Did You Think Jehovah’s Witnesses Were Typically “Racists”? (page 6)

blondie

Actually, there were few Bethelites that married that were allowed to stay at Bethel. There were a few exceptions. But the wives had to meeting the standards required of all Bethelite applicants. Of course, there are always ways around that through unofficial ways.

blondie

There were few black male Bethelites that I saw in my visits in the 1970's. They had to be very exceptional candidates.

nonjwspouse

"I know of some black people who look down on other blacks because they weren’t so black "

exactly, my daughter in law has had that problem. She has many black features, her father very dark skinned, but she has green eyes, and her curly hair can be tamed to wear straighter. She has been dissed by both races of her parents.

She is also gorgeous, with an outstanding voice.

Vidiot

I think mixed-race people are probably the most attractive folks on the planet.

Part of the reason they've experienced prejudice, I suspect...

...petty resentment.

TD

I saw no prejudice toward black Witnesses...

JW's on the whole tried way more than most.

The only thing that comes to mind is that some of their criticism of modern (i.e. Rock) music was borrowed from other fundy sources, which claimed that the insidiousness of this music was the evil jungle beat brought in from Africa. Perhaps it was not intended to be racist, but there were some who took it that way.

silentbuddha

Our congregation in NYC in the 80s had a co arrive to break up the racism.

They refused to appoint black elders or ms and the attendants would ask black brothers to get up and move to the rear and seat white brothers and new comers in those spots.

Brother angelokis came in to solve the issue. Then two years later... the white friends left and went to a more white friendly hall.

20 years later in New Jersey the white brothers were counseled about not allowing black and Hispanic brothers parts on the c.o.

Brother brown Payne comes in and shakes things up. All the white brothers leave the irvington congregations and travel to the Springfield congos...

Yes they were racist

Solzhenitsyn

A black brother gave a public talk at our all white KH one Sunday, had his son turn the lights off at a predetermined point, and made the statement loudly into the microphone..."turn the lights off and we're all black".

Yeah, um, JWs are generally racists. Both from what he said and the backlash over his "stunt" that led to me having to give a local needs several weeks later from all the nasty gossip.

Solzhenitsyn

And for those of us elders who served for years think back to meeting time rotations!

We never asked the Spanish if they wanted to rotate into Sundays. We (white privileged men) were #1 too coward to have to deal with the backlash after announcing to the cong that they would have to endure Saturday meetings, #2 were unwilling give up Sunday football, #3 assumed the Spanish "love their Saturday slot" so why even ask them.

fulano

We lived for two years with a black American couple. In my experience it was hard to live with them, because of their own thinking in black/white. We had to walk on eggshells all the time.

Earnest

In South Africa during the apartheid years (mid-70s) there was an extension built to the Bethel and many of the manual workers were white. This contrasted with the black brothers who were working as translators in their pristine offices. A complete contrast to the norms of the country at the time.

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

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