Did you ever see or experience prejudice in the religion?

by free2beme 23 Replies latest jw friends

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  free2beme

  
  Besides the strong hatred of woman, that we know the Witness religion teaches, did you ever see black bothers ignored in their attempt to reach out to be MS or elders? Did you ever see Latinos treated different because of how the local community viewed them? I know the Watchtower teaches that this does not happen, but I actually experienced an event with a black brother that was a friend, that bothered me when I was in the religion. His wife and him moved from California to Oregon, he had been an elder for many years in California. When he moved here, he was in good standings and the elders sent the appropriate letter to make it possible for a reappointment. The CO came, and the announcements were made and no announcement of him as an elder. The brother asked the elders what happened, and they stated that they never got the letter. He contacted the older congregation and they confirmed they sent it. Not wanting to call the local elders, "liars", he asked those California elders to call and explain. To which they did and the elders were all, "okay, no problem, we will handle this at the next CO visit." The man was disappointed, as you could image, he wanted to do more then the average publisher and had over a decade of elder experience. Well about six months goes by and here comes the CO, the elders met with the black brother and explained they would not appoint him. Their reason was, "his hours were not great, averaged about 10-15, and they felt his attitude in how he handled the last CO visit and their mistake, showed a lack of humility." So the CO came, no appointment. He Auxiliary Pioneered, he did everything he could, they never appointed him. Finally he moved back to California and was appointed on that congregations next CO visit. Now the elders in my old hall were all white older men. Not a ethnic blood in any of them. A year later a white brother moved into town and was here about a week or two and when that CO visit came, he was appointed, he ended up being a liar and a cheat on his wife and was disfellowshiped within the year. Am I wrong, or does that not smell of prejudice?

  So, did anyone else see things like this?
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  PopeOfEruke

  There was a very strong prejudice agaist New Zealand witnesses (both Maori and white) back in the 1980's in Australia. A lot of Kiwis were immigrating to Australia at the time.

  And most Australian JW's also hate Aborigines, would like to see them all destroyed at Armageddon. One elder I challenged on this once said "Well they are pagans, they deserve to be destroyed".

  Ah yes - by their love you will know them.

  Pope
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  Mysterious

  There were certainly a lot here that favored telling racist jokes while painting themselves as the pinnacle of tolerance. I also saw the attitude of "love the sinner, hate the sin" in regards to gays. However, they certainly made a show of being so grossed out by certain actors they could not watch a movie with him in it even it the movie itself had no objectionable content. I also remember a young teen here who gave a graphic description of what he would do to gays involving things like drive by chainsawing and baseball bats. As well as a talk from the platform that painted AIDS as the "full recompense" of gays and that they had originated this scourge on mankind. So I would say I saw a lot of prejudice there especially.
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  Spectrum

  They viewed bearded members as not quite right. I never understood that one.
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  Spectrum

  They viewed bearded members as not quite right. I never understood that one.
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  AK - Jeff

  Yep - Our adopted daughter [now in her late twenties] is Mullato [Bio mother white/Bio father black]. From the moment we adopted her we felt and heard comments that clearly were prejudiced. In all reality, were it not for the concept that we had the 'truth' we would have left over that issue - but we did not - made the best of it - and then 25 years later we finally saw the light and left.

  There is no shortage of prejudice in that bunch.

  They are also prejudiced against apostates, so they quit speaking to us.

  Jeff
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  Dune

  I'm in a predominantly black congregation, circuit and district. The territory is changing and the consensus is that the whites are throwing the blacks out and are "taking over". Also, when we're at a door and a white person comes (its not very often) and refuses, they usually say stuff like "its cause they think they're better than us". Its funny because they say the most stereotypical things about hispanics, asians and even other blacks (of carribean decent), its just stupidity.
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  misspeaches

  There was a very strong prejudice agaist New Zealand witnesses (both Maori and white) back in the 1980's in Australia. A lot of Kiwis were immigrating to Australia at the time.

  And most Australian JW's also hate Aborigines, would like to see them all destroyed at Armageddon. One elder I challenged on this once said "Well they are pagans, they deserve to be destroyed".

  Hi Pope, I am assuming you must have lived in Australia for some time to see this. Personally I haven't seen this. I grew up in an area in Australia that didn't have a lot of indigenous people or Kiwis's in it. We had many other ethnic groups however and I saw many of them 'rise in the ranks'.

  In the 90's I lived in Brisbane. Now Brisbane has a stack of Kiwis in it and quite a few indigenous people as well. In the congregations I went to I saw both groups that had the 'elder' and 'ministerial servant' titles.

  Additionally I have never ever encountered any Australian JW that has ever expressed hatred towards the Aborginals in the 25 years that I went along.

  Perhaps you may have seen this and I would certainly not discredit your first hand events but its nothing I ever saw.
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  stillajwexelder

  depended on the congregation - one I attended , there was prejudice against those that did not have much money
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  cyber-sista

  
  The religion is all about prejudice. We were taught to be prejudice towards anyone and anything that was not WT approved or related including our nice neighbors or kindly old Grandmother--even our own mates if they were unbelievers. In the congo those with unbelieving mates were treated as lesser ones than those without. Those who were povertly stricken or of a lower class were not invited to the homes of the elitist JWs. I attended a congo here in rural Hawaii. The community here is a larger percentage native than white, but all the elders were white. JWs are prejudice against people of different religions and even cultures (if they don't conform to the narrow minded WT culture) I think that the JW religion is about as prejudice as it gets. When my non-believing daughter married a man here who was part native the elders came down hard on all of our family. They didn't treat my son-in-law with any respect at all. I honestly believe that part of that was because he was not all white and it wouldn't been a different story if he was white. I sensed their prejudice. It was very ugly.

  cybs