It is a total control thing. Simple as that. My 15 year old daughter is not baptized. It annoys the crap out of the elders in the congregation that they have no control. They want to be able to usurp the authority of parents. This is a very destructive cult.
What is the main reason the Watchtower Society baptize their children so young?
by RULES & REGULATIONS 38 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Island Man
I don't think it's for the purpose of removing them. Quite the contrary, I think they're essentially trying to entrap them in the cult.
Watchtower is a cult that puts a lot of emphasis on recruitment. The young children of JW parents are the lowest hanging fruits of the low hanging fruits, as it were. There is no easier pickings for the Watchtower to bolster its membership numbers than going after the very young, naive children of JW parents. Hook them in while they're young, inexperienced and easily swayed due to lack of life experience.
By dunking them in the water before the turbulent adolescent years, it makes it more difficult for them to leave the cult when they get older due to the prospect of losing all their JW family due to shunning. Baptizing pre-teens may be Watchtower's counter-measure to curbing the large numbers of unbaptized youths who leave the organization as they approach early adulthood. If they have the threat of shunning over their heads they're less likely to leave.
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Billy the Ex-Bethelite
Of course JWs say, "It's da troof! It's the only right decision to be made on the matter!"
And there's bragging rights. "My daughter was so spiritual and mature that she qualified for baptism at 4 years old!"
In reality, it all cheapens the meaning of things like "dedication" and "ordained minister." They may as well start infant baptism.
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RULES & REGULATIONS
Finkelstein said:3 hours ago
Some of this Baptisms at a young age was spurred on by the acceptance that judgment day is really coming soon , so parents thought it would be advantageous for their children to get baptized, as further assurance that their children would be saved.
I was baptized for that reason in the summer of 1974 at a young age of 13.
insidetheKH said:
Anyway the main reason is,... WHY NOT baptise Teens? We let them make career and education choices that influence them the rest of their lifes at that age so why not the choice to serve Jehovah?
If they make the wrong career choice they can always quit and look for new employment. If a teen makes the choice of getting baptized and later wants to change his religion, he will be disfellowshipped.
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RULES & REGULATIONS
wannaexit said :3 hours ago
Watchtower is obsessed with increasing their ranks
Yes! Since the door to door ministry doesn't work, it's easier to find and mold young children and teens inside the Kingdom Hall.
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RULES & REGULATIONS
Watchtower-Free
The second picture with a little boy ( who looks like 12 years old ) says it all. He doesn't realize that this contract is one-sided. If he breaks the contract, the Watchtower Society will make sure his family and the congregation will shun him all his life. He will catch a break if he decides to return to the meetings. -
RULES & REGULATIONS
Blondie shows in this article:
*** w06 7/1 p. 29 par. 15 Youths, Make It Your Choice to Serve Jehovah ***
Could it be that you hesitate to take this important step for fear of being held accountable should you fall into wrong conduct? If so, think of this: Would you refuse to apply for a driver’s license simply because you were afraid that some day you might have an accident? Of course not! Neither should you hesitate to get baptized if you qualify. Indeed, you will be strongly motivated to do your utmost to resist wrongdoing if you have dedicated your life to Jehovah and have agreed to do his will. (Philippians 4:13) Young ones, please do not imagine that by postponing baptism, you avoid accountability. When you have reached the age of responsibility, you are answerable to Jehovah for the way you act whether you are baptized or not.—Romans 14:11, 12.
Notice how they use fear in this article with the words like : wrongdoing and accountability. You will have to answer to Jehovah sooner or later.
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RULES & REGULATIONS
Helpmeout said:
They want to be able to usurp the authority of parents.
Now that the young children and teens are baptized,the Society will drag them in a room with three Elders and be judge and jury on any matter in their lives. The parents will have no control on any decisions even if they are in the same room.
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RULES & REGULATIONS
Island Man said:
By dunking them in the water before the turbulent adolescent years, it makes it more difficult for them to leave the cult when they get older due to the prospect of losing all their JW family due to shunning.
You hit the nail on the head! The fear of shunning is all around them. And if they see that their friends were shunned, they will think twice about leaving or acting out on '' the turbulent adolescent years.''
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Village Idiot
insidetheKH: "Anyway the main reason is,... WHY NOT baptise Teens?"
Ten year olds, and I've heard of 8, are not teens.
A question to ask is how low an age does the Watchtower consider to be the age of reason?