Did you experience classdivision while being JW?

by Cirkeline 26 Replies latest jw friends

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  dreamgolfer

  Dear All,

  While I realize that most have written about "personal experiences"-and ALL are very true. Think back over the years about the letters read, KM's published and how we were treated when it came to "special" events such as International Assemblies and special trips to gatherings and meetings sponsored by the WTBTS.

  What truly "started the ball rolling" was the personal experience I am about to relate:

  Many years ago a KM was read about attending the Eastern European Assemblies, my family is from there, came over after WW2, In fact BOTH of my parents were Holocaust survivors, however I wont go into that. So I had a desire to attend and travel there. I wanted to see my parents "homeland". But the letter stated, "it was open to elders, pioneers and MS's that met the qualifications could only attend." I was NEITHER of those and felt so slighted I wrote a letter to the NY BETHEL to ask why???

  About 2 weeks later my local PO came to me with a copy of my letter and a note to "cease further discussion of this matter as it was not upbuilding to the congregation and organization." He said if I wanted to go I could "go on my own", Funny that was not my desire but it helped prove a point. There IS NO EQUALITY at WTBTS, it's all a farce. Having that experience in mind it made me think of the George Orwell's book "Animal Farm" and the famous quote - " all animals are equal, some MORE equal than others". LOL

  As a side note, about a month later a new letter was read that it was "now open " for all to apply to this trip (s) as I suppose as they did not have the response required and the travel department need to get apprpriate numbers so they could get their travel discount (or free trips for the privledged few that were leading the groups) on these itineraries. I am sure you all know how group travel works for those that set up these mega trips.

  With that in mind, it became very appearant that there is a real distinction in the ranks of the Organization.

  Over and out for now, (I really do not post much)

  DG
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  Kool Jo

  - The "spiritually weak" were to be avoided.

  - Those with "great" FS hours usually hang out with each other.

  - There are some who'd just want to work with certain individuals in FS.

  Peace

  Kool Jo
• 

  Band on the Run

  I was in during the 1960s and 1970s. The racial distinctions and class distinctions were horrendous considering they are God's channel. Most white JWs I knew (we were just about the only whites in a black hall and were severely ostracized; relatives were in the suburbs) refused to worship with one or more blacks. De facto segregation was strong. I don't recall seeing a single prominent black brother in all my time. Some could be overseers but I never saw a black man higher than that.

  I hated my KH. We had black family friends from when JWs were smaller. They were treated like family. In fact, I liked them more than the white brothers. There was genuine warmth. Social ties existed.

  No black person at my KH socialized with me. Our neighbors were terrorized when they saw any black families at our home for field service. Looking back, we could have made a more concerted effort to mix. My father hated mixing with Witnesses. Bethel cured him of socializing with Witnesses.

  The white KHS were so nice. They were safe. Our KH was in a very unsafe neighborhood. The strange part is that black classmates saw me at the KH and the housing projects. I had more black friends in high school. My mere presence in these neighborhoods was entree to cool kids at school. I prayed and prayed to Jehovah and jesus to have just one friend at the KH. No one emerged.

  I recall that the two great notables that people were so proud of were Mickey Spillane, a popular author (I tried reading his books but hated them), and the president of Dritz Sewing Goods (very notable if you are a home sewer). Money meant everything. We were affluent by the standards of that KH. I had to do without so sisters who received foster parent money could have food for the kids. Their real daughters had the fanciest clothes imaginable on welfare. Many were disabled. It seemed to me that if you could pioneer, you could work.

  Still, compared to my secular counterparts, northern JWs were much more integrated. People kept their prejudices to themselves or a small circle of friends. No one shouted, "I hate black people." I actually confronted a CO at fourteen when I discovered that the South was segregated. Jesus' commands seemed clear to me. I was told, with great irritation, that they didn't want to stumble white people. I don't recall Jesus giving that loophole.

  We always had some status b/c we were so many generations from the start and physically close to Bethel with much interaction. In fact, my mom's stories and the warmth of the family friends make me wonder if it were nicer when it was much smaller.

  Were they practicing communism as in Acts? No. There were clear divisions that Paul preached against. Compared to the rest of the world, they were all right. I have a feeling that Quakers and other such groups had less distinctions.

  Oh-let us not forget how bad education is. A Witness md or lawyer was a royal duke.
• 

  LongHairGal

  Cirkeline:

  Absolutely. I saw class-divisions, cliques and all sorts of factions. Their claim of being a "brotherhood" is bullshit. It might be a brotherhood if somebody is a member of a prominent family OR possibly a pioneer and has the "right" circle of friends. Otherwise, most everybody else is S.O.L. I got a little "love" from certain older couples and a few individuals who were very nice and that was okay with me. I couldn't care less about the stuck-up ones.

  If somebody is a single working woman (like me) they walk a gauntlet of people with all sorts of issues: people who do cleaning jobs and don't relate if you have an office job (a little bit of jealousy there); brothers "afraid" to talk to you; married women who are threatened or who believe you have NO problems; other empty-headed single women who don't relate to somebody who is responsible and supports themselves; and last but not least, all the USERS who imagine they will target you to do favors. Of course, they got nowhere with me.
• 

  av8orntexas
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  respectful_observer

  During Service Meeting parts they often mention that we shouldn't discriminate when preaching-- that poor people deserve the message just as much as the well-off. I always found that fascinating, considering that "interested ones" who show up at meetings tend to be on the lower end of the income scale more often than not.

  I'm also always amused to watch how members of the congregation will usually treat new faces at the KH. An old person, or someone with out-of-date clothes or hair walks in, hardly anyone says hello. Someone good looking, with nice clothes (and maybe a few designer labels, e.g., Louis Vuitton or Chanel purse), or who just climbed out of a late model luxury car in the parking lot, is suddenly swarmed by everyone and will no doubt be offered a lunch or dinner invite following that meeting.
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  av8orntexas