BeachOfEden
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Re:Beach Of Eden's Story - 2005/04/28 11:26
Now, let it be said that i do NOt agree with some issues that have stated by RANDY WATTERS and/or FreeMinds inc....however, they wrote this essasy on the Org and race...
"In a review of one work written by Afro-American Witness Firpo Carr--who attempted in his book to rationalize why there have not been any blacks on the Watchtower's governing body--Watters concludes "his most astounding claim is that there WAS a black man on the Governing Body--William K. Jackson! ...Having known Bill Jackson from my six years at Bethel (1974-1980) and [I could not understand how he came to this conclusion because] he was as white as a sheet with no black features whatsoever." Carr's only evidence was that Bill Jackson "openly stated that he was black" to which Watters adds, "That is news to all of us who worked at Bethel. Perhaps Carr needs a second book to correct the incredible fantasies of his first one, if the Watchtower doesn't disfellowship him first" (1993:11). In response to this book, Jones wrote:
Writing from another "Black American Perspective," I can tell you that "blacks" are still second-class in the Watchtower movement regardless of what Firpo states. Only very recently has the Watchtower ventured to place "blacks" in its regional management posts--i.e.: circuit or district overseer--in its Southern territories of the USA. Also, from the representative stance, the Governing Body lacks Asian, Hispanic, and "black Americans." Additional evidence of the Watchtower's "white,""good ole boys" club mentality (1993:9).
Any African American brother must put on the same attitudes of English Caucasians in order to be trusted. While the Watchtower does have a few blacks in high position, including Circuit Overseers and members of the Service Department at Bethel, such ones have been promoted no higher in spite of their adopting "white" attitudes. Perhaps with increased public pressure and the passing away of the older diehards, a black may be appointed to the Governing Body--time will tell. One thing for sure, they will have to lose their "soul" in order to do so! (1988:2)
This lack persists in spite of the fact that the education level is now markedly higher for Afro-American Jehovah's Witnesses compared to white Americans. The most extensive survey found only 67.6% of the white Jehovah's Witnesses are high school graduates, and a mere 4.4% college graduates (Kosmin and Lachman 1993:272). In contrast, 82.6% of the black Jehovah's Witnesses are high school graduates, and fully 7.6% college graduates. The socioeconomic and educational status of Afro-American Witnesses is also considerably higher compared to whites (272). For the high school graduates, only those 18 and above, and for college graduates, only those age 25 and above were surveyed. The authors concluded that blacks outperformed whites among most of the religious groups with low levels of educational attainment (272). Interestingly, the national average for the percent of U.S. adults that have attended college is 48% (U.S. News and World Report, Oct. 3, 1988:71). In California, fully 64% have attended college--a number fifteen times higher than the Witness percent of 4.7%.
Conclusions
As Carr admits "racism rears its ugly head, even among the witnesses from time to time" (1993:219). As of 1995, not one non-white person is on their governing body which consists totally of "old white men" most in their 80's or older. This is to be deplored in an organization with almost 10 million adherents and sympathizers and a high disproportionate number of non-whites (Cole, 1953). What is most to be deplored is the Watchtower's lack of condor about their history and their resistance to correcting it.
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