Text For Wednesday, 02 May 2007

[barry]

Those trusting in Jehovah are like Mount Zion, which cannot be made to totter, but dwells even to time indefinite.—Ps. 125:1.

Those trusting in Jehovah enjoy an inner peace unknown to others. Anyone who does not trust firmly in Jehovah might think differently. The majority of humans view material wealth as a major key to security. Hence, parents have encouraged their offspring to invest much of their young adulthood in higher education, hoping that it will prepare them for well-paying careers. Sadly, some Christian families have found the cost of such an investment to be very high, as their children have lost their spiritual focus and turned to pursuing materialistic goals. Hence, wise Christians realize that they must try to keep a balance. Even if they have to spend long hours in secular work in order to care for Scriptural responsibilities, they never allow the need to earn money to blind them to the more important spiritual matters.—Eccl. 7:12. w 1/1/06 6-8

[Kenneth]

What is it with the Watchtower and higher education? This is the second attack on higher education in a week.


Even if they have to spend long hours in secular work in order to care for Scriptural responsibilities, they never allow the need to earn money to blind them to the more important spiritual matters.[/b]

If a Christian spends long hours in secular employment due to the minimum wage when will he have time enough to care for his family and spiritual matters. It stands to reason if he works less hours at a higher rate of pay not only will he happier but will be able to spend more time with his family and the congregation.

Why it that the society are under the impression that higher education is synonymous with materialism? There are countless individuals who are earning a fortune in the plumbing trade, and yes some are very materialistic, yet Plumbing is viewed as an acceptable way to make a living.

Can someone confirm for me and produce some evidence that a member of the governing bodies son went to university and did a political science degree while living at Bethel. I believe it was Albert Schroeder son.

[Kenneth]

In my experience and I really don't care what others maintain in the congregation is that those who are better educated and show a zeal for spiritual pursuits are used far more in the congregation than non educated persons, it stands to reason. I've had this debate with others in the past. That if two brothers are reaching out for office of oversight and both equally love their God Jehovah and one is better educated that the other then the better education one will make the progress. If the better education one is more articulate and has a silver-tongued he will be use on the platform, get spotted by the CO and have assembly parts. The other will be left until he is able to develop his abilities as a speaker. It maybe that the better educated one can work part-time and pioneer as the other works long hours to meet his family's needs. I've seen it happen.

Some labour under the impression that the Theocratic school will suffice. Well I have every respect for the school and I have benefited greatly from it, it certainly can help in the secular world of employment. But a lot more is needed than just being able to speak from the platform. Even though I am able to read fluently, writing has been the bane of my life. I did consider going to night school some years ago and studying English language but I was discourage by the school overseer who felt the theocratic school was enough. Interestingly the overseer was a well educated man and highly capable in his mastery of English.

[Kenneth]

lost their spiritual focus and turned to pursuing materialistic goals.[/b]

I have lost count of the number of individuals who have left the organisation in the past twenty years. Few however have left because of higher education. Most have worked in some form of secular employment that required the minimum of qualifications. However, I happen to know brothers who are university lectures and are elders, bet you wont here about how they have usefully negotiated the world of academia. Uh, hot dog as the Americans would say.

[barry]

It is discouraged to get higher degrees, but brothers/sisters who have higher degrees are often used in the organisation.
Even in our articles we have examples of brothers/sisters with higher studies, who can tell why they believe in the bible.
Example: http://www.watchtower.org/e/20040122a/article_01.htm

regards,
Barry

[Kenneth]

I wonder how many articles have been written be university educated men telling us not to bother with higher education as its a waste of time.

[Gabriel]

I bet the watchtower and awake! articles are written by those who have a degree in language arts. funny. I wonder what they think as they type up those articles.

THIS WORLD IS CRAZZY!!! Its hard to take it all in sometimes. Good grief!

[Berean]

I bet the watchtower and awake! articles are written by those who have a degree in language arts. funny. I wonder what they think as they type up those articles.[/b]
Not to mention those who translate the articles into another language. Nobody is born with the ability to speak two languages fluently, and many people have to follow higher education to achieve this ability... then there's also the artists, a lot of whom likely have followed some art school, oh! and the ones who make the CD-ROM and the website... there's no denying you need at least some degree of higher education for all that, so they're shooting themselves in the foot by discouraging it.

[Shibboleth]

cause they want us all to become maids and clean people's houses for a living.

this is how my dad put it to me after he realized I didn't want to be a pioneer. "You can either work hard and break your back like I have done in the construction trade or you can go into drafting and design and use your mind so you don't have to break your back." I chose not to break my back. Went to secondary school after high school and never looked back. I am not rich or have tons of stuff, but at least I am not breaking my hump and I have a roof over my head.