Did You Think Jehovah’s Witnesses Were Typically “Racists”? (page 4)

Simon

"believing that races are genetically different isn't racist" Read exactly what I said. Believing genetically SUPERIOR is racist. Its a given that the races are different. This is not good or bad just different.

Well usually, if two things are different, then the difference often makes one superior based on that measure.

It boils down to definitions of "superior" and what the nature of the difference is, but it could be athletic ability, IQ, prevalence to or resistance to certain health conditions. It's hard to think of many things where a difference doesn't imply some ranking in some form or another.

Its culture that is the issue when someone is bigoted. Like I said I've known many people that are discriminated against because of culture. This is both sides of the aisle (white vs black vs Hispanic vs Asian). This culture bigotry also includes rich vs poor, city vs country, type of job, even clothes one wears.

I believe when it comes to how well people do in life, wealth or class coupled with their own attitude and work ethic has far more to do with things compared to race. Of course some will argue that wealth is often a consequence of race but there's plenty of evidence that it isn't.

The news media is the one that has brainwashed and programmed the RACISM mind set that people default to when someone is disrespected.

Yeah, if you are critical of someone's behavior and they happen to be of a certain race or have some other identity-politics characteristic (e.g. wear a hijab), people use a claim of racism to deflect the criticism. Expect people to care less and less about racism after too many people cry wolf.

respectful_observer

I never really saw signs of overt racism in the congregation I grew up. Granted I lived in an area with lots of universities and diversity, so that could help.

The only thing that could qualify was during the big annual Spring and Fall cleanups at the KH. The members of the Spanish congregation would show up to help in droves, which sounds good except that most of them were unfamiliar with even the most basic landscaping and simple construction and maintenance tasks (e.g. raking out garden beds, mowing the grass, painting, etc.)

Most in the English congregation chalked it up to the fact that most of the Spanish congregation was rather poor, and almost none were homeowners so they didn't grow up doing yard work and working on their own homes.

Frankly it made everyone's job a little harder because the Spanish friends would struggle through the assigned tasks rather poorly, necessitating the friends from the English hall having to closely supervise, coach, and re-do much of the work. There was a measure of unspoken resentment on both sides, I think.

LoveUniHateExams

Here's a fact that is difficult to swallow: ethnic groups differ in many ways, i.e. the races of human beings are different in many ways.

As Simon said, there's athletic ability. Mean percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibres vary according to ethnic group. Among average people, there's lots of overlap so it doesn't mean much. At the tail end of the distribution, however, it means much more. That's a big factor why elite sprinters of white, Indian and Asian origin are no match for elite sprinters of West African origin. No white or Chinese sprinter will break Usain Bolt's 100 and 200m world records. Sorry folks, call me racist but it ain't gonna happen. XD

Mean percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibres is highest among West Africans. But this doesn't mean that West Africans are superior human beings, they are just more likely to be the best sprinters.

Mean bone density varies among ethnic groups. Sub-Saharan Africans' bones tend to be denser than Europeans'. That's one factor why you don't see many black swimmers winning medals at the Olympics.

East Africans (as opposed to any other ethnic group) excel at long-distance races. I'm not too sure about the details - either they have greater relative lung capacity or they are better than other groups at transferring oxygen to their muscles. Result: the world's best marathon runners originate from East Africa. But this doesn't mean East Africans are superior human beings, they're just more likely to excel at marathons.

Mean IQ also varies between ethnic groups. This is a very sensitive subject. Anyone who wants to explore this subject is typically deemed 'racist' and has their funding withdrawn. But there is variation re mean IQ. 'Orientals' (Asians in the US - ethnic Chinese, Japanese) and Jews typically score highest. Their mean IQ is approx. 115. Whites' mean IQ is approx. 100. Then Latinos have their mean IQ. Then native Americans and African-Americans have their respective mean IQ scores. The mean IQ for African-Americans is approx. 85. The mean IQ for South African Bushmen is less that 60. There is a trend, that trend being: mean IQ increases the further you move away from the equator. Like I've repeatedly said in this comment, this doesn't mean that Asians and Jews are superior human beings. It just means that these two groups are over-represented in intellectual fields such as astrophysics, engineering, computer science (Chinese) and poetry and script-writing (Jews).

We are all members of one species, Homo sapiens. We are all unique individuals with our own talents, skills and flaws. Each of us deserves the same dignity and treatment as human beings.

mann377

How many different races are there? (hint only three) If you are going to call someone a racist then what race are you identifying that word with? As one poster pointed out ones from different islands did not like the others. Does that make them racist? The word is used out of definition. The correct word is bigotry.

Ultimate Axiom

I can honestly say (and it’s about the only thing I am grateful to JWs for) that becoming a JW completely cured me of racism. Before that I was a typical young white, London born, English Nationalist who hated all black people and wanted them all repatriated.

However, years later I did find it a bit odd that the black presiding overseer of a neighbouring congregation that was predominantly black, was reportedly having issues of racism from white servants in that congregation. I heard that from the presiding overseer of my congregation, and a few years after that, the black presiding overseer stepped down, declining to become an elder when that system was introduced in the early 70s.

I also found it odd when the engagement of a white brother to a black sister was announced, an older black sister commented that they shouldn’t be marrying each other because mixed marriages invite difficulties, and they were just bringing unnecessary troubles down on their own heads. I didn’t take that as racism, but I did think she should keep those sort of thoughts to herself.

HiddenPimo

There was plenty of subtle racism in the South, in fact when my parents moved from Buffalo to Spartanburg, SC they were the only white folks in the hall. The congregations were segregated to avoid upsetting the community. When they integrated many did not want to go and there are still to this day many predominate 'black' halls and 'White' halls.

Many gatherings were like this especially in the families. Most folks up north who moved south were not like this and treated everyone the same. I noticed a lot of what I will call reverse racism where there was hidden animosity towards many in the hall. Just my 2 cents/pence...

minimus

Back in the day, the Society frowned on interracial marriages.

blondie

That's true, min. They felt that these bi-racial couples would not be accepted in the non-jw world making some people not so recptive, and that any children they had would have additional problems from prejudiced people.

Remember, even after civil rights bill of 1964, many KHs remain segregated defacto (?). That is individual congregation is decided on if they live in that congregation's "territory." With most neighborhoods still mainly white or black, that congregation reflected that.

Simon

I also found it odd when the engagement of a white brother to a black sister was announced, an older black sister commented that they shouldn’t be marrying each other because mixed marriages invite difficulties, and they were just bringing unnecessary troubles down on their own heads. I didn’t take that as racism, but I did think she should keep those sort of thoughts to herself.

Just because you don't agree, doesn't mean she isn't correct. The divorce rate for mixed-race couples is much higher so there is some basis for her viewpoint.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interracial_marriage_in_the_United_States#Marital_stability

Did You Think Jehovah’s Witnesses Were Typically “Racists”?

Share this