The Study WT of March 2016 is up on JW.ORG and is the standard article around this time of year...pressuring young kids to dedicate their lives to the organization again. This WT will be studied during May, so just in time to pressure them into baptism at the regional conventions this summer.
Such articles really upset me, as the realization of how many young promising lives will be destroyed. How many families will be broken up, when the child who got baptized as a minor (ages 6 and up are mentioned in the literature) decides as a young adult that his/her conscience no longer allows him/her to be part of such a destructive cult. Pressure to pioneer, rather than get a decent education - resulting in depression and scraping by the rest of his/her life. I so wish we could reach more of these kids and prevent them from dedicating their lives to this cult.
If you are an active witness with children reading this, please note that the perfect Jesus was 30 when he dedicated himself - the age of legal adulthood back then. He was in the temple at age 12 (like the Christopher mentioned in the article) but no mention of him even contemplating baptism as a minor. Acts 8:12, shows "Men and Women" not "Boys and Girls" getting baptized. So, there is no biblical backing for a minor to be baptized.
For me this was a tipping point to my departure from the organization. At the 2008 Convention we received the ironically titled "God's Love" book. During the convention, I was browsing the appendix and in the chapter "How to treat a disfellowshipped person" read that disfellowshipped minors, were to be given the same inhuman treatment as an adult. I looked aside at my two beautiful young daughters and knew I would and could never Shun them. I no longer could support the teachings of this organization and started researching all my doubts and left. Allow yourself to research your doubts - as did the Bereans.
Such articles really upset me, as the realization of how many young promising lives will be destroyed. How many families will be broken up, when the child who got baptized as a minor (ages 6 and up are mentioned in the literature) decides as a young adult that his/her conscience no longer allows him/her to be part of such a destructive cult. Pressure to pioneer, rather than get a decent education - resulting in depression and scraping by the rest of his/her life. I so wish we could reach more of these kids and prevent them from dedicating their lives to this cult.
If you are an active witness with children reading this, please note that the perfect Jesus was 30 when he dedicated himself - the age of legal adulthood back then. He was in the temple at age 12 (like the Christopher mentioned in the article) but no mention of him even contemplating baptism as a minor. Acts 8:12, shows "Men and Women" not "Boys and Girls" getting baptized. So, there is no biblical backing for a minor to be baptized.
For me this was a tipping point to my departure from the organization. At the 2008 Convention we received the ironically titled "God's Love" book. During the convention, I was browsing the appendix and in the chapter "How to treat a disfellowshipped person" read that disfellowshipped minors, were to be given the same inhuman treatment as an adult. I looked aside at my two beautiful young daughters and knew I would and could never Shun them. I no longer could support the teachings of this organization and started researching all my doubts and left. Allow yourself to research your doubts - as did the Bereans.