by RR 27 Replies latest jw friends
Dedalus, thanks for the link.
Room215 quote:
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.What exactly do you mean by "racism is not institutionalized in the WTBTS"?
Gozz, by that I mean that there are no official WTBTS policies or practices that can be assailed as preferential or pregiudicial to one ethnic or racial group; quite to the contrary.
Although the Watchtower did not officially discriminate, it also did not make any effort to integrate until the civil rights movement made it legal. JWs who are old enough will remember how meetings and assemblies in the south were segregated for years. The excuse the Society used was that it had to "obey Ceasar's laws" even the state Jim Crow laws. And I don't recall one black brother reaching any high position within the organizational headquarters until recent times. Certainly, the Governing Body remained a "white man's domain" ...and probably still does.
Clearly, there were individuals in the congregations who had strong prejudices. One presiding overseer I knew made no effort to hide his ridicule and contempt of the black "brothers." And he treated the one black family we had in the congregation as inferior members. Ironically, when we finally did get a black circuit overseer, this same elder "licked his boots" to remain in good standing. It was nauseating!
On the whole, I think the record of Jehovah's Witnesses is probably better than most. But they also did not take the lead to integrate even within their own organization.
I wasn't aware of any racism in any of the congregations that I attended. Blacks, Hispanics, Whites, and Asians were all treated fairly. Our body of elders appointed men not for their skin color, but for their loyalty to the Organization. However, economic status was very important. And if you were dirt poor you rarely got appointed to the body of elders. Also you never got invited over for their social gatherings. I think that this form of discrimination is more prevelant among the JWs than that of skin color.
Sincerely,
Athanasius
Teejay
How 'bout you? Seen it at your meetings?
When I was a Witness it was in the inner cities of New York, [the Bronx] and New Jersey [Jersey City] predominantly black, I believe I was one of about half a dozen hispanics out of a congregation of 350.
Personally, I can't say I was the victim of racism, maybe I was and chucked it up to stupidity, there's alot of that in Society not just in the WT, but in Society in general.
I always found it funny to have a congregation of mostly blacks, but then have an all white body of elders, ALL from bethel.
Some of the new bethelites were shell shocked, coming from their small all whiote hometown into the inner cities, standing out like a white dot on a black sheet of paper, some didn't last long.
I do know personally of a brother, [white] who was dating a black sister, he was at bethel, and one of the Governing Body members took him aside and told him not to marry her, that it wouild not advance his career, he wanted to be a C.O. well he married her and he never amounted to much at bethel. I guess in this GB's weyes, the WItness world was not ready for an inter-racial C.O. couple.
I knew one couple who moved up to PA, they were the only blacks in the congregation. while sitting at the meeting, there was a little five year old white girl aitting next to the sister, and apparently she had never seen a blacl person, because she licked her fingers and tried to rub the "black off" the sister arm ... lol
As a Bible Student, I have not witness racism persay, of course we don't have a governing Body, nor do we have a central HQ's, but in the various publishing houses and journals published, there are black and hispanic contributors to teh joy=urnals, some sit on board of directors and are editrors and missionaries.
But I have met Bible Students who were just plain ignorant, not many, just a few, who say the dumbest things, and I just excuse them .. I wouldn't call it racism, just ignorance.
I think the most common racism I have seen within the WT from a local level, is NOT so much black on white or white on black, but black on black, or minority on minority.
RR
Whenever the CO would visit, he would always arrange to have dinner at a Black families house. He said that the food was better and the portions were bigger. That wasn't racism, it was fact!
Room215:
... by that I mean that there are no official WTBTS policies or practices that can be assailed as preferential or pregiudicial to one ethnic or racial group; quite to the contrary
Probably that there are no such documented official WTBTS policies; the practice aspect of it is even more fluid. We don't expect to see a blatant display of racism in an organization like the JWs. Racism is less effective when it is blatant and pursued as corporate policy. But we could take a closer look at the inner workings of the organization, a look at things they've done. While I'll agree that the incidence is less, it does seem that the WTBTS executes their program with some racial bent. The actions of their leaders, and the treatment of the "less priviledged" point int hat direction.
I know I have. But I never gave it that much attention. I'd get right up and wait in the car. I have experienced black on black "racism" as well. I think it's a form of self hatred.
