Org Is RACIST! Towards Sisters Of COLOR In Particular--IMO!

by HiddlesWife 21 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  HiddlesWife

  I'm sorry--I'm getting this very sensitive vibe that the Org (mainly those at the top) don't have any respect--forget about love--for sisters of color. I'm coming to this conclusion from a couple of videos on jw broadcasting about single sisters.

  After watching this video:

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnjrbkgGP4g
  

  Showing the black sister (Afro-Brit) and her dilemma re: wanting a marriage mate and told "bad advice" about JW dating websites.

  Also, this one:

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xuWY9TMVRQ

  It is entitled: "What Is True Love?". Again, showing a sister of color (Latina/Hispanic) having difficulty concerning a relationship and wanting to marry a decent brother.

  No offense to anyone caucasian but: these videos are displaying the females of color having hard times/bad experiences while the white sisters are not going through a great deal of trials in this area--and not that they have to--but, to me (and a few others I mentioned these to) it is very noticeable and certainly not fair.

  Furthermore: Doesn't the GB (and their helpers) realize that a great deal of Jehovah's Army, which are women, are mainly women of color--expecially within the USA? Come on, now! To me, it seems as though--and hopefully not--videos are sending subliminal messages to the sisters--and possibly brothers--that this to be their only lot plus future in life. No prospects for any happiness--particularly due to race/background and gender!

  Sorry folks for my usual rants ("Yeah, Hiddleswife is at it again, with topics in this area!"), but it really, really pisses me off when stuff like this is going on in the Org; this is not supposed to happen there. Speakers along with the publications for many years have been always saying that "we are no part of the world" when it comes to the aforementioned. However, as I pointed out in one of my previous threads I started during summer, I still notice that in the "world" non-dubs are having very little situations/issues with interracial relationships and mixed families. {S.N.: If the Org does not respect women of color, WHY SEND JWs TO PREACH TO THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE?! MAY BE THEY SHOULD AVOID KNOCKING ON THEIR DOORS FROM THE GITTYUP!!}

  Once again, sorry for the rant (apologies for the all caps, which denotes yelling). So, about this posting and the videos, could anyone please give me some feedback? (I promise to be civil and not yell anymore). Thanks.
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  bsmart

  Rant away, you are preaching the truth. When I was a teenager I knew that I would never marry a witness. The attitude you speak about is straight from the old testament. While I am not a 'person of color' I agree completely.
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  Scully

  In my experience, the Organization™ has no respect for any human that lacks a penis. They've made statements to the effect that

  • women have smaller brains and should therefore leave the thinking to the men
  • a woman will hurt the fragile male ego if she should earn a better wage than her husband, and should not aspire to have jobs that could provide a better wage
  • women tend to be more emotional with respect to decision-making, and should always ask their husband/father for his input and listen to him (allow him to run her life for her)
  • women are nothing more than "a hank of hair and a piece of bone", according to "Judge" Rutherford
  • women are at the mercy of their hormonal urges, especially when "the ovum is at large", and will allow anything to *bleep* them, just like a cow in heat does (thank you, Fred Franz)
  • women are responsible for their being raped, either by dressing provocatively, not screaming, or wearing a thong (that nobody can see), or if they are married, are responsible for their husband's adultery by not providing the "marital due" whenever he wants it (ps: there is no such thing as marital rape)

  I'm sure there are people on this forum who can come up with more condescending bull$h!t the WTS has uttered and published with respect to women.

  But you are correct, HiddlesWife, that there exists a hierarchy among women as well. Asian women tend to be valued more than Caucasian women, due to their cultural conditioning of being submissive and subservient. They fit the "quiet and mild spirit" stereotype of men who need a power-fix over a wife. Frankly, I think this attitude exists outside the WTS as well and in my career as a nurse, I've seen it across all kinds of religious and cultural experience. Unfortunately for women of African descent, whose upbringing instills the value of not taking $h!t from nobody are regarded as "not knowing their place" within the Headship Arrangement™. Caucasian women fall somewhere in the middle, much depends on how opinionated they are, who their father and/or husband is within the Organization™, and if she comes from money, all the better for her.

  The bottom line is that if you do not have a penis, you are a second-class citizen in JW land. The only way a female earns herself any value/praise is by becoming a doormat for the men in her life.
  
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  cofty

  If females of colour didn't feature in WT videos would that be racist too?
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  Sorry

  Yup, Scully summed it up beautifully. Women in general are treated as second class citizens, despite WTs saying stuff like "a man shouldn't dominate his wife, he should consider her input and make his own decision". However, I noticed women who are more submissive fare much better in the Org (Asians and some Caucasians as previously mentioned) as opposed to women who are more "fiesty" and "having attitude" (Africans and Latinas).

  I read in Barbara Anderson's page about how a sister accused another brother of rape. He did say they had consensual sex. He was simply reproved for being repentant while she was DF'd for lying. Sisters believed her but didn't dare say anything for fear of repercussions.

  JW is like a boys club. If you're a woman shame on you. If you're a "fiery" woman of color, thats a double whammy.
• 

  LongHairGal

  HIDDLESWIFE:

  The JW religion is misogynistic and there is no getting away from it. I can understand your feelings, and SCULLY gave a good answer.

  The religion HATES assertive women. In my case, I was a single working woman. I had to support myself and I wasn't buying the poverty they were pushing, mostly for single women. I also wouldn't let myself be targeted to do favors for all the users in the hall. They thought all the single women were going to be like Mother Teresa! Yeah, they could kiss my a$$. So, they certainly hated me but that's okay since I held onto my job and am now retired.

  I also think that women from the Asian culture are viewed as more desirable because they are perceived as being more submissive. (This is a stereotype that some of them hate, but that's the perception.) Naturally, a man from Western culture or repressive religions like JWs who hates dominant Western women (of any race) might be attracted to them.

  I also noticed in the JW religion that the few professional women who reached out and tried to play the "theocratic" JW game by "pioneering" and so on were STILL viewed negatively by some. So, an intelligent woman in the JW religion cannot please.

  So, I don't think it's only just about race.
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  Pete Zahut

  I understand your point HW and I'm not saying their isn't any truth in what you're saying but I also think that depending on ones point of view, they can find a problem and a reason to complain over just about anything.

  Just for the sake of argument, if one of these videos shows a woman of "color" being warned about dating issues, one could conclude that they're being oppressive and singling out women of "color".
  

  If a video shows a white woman being warned about dating issues, one wouldn't necessarily conclude that they're being oppressive to white women but instead one might conclude that they are being oppressive to women in general. However if only white women are used in these videos, one wouldn't necessarily conclude that they're picking on white women but they could conclude that women of "color" are being left out of their videos as if they don't exist.
  

  If a video were to show a white man being warned about dating issues, it's unlikely that a white men would feel that they're being singled out or oppressed and a man of color probably wouldn't feel he's being left out. If a man of color was featured in the video, it's unlikely that he would think that men of color are being singled out in regard to dating issues. However in either case where a man was being counseled, a woman, if she chose to, could conclude that women are being oppressed because the men are being taught to be overly cautious and restrictive about the women they are interested in, thus making it even more difficult for women to find a man to date.
  

  When men watch these videos, I'd be willing to guess that in general, they see them at face value and don't read anything more into them than just another stern warning and another restriction in their lives. They don't typically feel victimized because they haven't been conditioned to see themselves as victims nor would they ever be allowed to. Men (especially JW's) are expected to uncomplainingly take everything on the chin and never blame their problems on anyone else, lest he be viewed as a wimp or a whiner and to some degree, women have been conditioned not to tolerate men sticking up for themselves even when they're being "bashed" and men in general, go along with this or just let it slide.
  

  Depending on how you look at it, it could be said that JW men are the "highly oppressed" ones even thought it looks like they have all the (so called)" privileges and power". Most of them don't want it ! JW men are viewed as failures or weak by women and other JW men, if they don't "reach out" "take the lead" and "set an example". JW women are advised to only be interested in men if they have a position in the congregation and if they are a "good provider" "spiritually strong family head" so they, as women, have the option to stay at home or pioneer if they choose, rather than know how to fully support themselves. Men are expected( by the GB) to organize everything, conduct the meetings, be the head of their households and have the trade skills and do the heavy lifting when it comes time to build a Kingdom Hall. They are the ones that are supposed to handle everyone's problems in the congregation, enforce the rules and they're the ones who are at the brunt of a lot of thanklessness and whatever complaints the women may have about them for their own personal limitations.
  

  No matter how you look at it, men and women regardless of their race can find something to complain about when it comes to the way the society manipulates everyone into playing roles they don't necessarily want to play and the weight of the unnecessary burdens that have been added to them.
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  prologos

  There are many matriarchies in the world, and more are emerging. The lionesses of those societies will chafe under the entrenched male ancient religions : Paul: " it is a disgrace for a woman to speak in the assembly of the holy ones,"--" no woman allowed to teach--" . The current Pope: "Woman will never become priests, never. --" , so if you are used to dominate your men, regardless of hue,j ust allowing their macho antics, find a religion that suits you. Now: in praise of Asian woman, colour: pleasant. dominating men without these noticing it.
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  smiddy

  A wife should be an equal partner to her husband ,not a doormat .
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  cofty

  The Watchtower is misogynist but in a paternal way.

  The demands and expectations it puts on men are far more oppressive than the way it patronises women. I see no evidence of racism.