by Joshnaz 20 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
For more than three years, I was the only white person in a Harlem congregation (Foster, NY Circuit #5).
In my experience, the black JWs were awesome, awesome people. They really embodied the ideal that JWs were family and always made me feel welcome. It's the white folks that didn't grasp the whole love & unity thing, and not just with other races, but among each other.
You all have very interesting comments. My things have changed
My brother and I were called TACOS by the elder who was in charge of fixing the food for a ca. We left the S O B hanging. We just turned off the burners and walked into the crowd. He was sure pissed off when he came looking for us....LOL But as a general rule I have not seen any segregation in any of the halls I attended.
Along with JWOODS comment: My experiences were in the mid atlantic area. We had problems with hair cuts. I kept my hair short, usually a flat top. I was counseled by two elders that a military haircut was unacceptable. I asked to see this in writing. They Quoted some crap about following popular or worldly fads, nothing in print. So I got a crew cut. Again, same two had discussed how I wore my hair in an elders meeting and felt it necessary to counsel me again. This time it was too short. If I keep these kind of haircuts, I will lose my priveleges. I am white, and named five other brothers who actually trim their hair with clippers, half the length of mine, who are all elders or servants. The elders said that that was different. I asked why? They didn't really have anything to say, so I said the obvious. BECAUSE THEY ARE BLACK (afro-american)? Is there one set of rules for blacks, another for whites? Why can they have their priveleges wearing their hair short, and I cant? They acted a little nervous and had nothing to say. Again I asked to see this in writing exactly how long a brothers hair should be, and the exemptions for other nationalities. Nothing. Then I asked how long I should wear my hair? One elder said"OH, I can't tell you how long your hair should be" I said that they have had two elders meetings about exactly that, and I have been counseled twice about it. They had nothing to say, so the next meeting they had nothing to worry about, I took clippers and cut off as much as I could, then shaved my head with a razor. I told one of the elders who had counseled me twice that there should not be anymore time wasted in the elder meetings about my hair anymore. They can actually be concerned with real congregational matters.
I know what they were doing. Some wanted me recommended for elder, but some said that I had a bad attitude. They were trying to see how many hoops they could get me to jump through to prove that I was worthy. I was a MS and have a good work ethic, so I did my assignments well, but I would not put up with any bull shit. By that time I knew it was all a sham and wanted out anyway, definitely didn't want to be appointed elder.
In Maryland in our experience it was basically separate congregations for whites and blacks, but I think that's mostly because of how the neighborhoods were. In the one mixed congregation we attended, there was no inter-mixing even at the hall. It was basically two groups of people who happened to me sharing the same building. Very strange and awkward.
In Ireland everyone is very friendly with each other at the hall, but the races don't seem to mix socially.
Not in my neck of the woods.......
The only problem I encountered was in Australia. The PO would refer to the english brothers as pommies from the platform which got the backs up of a few there. Mind you, the PO was true blue and wanted to keep Australia that way - old school mentality.
Other than that, not a problem I ever saw
Never really noticed it. The Hall I grew up in was predominately Latino, with three Anglo families (including mine) and one mixed race family (Black & Anglo). In our circuit, there was one other black family, that I recall.
Here in Southern Indiana, everyone seemed to get along very well. If there were any problems, I never noticed it.
Cas
I think its a culture thing...English people feel more comfortable with other english peeps, and so on.....polish with polish, but the one cong we were in a few years ago had only 3 whites in it, we were two of them :) and sadly there were very nationalistic people in there and even 1 elder really didnt like white people, he wouldnt ever give us a blood card just the black people in his group. There was more he did too, and wow i could say alot of what some where like but it wouldnt be upbuilding. So I think its purely a culture thing, not everyone is anti....we arent :) we love everyone...xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
