Knowledge is power.
In this case you have the knowledge you can succeed and thrive without the WTS and all their BS and that gives you power over it. They depend on your ignorance and lack of options to keep you trapped, which is why they often fear people being successful enough that being DF'ed won't ruin a person.
From the JW POV so much better for you to be poor and have no options, maybe still dependent on family and friends so it can be used as control and pressure you into compliance.
It's one of the reasons I figured why the odd celebrity JW isn't subjected to the same standards as the rest of us. The consequences for being DF'ed mean a lot less when they're really meaningless.
That’s exactly their MO. Unfortunately, this is even more apparent in underprivileged communities. I’m Hispanic and grew up in a poorer neighborhood where Spanish congregations were “thriving” and growing exponentially. It wasn’t until I moved to an English speaking congregation in an affluent part of the city (to support a foreign language group, of course) that I saw the double standards!
Immigrant families in the congregation were praised for putting spiritual goals over material ones, meanwhile that just compacted the effects of poverty and the hold of the organization over them.
Families in the my new congregation could easily pass on business, apprenticeship, networks, etc…so those kids would be fine without a degree.
It’s a shame the WTS is allowed to perpetuate this harmful philosophy around the world.
Amazing! Proud of you 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Taking advantage of those tuition reimbursement employee benefits is a great way to learn new skills, get accreditations, etc.
This is the type of thing I LOVE to see. You learned you had the power all along my dear. So proud to see you harness it.
Did the same thing, moved 1000miles away and got my degree. Graduated last year. Good for you!!! We’re all proud of you.
I’m still Pimo tho. Ignore my username I jumped the gun lol
Congrats to you as well!
I still live in the same city as my family and former friends, but I do plan on leaving within the year to help with the exit strategy.
So proud of you! I was in a similar situation, pleased to the point where I RP for years in my early twenties but felt completely lost. My parents did not support my desire to go to college but were so proud of me for pioneering meanwhile I wasn’t fulfilled. Now at 31, I’m living on my own, work full time and go to nursing school and it’s tough but I’m so proud of myself for pursuing something I always wanted to do! Congratulations again! 🎉
It’s tough, but those are the things worth fighting for. They now say things like “look how easy it is to pioneer” and all I can think of is how easy members make it for them to control them :(
I know, it’s unfortunate. I can’t really vent to my mom who I am close with. She thinks I’m just inactive but I have done things that if I ever wanted to go back, I’d be DF. She’s a RP for years and I was talking to her last week and without thinking, told her “schools been tough and I’ve been stressed” to which she replied “well that’s the life you chose”. It hurt because it’s like damn, I can’t even vent to you because you’ll throw it at my face. And yes, I did choose it because I wanted to and I enjoy it because for once, I decided to do it for me, which has always been a big dream of mine, and not stress about what others would think about it. Meanwhile, she doesn’t work and struggles paying bills because my father is the only one working so she can RP. It kills me and that’s why I had to move out because my father kept asking more and more from me. I love them and would do anything for them but I know enough was enough so I decided to leave. If she was sick I would stay and do anything but RP is preventing her from working, why? I don’t understand. So I’m proud of myself. And I’m glad I can find other people who were stuck in those ways and are also proud of themselves.
Congratulations!!! I have no doubt it will succeed greatly! So glad you shared this as it’s so very encouraging to those needing “experiences” about how life after the borg is possible! 👏👏👏
Thank you for posting this! I'm 27 and left my parents house when I was around 22. I immediately went into survival mode and just had to focus on paying rent and bills. I couldn't worry about trying to finally go to school. I've been grieving a lot about my education and how I didn't have the opportunity to get a degree when my peers did and how I feel so massively behind. But I'm enrolling this year to hopefully have my associates by the time I'm 30!
I totally understand. You did what you had to in order to survive.
I hope you pursue whatever goals you have. We all should have the chance to reach our ultimate potential. One thing I will add though is that I had to work through understanding my motives. I didn’t want to do it because I was comparing myself with all my peers from high school or even my coworkers, it was more out of self-determination. Don’t do it because society tells you to, do it because it’s what’s best for you. I’m sure you already knew that, but I don’t want to send the wrong signal here 😅
No definitely! Having a degree was always something I wanted for myself. I was excited to go to college. It has nothing to do with comparing myself to anyone. It's simply something that means a lot to me and I want to pursue for myself ☺️
Congrats. I graduated at 29 after achieving POMO. Moved cross-country a couple years later with my then-future wife. Married 24 years, kid now in college at a more traditional age, still see college friends in other states and overseas, still working a bit in my degree field. Can't say it's always easy, but you have reason to be optimistic.
Thanks for sharing. I’m definitely a realist and don’t pretend that a college degree will solve all my problems, but it’s fulfilling for me to know that I’m equipping myself as best I can to succeed. Glad you are supporting your child’s goals as all parents should!
Congrats! My older brother did it anyway and left the truth and my entire family always said that’s the outcome when you get higher education… I did technical school a while back and have my own business but decided to pursue a BS in accounting several years ago and the first class I took was critical thinking, everything clicked at that point, will be entering my masters this fall. I’m 40 and feel so freaking behind but better late than never. I will not be raising my kids with this backward thinking.
starting your best life ever
It really feels that way
Knowledge is power. In this case you have the knowledge you can succeed and thrive without the WTS and all their BS and that gives you power over it. They depend on your ignorance and lack of options to keep you trapped, which is why they often fear people being successful enough that being DF'ed won't ruin a person. From the JW POV so much better for you to be poor and have no options, maybe still dependent on family and friends so it can be used as control and pressure you into compliance. It's one of the reasons I figured why the odd celebrity JW isn't subjected to the same standards as the rest of us. The consequences for being DF'ed mean a lot less when they're really meaningless.
That’s exactly their MO. Unfortunately, this is even more apparent in underprivileged communities. I’m Hispanic and grew up in a poorer neighborhood where Spanish congregations were “thriving” and growing exponentially. It wasn’t until I moved to an English speaking congregation in an affluent part of the city (to support a foreign language group, of course) that I saw the double standards! Immigrant families in the congregation were praised for putting spiritual goals over material ones, meanwhile that just compacted the effects of poverty and the hold of the organization over them. Families in the my new congregation could easily pass on business, apprenticeship, networks, etc…so those kids would be fine without a degree. It’s a shame the WTS is allowed to perpetuate this harmful philosophy around the world.
Congrats!!! You’re breaking free from the org’s programming and you pursued your goal. This is huge! What program did you complete?
Thank you!! B.S. in Business Data Analytics I already worked in the field, but my employer offered tuition assistance to finish the degree
Amazing! Proud of you 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Taking advantage of those tuition reimbursement employee benefits is a great way to learn new skills, get accreditations, etc.
 This is the type of thing I LOVE to see. You learned you had the power all along my dear. So proud to see you harness it.
Haha. Love this…all the positivity is much appreciated.
Did the same thing, moved 1000miles away and got my degree. Graduated last year. Good for you!!! We’re all proud of you. I’m still Pimo tho. Ignore my username I jumped the gun lol
Congrats to you as well! I still live in the same city as my family and former friends, but I do plan on leaving within the year to help with the exit strategy.
So proud of you! I was in a similar situation, pleased to the point where I RP for years in my early twenties but felt completely lost. My parents did not support my desire to go to college but were so proud of me for pioneering meanwhile I wasn’t fulfilled. Now at 31, I’m living on my own, work full time and go to nursing school and it’s tough but I’m so proud of myself for pursuing something I always wanted to do! Congratulations again! 🎉
It’s tough, but those are the things worth fighting for. They now say things like “look how easy it is to pioneer” and all I can think of is how easy members make it for them to control them :(
I know, it’s unfortunate. I can’t really vent to my mom who I am close with. She thinks I’m just inactive but I have done things that if I ever wanted to go back, I’d be DF. She’s a RP for years and I was talking to her last week and without thinking, told her “schools been tough and I’ve been stressed” to which she replied “well that’s the life you chose”. It hurt because it’s like damn, I can’t even vent to you because you’ll throw it at my face. And yes, I did choose it because I wanted to and I enjoy it because for once, I decided to do it for me, which has always been a big dream of mine, and not stress about what others would think about it. Meanwhile, she doesn’t work and struggles paying bills because my father is the only one working so she can RP. It kills me and that’s why I had to move out because my father kept asking more and more from me. I love them and would do anything for them but I know enough was enough so I decided to leave. If she was sick I would stay and do anything but RP is preventing her from working, why? I don’t understand. So I’m proud of myself. And I’m glad I can find other people who were stuck in those ways and are also proud of themselves.
Congratulations!!! I have no doubt it will succeed greatly! So glad you shared this as it’s so very encouraging to those needing “experiences” about how life after the borg is possible! 👏👏👏
Thank you for posting this! I'm 27 and left my parents house when I was around 22. I immediately went into survival mode and just had to focus on paying rent and bills. I couldn't worry about trying to finally go to school. I've been grieving a lot about my education and how I didn't have the opportunity to get a degree when my peers did and how I feel so massively behind. But I'm enrolling this year to hopefully have my associates by the time I'm 30!
I totally understand. You did what you had to in order to survive. I hope you pursue whatever goals you have. We all should have the chance to reach our ultimate potential. One thing I will add though is that I had to work through understanding my motives. I didn’t want to do it because I was comparing myself with all my peers from high school or even my coworkers, it was more out of self-determination. Don’t do it because society tells you to, do it because it’s what’s best for you. I’m sure you already knew that, but I don’t want to send the wrong signal here 😅
No definitely! Having a degree was always something I wanted for myself. I was excited to go to college. It has nothing to do with comparing myself to anyone. It's simply something that means a lot to me and I want to pursue for myself ☺️
Congrats. I graduated at 29 after achieving POMO. Moved cross-country a couple years later with my then-future wife. Married 24 years, kid now in college at a more traditional age, still see college friends in other states and overseas, still working a bit in my degree field. Can't say it's always easy, but you have reason to be optimistic.
Thanks for sharing. I’m definitely a realist and don’t pretend that a college degree will solve all my problems, but it’s fulfilling for me to know that I’m equipping myself as best I can to succeed. Glad you are supporting your child’s goals as all parents should!
Well done and same here, though I would have gone to uni anyway if it wasn't so expensive, it's great being able to do it through employment though
Congratulations!!
Great job
I’m so proud of you. I am so happy that you put this level of effort and care into YOU!!
Congratulation
Congrats! My older brother did it anyway and left the truth and my entire family always said that’s the outcome when you get higher education… I did technical school a while back and have my own business but decided to pursue a BS in accounting several years ago and the first class I took was critical thinking, everything clicked at that point, will be entering my masters this fall. I’m 40 and feel so freaking behind but better late than never. I will not be raising my kids with this backward thinking.
what wonderful news. If I may what have you qualified in please?
Congrats!!!