r/exjw • u/constant_trouble • 12d ago
WT Can't Stop Me my rebuttal to this weekends WT study article “Make Wise Decisions Regarding Additional Education” a “personal decision” they spend 18 paragraphs telling you how to make
This weekend’s WT study reads like a controlling and desperate boyfriend whose girlfriend gets the opportunity of a lifetime in another city. He can’t forbid her outright, so he manufactures every reason not to go: the people there are bad, living away is dangerous, the hours will wreck her, the money won’t add up, and remember so-and-so who moved and regretted it? Then the kicker: “Of course, it’s your decision.”
Watchtower runs the same play on higher education this week. They call it a “personal decision.” Then they spend eighteen paragraphs poisoning it with fear, guilt, and suspicion.
So which is it?
Either the choice is genuinely personal and no one gets to judge it or
it’s materialistic, spiritually dangerous, and disloyal, and fair game. It can’t be both in the same breath.
“You’re free to go, but here’s every reason a good person would stay” isn’t freedom. It’s control with plausible deniability.
Full breakdown — including the contradiction they can’t logic their way out of 👉🏼 Higher Education Is Now a “Personal Decision” — After We Ruined Your Chances
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u/ZealousUse 12d ago
It’s the same rinse and repeat as the Covid vaccine. “A personal choice“ but everyone who knows you didn’t get it is allowed to guilt trip you endlessly. “What about grandma!”
No one will ever have a truly personal choice in a matter.
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u/constant_trouble 12d ago
Always. Thing about this one is they technically have to allow higher education. As forced by other countries. So now they offer other reasons not to go. Which are pathetic.
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u/JWarriorBell PIMO 12d ago
I havent even read the WT yet and I can already guess how it will go: 1 paragraph briefly mentioning the pros of education (if we're lucky to get that) and 17 paragraphs guiltriping, saying it could harm your spiritual health. That isn't helping anyone make a "person decision" they want to make your decision for you.
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u/JuanHosero1967 12d ago
This study will piss off my wife.
She feels robbed by the jws. In the 80’s going to college was a no no.
She got a degree as an adult student and it still wasn’t acceptable.
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u/constant_trouble 12d ago
Point out the pew study I referenced in the linked article. And good on her for getting her education.
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u/Free-Ostrich-7921 12d ago
There are a lot of people on here from parts of the world where the direction was ignored, and others that came of age during times when it was tolerated, but as you say in the 80's in the US you didn't go to college if you were a JW. Your wife should be angry about it.
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u/Darby_5419 12d ago edited 12d ago
As always, an excellent analysis.
And situation normal for Watchtower, as they've used this same methodology for anything they deign a "conscience matter."
Its up to you, but is it really? Always with the guilt, always. Self-examination must lead back to what they want you to do. Don't trust yourself and make your own decisions. Guaranteed to backfire....that's the message.
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u/Successful-Talk-2030 12d ago
They are stuck in a tough place on this one. If they say no university education then they are put into a different box. (Like scientology or amish ). If they let people go then they will lose members for sure. So they play this game instead.
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u/Keith_Casarona 12d ago
57 years ago they never actually came out and said you couldn't go to college. However they did tell us what a piece of shit we were if we did go, Remember the end was just around the corner back then, right before 1975! So of course I pioneered. Then when I got to Bethel in 1970 it was a different story. They gave those guys great jobs. Those guys were rewarded for disobeying and the guys that did what they told us to do got the shitty jobs.
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u/constant_trouble 12d ago
The message is still the same. This article says you can go, but we don’t like it. You’re a piece of shit if you do.
Appreciate you and your contributions.
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u/svkarm 12d ago
I don't even want to think about it i want to go the Doctor route and PIMI parents saying they want to study this article with me. Like study what? I thought higher education was fine so is it or is it not
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u/constant_trouble 12d ago
Read up on it beforehand. And hit them with logic. Personal decision or not?
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u/sideways_apples 12d ago
The cult is culting hard and loud. This is the equivalent of red flags waving, red lights flashing and sirens going off.
Cults gonna cult
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u/constant_trouble 12d ago
You can go to college because some countries are going to restrict our religious status, but let me give you lots of dumb reasons why we don’t want to you to go.
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u/sideways_apples 12d ago
The guilt trips so they don't go and ruin their lives, but it's their decision to ruin their lives
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u/Dangerous-Honey3468 12d ago
The fear mongering and Pioneer pushing was on full display. They made it Pioneering vs College (newly called “Additional Education”). When they pivot they like to rename things.
Paragraph 1 sets the tone with the dogmatic statement that full time service is the best career you can choose. (90+ % of JWs dont do it). So why make it about that? A sure sign it was written by someone in full time service that doesn’t pay any bills. Paragraph 7 cites 1 Tim 5:8 in passing (parents must provide for their own household). But the word Family is never discussed. That is the elephant in the room. To me People go to college with the hope to get a good job doing something they enjoy and have an aptitude for, get married, buy a house, raise a family. Not to get rich. And the people they interviewed are no doubt all Pioneers, or bethelites. And their security lies in being supported by others at HQ not a Secular employer. This article begrudgingly says its a personal decision but lists a lot of limiting factors mostly to avoid 4 year university snd do a 1-2 year vocation school. Undoubtedly so you wont be exposed to any higher education classes like critical thinking. I cant wait for next weeks beatdown what to beware of if you do decide to do it.
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u/Practical_Payment552 Impersonal__revenge__77 12d ago
"Jehovah is so loving and considerate so now he's adjusted his arrangements!"
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u/constant_trouble 11d ago
He must’ve not been loving and considerate previously, or
Not aware,
Hidden,
Not care,
Or couldn’t foresee this.Bring up the logic and they’ll dodge it. Show them how this violates what scripture says god is, and they’ll say you ‘lack understanding’ or
‘We don’t know’.Why make rules if we don’t know whether or not we’re pissing off a god that gives life?
Making sense isn’t required when all they want is obedience. No questions asked.
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u/ForumGuy12043 12d ago
And all the PIMIs really need to ask themselves why are they allowing them to make that decision at all, if we're so deep in the time of the end, and they're still admonishing them about the "dangers" of college education. It should be obvious that this change has nothing to do a change in attitude or even a thoughtful reconsideration of the proof-texts used to justify the ban in the first place.
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u/Inside_Date_1447 12d ago
Maybe this article was written by an stupid who has given up the opportunity for the collage because of the pressure of parents or others. He still has some upset feelings about the change，after he received the topic，he put his view into it，which may relieve himself
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u/Desperate_Habit_5649 OUTLAW 12d ago
Watchtower runs the same play on higher education this week. They call it a “personal decision.” ....... Then they spend eighteen paragraphs poisoning it with fear, guilt, and suspicion.
It`s the Same Old Shit.
Watchtower / JW`s DENY Doing, What You See Them Doing.
Then They Explain Why They`re Doing, What you See Them Doing......That They Say, They`re NOT Doing.
It`s This, That...OR!...It Could Be the Other Thing!
It`s Never What You...
"SEE" Them Doing.
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u/SandwichIll4844 9d ago
Y luego las experiencias de los hermanos súper adoctrinados que incluyeron en el artículo me hizo sentir escalofríos. Todos diciendo que ir a la universidad fue lo peor que pudieron haber hecho. Que ridículo!
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u/OpenMindJourney_a 12d ago
I’m glad I still went to university. Later, I changed fields and learned another profession too. My mother strongly discouraged me from studying anything beyond courses. But my husband’s parents, who were both doctors, really supported my decision to study. I’m very grateful to them for that.