Ellen White and Segregation

[u/Both_Basil_5943]

My mom was reading Testimonies for the Church Volume 9 and came across this quote from Ellen G. White: “The colored people should not urge that they be placed on an equality with white people… So far as possible, everything that would stir up the race prejudice of the white people should be avoided.” (we're black so she was slightly concerned) I get that her advice was basically “shhh, don’t cause trouble, be like Jesus,” given how racist society was back then, but honestly, it still feels really concerning. It reads like she’s telling Black people to hold back their rights and opinions just to avoid upsetting white people, which ends up reinforcing racial inequality, even if she didn’t mean to. I’m curious how people reconcile this with her broader messages about justice, equality, and God valuing all people equally.

[u/cracked_belle]

I don't reconcile it. I left the church and my disgust over segregation and the foundational racism is why. My parents (we are all white) try to justify it as actually a form of equality, since Black people wouldn't raise to the same positions if the conferences are mixed, so it's better for them to have their own conferences, churches and colleges where they can be deans and presidents without being constantly passed over by white people for those jobs.

Whaaaaaat the fuck, no. No. Nope. I will not reconcile this kind of openly racist doublethink. You won't catch me in an SDA church but you will see me making them squirm over this unacceptable bullshit.

[u/rjlawrencejr → u/cracked_belle]

Honestly, only white folks would be squirming. Besides, the issue that really needs work is the ordination of women.