Can religion really overcome racial tensions.

by earthtone 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  earthtone

  In my experience it seems that although religion is suppose to unite all races, it rarely does, As in the case of Jehovah's Witnesses.

  JW's are always talking about how they go serve where the need is great often among individual of a different nationality to help there "brothers and sisters". They orchastrate international conventions to prove how much they love the" friends" regardless of their race. They pride themself's on following the counsel of Act 10:34,35 where it states:"For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him."

  But it is often not true. Here's just my own personal experience:

  I grew up in chicago (still here) and in a neighborhood mixed with latinos and blacks. So of course this was the territory we had to witness to. We had several brothers and sisters in my hall who were spanish, asian and even Indian. We socialize with these ones at many gathering and called them our spirtual brother and sisters. When our area saw a rise in spanish speaking ones who wanted a bible study. Some ( myself included) went to the spanish KH to learn spanish so we could help them out. I was very close to this Puerto Rican sister who was a pioneer and we worked out in service alot and I was often at her home just hanging out.. My mother encourage this. I was very close to a Fillipano family and would go for sleepovers at their home. My mother encourage this. You would think my mother was very open minded and accepting of all races. She wasn't but even I did not know this. Until....

  I dated a Mexican guy. I would have thought the biggest thing would be the fact that he was not a witness (worldly). It wasn't it was the fact that he was Mexican. You should have heard the mess she said. I was really shocked. Where was that christian love then?! Oh I get it, it only applies to witness. I've notice this attitude among other Jehovah's Witnesses and I just shake my head. I guess Act's only applies to JW's, but if your worldly then it's okay to call you a n*gga, sp*c, or redneck.

  Go figure!

  And yet the pass resolutions like:

  . Because of our love for Jehovah and for our neighbours, we are determined to intensify our
  
  witness to the world of mankind regardless of their race, nationality or station in life

  Well I'm glad I never told her about the Greek, Italian and Ecuadorian guy's I dated. She probably accuse me of being in league's with the Untied Nations. lol
• 

  purplesofa

  I live in an area where there are a lot of mixed relationships. My daughter has dated out of her race.

  IN my congo though.....the majority of the congo is black(I think) but there are no black elders and only one black MS.

  Just an observation, I don't know why.

  I never have heard racial slurs at all.

  The JW's to me are to be commended for spreading the religion to all nations.

  I can only think of the Catholics that are all over like the JW's

  purps
• 

  jaguarbass

  I am not defending the witnesses at all, but everyone has short comings. You have seen one of your mothers.
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  looking_glass

  Earth - I never experienced what you are talking about at all. Of the few guys I dated while I was a JW, none of them were my own race and my family never had a problem with this. The hall I went to growing up was almost all white people. But it was filled w/ all old people, so I hung out w/ kids from the Waukegan and North Chicago halls which were highly diverse. Really of all the things I really like/liked about the religion was the lack of race issues. I am really surprised that race was an issue for your mom. I really, really find that shocking. It is a shame really.
• 

  Arthur

  I think that racial unity has always been a product of spiritual evolution; not religious adherence.
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  earthtone

  
  If they were a witness, it was cool.

  If they were worldly then that was when she brought it up. And it wasn't just mother. Someone else posted that their family went to service where the need was great and then moved again to serve some place else. Came to find out if was because their parent did not want them dating one of the "local brother". So I was just commenting on how I don't think JW's are as tolerant as they seem. And most certainly I'm not saying all are like my mom.

  And I was not saying that JW's throw around racial slurs... that was more or less for drama.
• 

  earthtone

  
  And when I went to the convention I noticed alot of mixed couples too and comment to my mother about this and she said, " I know isn't this great" . lol Hypocrite. Maybe I should rename this JW's are the biggest religious Hypocrites.
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  JWdaughter

  I think racial tensions will be overcome as the world gets smaller. Even my majorly prejudiced f-i-l got over it when he got to know his grandchildren whose father was black. Once your own blood is 'mixed' with that of another race, it is easier to see they are just family, real people and that is all that matters. I grew up in a home that wasn't overtly 'biased' but during a couple of affirmative action jags, the carpenters union stirred up a lot of anger between races that I observed among my dad and his friends. None of this is about the JWs, I think it is a people/society issue that is ever changing, and I hope, improving, especially as my oldest son is of a mixed race.

  I think that in the org. any overt racism is likely more individually based rather than organizational, in spite of their stupid comments in the past about those of other races. Many religions have that stupidity in their history. JWs are as bad, but probably no worse than the rest of them. I think.
• 

  earthtone

  . JWs are as bad, but probably no worse than the rest of them. I think.

  Right and probably no better.
• 

  Carmel

  When my wife and I adopted a Mexican/African girl baby, I heard through a close friend that my family (all JWs) added it to the list of hideous acts I was preforming as a DF'd piece of dead wood. Interesting in light of the supposed racial harmony the Watchtower claims is the hallmark of "God's Organization". It's one of the hypocricies in addtion to the thirdclass citizenship that women are put in that repelled me from the Borg.

  Racial harmony is difficult to attain in any large group in this world if it strives for diversity. It's one of the elements that attracted me to my present affliation.

  carmel