Text For Thursday, 26 April 2007

[barry]

Keep strict watch that how you walk is not as unwise but as wise persons, buying out the opportune time for yourselves, because the days are wicked.—Eph. 5:15, 16.

University and college campuses are notorious for bad behavior—drug and alcohol abuse, immorality, cheating, hazing, and the list goes on. In addition, there is the pressure of schoolwork and examinations. Naturally, students need to study and do their homework to pass the exams. Some may also need to hold at least a part-time job while going to school. All of this takes a great deal of their time and energy. What, then, will be left for spiritual activities? When pressures mount, what will be let go? Will Kingdom interests still come first, or will they be put aside? (Matt. 6:33) How sad that some have fallen away from the faith as a result of succumbing to the demands on their time and energy or of getting entangled in unscriptural conduct at college! w 10/1/05 11, 12a

[Kenneth]

I remember this Watchtower all to well. It was one-sided and didn't paint an accurate picture of University life at all. What does the society expect individuals to do in a world obsessed by qualifications? Without them in the Western world you can't work, or do they expect us to have some factory job where we work long hours at the lowest wage and struggle to make ends meet. The life of a university student is not much different to college life, (they don't seem to have so much of a problem with that) they both have to study whether they like it or not. University student only have to be on campus for 12 hour per week, six lectures and six seminars. The rest of the time is either spent in the library or studying at home. The way the Watchtower has painted the picture is that university is no place of a Christian, and as for others in the congregation who are bright enough to achieve a degree they are discourage and thus end up in a in a dead-end job. There are many who are now in their 40s and 50s and are broke are wondering why they didn't take-up some form of education when they were younger.




"University and college campuses are notorious for bad behavior—drug and alcohol abuse, immorality, cheating, hazing, and the list goes on"[/b]

Theses things are going on in every walk of life. If a brother who leaves school with A-levels the chances are he's going to work in some sort of office based environment. Do we suppose that he isn't going to be effected by the horrors associated with the office? The amount of immorality in the office may well outstrip that of higher education.



"In addition, there is the pressure of schoolwork and examinations"[/b]

What about meeting deadline in the secular world, the pressure of a boss breathing down you neck can be a lot more daunting that having to submit a 3000 word essay.


"Some may also need to hold at least a part-time job while going to school."[/b] Well so what!!!!!!

How many today have to work long hours, some have to work 60 hour per-week and why? Because they have a dead-end job.


"What, then, will be left for spiritual activities?"[/b]

Well I wouldn't imagine to much time if they have to work long hours in their dead-end job due to their lack of education.


"How sad that some have fallen away from the faith as a result of succumbing to the demands on their time and energy or of getting entangled in unscriptural conduct at college!"[/b]

How many have fallen away due to secular work. Why they have to pick on university student as if its some kind of satanic institution I don't know.

If the truth were to be known what the society doesn't want are people who can think for themselves. That's a definite No No.

[barry]

Hi Kenneth,

It's true as you said. Going to university can also be considered as preparing for the life after it.
For me my faith grew when studying just because you learn a lot of things about the creation which you did not know before.
In my case i had a lot more time during study than when I started to work.
The way you are spritiuallly influenced has to do with the company you seek. Not all students are the same. So if you're careful and seek good company it doesn't have to be as described in todays text.
That's the same for your work life afterwards.

Indeed, we discussed the text this morning at breakfast and we also said that it must be because if people start thinking it becomes dangerous.

Another thing we noticed is how the society makes use of people with degrees. If there are no doctors, who will assist in the bloodless programs worldwide; if there are no engineers and architects, who will be able to coordinate the building programs worldwide.
Even financially, if people just have enough to live, they won't be able to give money for the worldwide work. People who have more financial possibilities can do more.

[eyes&ears]

Hi everyone

I always found the negative emphasis stressed by the Society on college education quite sad. I cannot understand why they did not address this issue by stating the negative and postive as well as give suggestions on how one could be successful in both secular education and spiritual matters by being balanced.

Actually (imo) this is a personal matter and should be discussed by family members. I do not like how they have DEMONIZED (imo) college education and those who pursue it if that is their choice. Some areas of the sheeps lives are very personal and the Society seems as though we are so empty headed that they need to control every teeny weeny aspect of our lives. IMO this is not normal.

Anyways after my morning rants today, :rolleyes: :mad: :crazy: :ranting2: :D the main point that I take away personally from the text is to KEEP STRICT WATCH ON HOW WE ARE WALKING, AND DO THE WORK THAT JEHOVAH HAS LEFT US TO DO WHILE JUGGLING OUR LIVES TO MAKE A LIVING FOR OURSELVES AND OUR FAMILIES.

The old saying is "WE WANT TO WORK TO LIVE. NOT LIVE TO WORK."

Love to you all on this beautiful day Jehovah has blessed us with.

E & E

[Molly]

Good Day to Everyone-

This is a topic that has always made me a bit sad and more than a little frustrated.

I had graduated from college years prior to becoming a JW. When I heard how they felt about getting an education, it didn't make any sense, but I had my degree, so it didn't affect me. Since then, I have seen how the brothers and sisters have been deprived of much in life due to the stress of having lower paying jobs than they were capable of doing. Most good jobs require some type of extra education. One sister apologized for having gotten a college degree, because she didn't think she had the stamina to clean houses for a living. This is really a sad way to look at life. Apologizing for getting an education! Her degree allowed her to have a good job that she enjoyed and an income that was reasonable.

At one time the argument for not getting an education was that it showed that the person didn't really love Jehovah because he wasn't putting God's kingdom first. If that's not judging, then I don't know what is.

Even after becoming a witness, I used to take classes at the local college - JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT!!!!!! Of course, I never told anyone at the Hall. They just would not have understood.

Their views on education were just one of many ideas that I rejected completely. I regarded it as a non-issue scripturally and none of their business.

Molly

[Berean]

Where I live, it's hard to get a job without higher education (you know, you'll have a diploma that's too good for the 'lower' jobs, but not good enough for the 'higher' jobs)... so, I took up studying. Should I ever get married, I'm expected to provide for my family. How can I do that without a job? Right. And without academics, who will they cite in the Watchtower articles? It's always 'historian X says...', 'some Bible scholars think...', and 'doctor Blah says to wash your hands before meals...' Well, who knows, one day I might be 'historian X', and I'll be glad I didn't let myself get talked out of it.

[Orchid]

This is something that I suffered from. As a teen I was never encouraged to go to college, my parents never saved any funds for schooling despite them have fairly well paying jobs at the time. Spiritually, I thought okay. I mean I really wanted to pioneer anyway, and that's all what my friends wanted to do, I just wanted to be accepted! I went into homeschooling on to graduating really early, 16 years old. :)

Well when my family stopped going to the meeting, so what did I do? I just went to work, never considering college. I worked for 4 or 5 years. Now I'm 24 and I don't have the money to go to school, and I really don't even know what I would enjoy doing as job. Still I'm fortunate because I don't have to work a low-wage job either, because my husband supports. I still would have more self esteem if I felt I as capable of supporting myself.

Going along with what Barry said --> "People who have more financial possibilities can do more." Again this is really a conscience matter in my honest opinion. As long as you can keep your eye on the prize and have your priorities straight, I don't see it as something in the wrong. Just have to keep Jehovah in the center of your life.

Orchid :40:

[stayawake]

Up until just a decade ago, the idea was college would not really be needed after Jehovahs day of anger was over,
but builders would be needed . So learning a trade was next to- planning on going to Bethel/
The trade that was to be learned was one to be able to rebuild the earth after Armegedden ,using this carrot, a lot of brothers took up various trades . Dry wall, Brick Layers, Plumming, Electrician,Painting, Carpet, Tile Laying etc.
IMHO
There was a VERY SELFISH motive behind this direction.

Look at the great Enterprise the WT Corp has become. All over the world they have Beautiful Branch Offices Farms, Assembly Halls, Kingdom Halls, even Landscaping, all built by our dear brothers with out cost. Yet the WT holds the Title to all.

To take this STEP a little further
IMHO
I would not be a bit surprised if that wasn't the reason that the other sheep started to come in in 1935

A paradised earth with life everlasing would really appeal to the younger generation.
Wouldn't it !!
I speak only for myself
love stayawake

[Candace]

Last night during the CO visit, the CO showed a WT dvd on the building work going on worldwide. Of course, since it was in another language, I have no clue what they were saying, but just looked at building after building after building after building....... While the audience was oohing and aahing over this remarkable building work going on, I was thinking of how vast the WTS's real estate holdings have gotten. How will their treasures on earth affect them when the GT starts?

[barry]

We also had our CO visiting recently and we also saw this DVD.
Personally I was impressed by the motivation of the brothers/sisters in these countries and how they could work in these conditions and create something which they wanted to dedicate to Jehovah.

[Candace]

Barry, yes, the willingness of the brothers and sisters to sacrifice their time and effort to make a meeting place for Jehovah's praise was impressive. It sure will be nice when Jehovah cleans house so that everything taught in our meeting places is a reflection of Jehovah's glory.