I don't remember much racism at all although I'm mostly White with a dash of Native and look pasty white. I do remember my mom, a devout pioneer, having friends of all different nationalities & races. Then again my immediate family looks like the U.N. & all of my cousins are of mixed heritage. I think racism isn't really JW issue, it's an issue in society as a whole.
Racism in the WTS
by RR 27 Replies latest jw friends
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TheOldHippie
yxl1, you wrote that "we had no white elders and no white MS. No black brothers held any positions. " Hmmmmm.. please excuse me for asking, but what colour did the elders and MS have?
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Austrian
Racism was big here in Miami. It was very rare to see a white group of dubs hang out with a black group of dubs. Then there was the whole spanish thing. We would have football games spanish dubs against white dubs. Talk about always on the verge of a rumble. And there were elders and MS there too, on both sides. People who say dubs aren't racist are blind...
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Reborn2002
I've seen a little black on white racism as well. In some congregations and areas black brothers and sisters really don't invite others into their circle.
Yep. In south Chicago, I can attest to that fact. Being white/hispanic, attending predominantly black congregations exposed me to racism within the Watchtower Society. At times I could stand in the back of the Kingdom Hall after a meeting and no one would take the time to come speak to me. They treated me that way when I was a teenager. I thank them for not allowing me into their circles however. It helped me see the hypocrisy of Jehovah's Witnesses and aided me in leaving their cult.
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yxl1
yxl1, you wrote that "we had no white elders and no white MS. No black brothers held any positions. " Hmmmmm.. please excuse me for asking, but what colour did the elders and MS have?
It should have read "no black elders, no black MS" Thankyou for highlighting my mistakes, theoldhippy
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drwtsn32
yikes... some of your experiences are horrible!!
My mother-in-law warned my wife that black men will always cheat on their wives. It's a cultral thing
I've heard people around here say that about Mexicans. We don't have many black people around here, but there is a large Mexican population (around 15% I think).
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teejay
No, RR, I never experienced racism as a Dub that I can recall. I'm sure it happened... I just wasn't aware of it. my ruby-red glasses probably blinded me to it... Jehovah's Spiritual Paradise(tm) and all that, you know.
How 'bout you? Seen it at your meetings?
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Room 215
In fairness, I think it can be said that racism is not institutionalized in the WTBTS, but lives on in the individual cultural preguidices of individual JWs to about the same degree that it does in the general public. I've noted a tendency for some younder JWs to taunt their parents and others by marrying interacially.
When I began to associate with JWs, I wondered just how they could rationalize racially segregated congregations in the south and not see it as an unprincipled ``caving in'' to deplorable ``worldly" racism. Why not set an example of racial armony for all the world to marvel at?
It's also a fact that when I was in Bethel during the mid sixties, there was neither a single Black sister there nor any Black married couples. The requests of long-time Black male members of the Bethel family (with more than ten years of seniority) were routinely denied whe they asked to marry and stay. With one egregious exception (Richard Gilbert in the service office) no Black Bethelite had a job of any prestige. As I understood it, the explanation given for public consumption was `` we prefer our capable Black brothers to serve out in the field, where they're most needed."
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heather_66350
In the cong. i go to, you can see people kind of seperating, but i dont think i've ever seen any direct racism towards anybody. everyone talks to everybody, to be nice and stuff, but alot of the brothers and sisters, i have to say especially with the white ones, maybe because there are fewer of them, hang out mainly with those of their own race when going out places. Im white, so don't get me wrong, but the some of the white sisters in my cong. seem to be to uppity to hang out with others. I have heard talks were the witnesses will say that it might be best to marry only in your own race, because of the differences in backgrounds and stuff, but that it is a personal thing, i think thats the extent of it though.
(She also said that she should be careful on our wedding night because black mens willies were much bigger than that of white men..Cant argue with that!!)
lmao
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