchtower articles but have been mirrored also by the mainstream news media. That people are leaving universities with degrees and dispairing about not being able to find work in their educated field or on low income.
Example: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14823042
Higher education guarantees you nothing. Nurses don't have any guarantees. Wages are going down for many in different areas of nursing as insurance companies are cutting payments. Dr's. are not faring much better as many are uninsured and will not go to an Dr. unless it is an emergency and even then they will access an online site. States are raising the criteria for nursing home admittance as state sponsored insurance companies are losing funds due to low state coffers and almost non existent Federal aid.
Money, for many, has become a strong motivator for college education. What a rude awakening after graduation. We, JW's, are criticized for shunning higher worldly education. Our faith and love for Jehovah God lead us to want to heed this command.
“Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these [other] things will be added to YOU. 34 So, never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Sufficient for each day is its own badness.
Matthew 6:33,34.
This is what will really reward us for eternity.
Well this is kind of exaggerated. I recently graduated high school and I think going to college for 4 years is pointless because this system is going to end soon. We aren't totally against any kind of higher education. We are encouraged to go to a technical school and get education to try to get a job to support ourselves as we serve Jehovah whole souled. To be completely fair the number of people getting a degree and being unable to use them is increasing. And quite often living on a college campus can lead to immorality.
Pursuing a college education is always up to the individual and no one is ever coerced into doing something they don't want to do. But we are instructed in the ways of God in knowing that this system is about to end and we should do all we can in Jehovah's service in finding those deserving of salvation. Higher education is just not necessary. There are many Jehovah's Witnesses who are doctors and nurses and you do not have to attend colleges that use up all your time in pursuing a nursing career. I've never personally heard any of the claims you make. Full time service to Jehovah is a much better way of life and very rewarding for those who have the room to do so. And who better than those who have not started a family yet.
The jehovah cult utilizes classic mind control techniques to control its adherents. The cult begins by welcoming the target into the cult. It's all smiles and hugs at fist. The cult then forbids the target to associate with anyone that is not also a cult member, including family members. Once the cult has established itself as the target's only support network, the cult threatens expulsion from the group (the jehovah cult calls this disfellowshipping) if you disobey your cult handlers in any way.
I went to university
and still do
what is said is this do not seek the riches of this world but seek those of the Kingdom
I think that's in the bible
You can't really be a Witness if you have an IQ in double figures - so Witnesses really wouldn't be able to make University entrance, even if they wanted to.
Did you ever hear the story about the fox?
Fundamentalist religions usually have a problem with universities because their kids will be exposed to different teachings and critical thinking which will inevitably lead to them questioning their faith.
It's not just the JWs. You get certain evangelical sects doing the same thing and taking their kids from homeschool directly to the workforce or strict Christian-only colleges. The child never gets the chance to be empowered enough to form their own opinion based on knowing ALL the facts...not until they are an adult and free from the parents' control.
Then the first counteractive bit of information they get, they feel betrayed and angry about what was done to them as children.
translation: educated people are more likely to think independently, critically, and analytically. This would be detrimental to our ranks. So discourage higher education whenever you can.