term-unbaptised?

by carla 13 Replies latest jw friends

  • carla
    carla

    I have seen the term 'unbaptised' a number of times now, do you mean 'never baptised' or does the org actuallly 'unbaptise' somehow? Or does the term apply do those who are df'd or da'd? thanks, carla

  • rebel8
    rebel8

    There is no way to unbaptize yourself, but you can write a letter requesting all records of your baptism and subsequent membership be removed from the borg. The elders' manual says they are to comply with such requests.

    I think when people are saying "unbaptized", they just mean never baptized.

  • Fatfreek
    Fatfreek
    ...but you can write a letter requesting all records of your baptism and subsequent membership be removed from the borg. The elders' manual says they are to comply with such requests.

    Does this, then, equate with disassociation? Is your name then announced publicly to that effect?

  • integ
    integ
    Does this, then, equate with disassociation? Is your name then announced publicly to that effect?

    You bet your sweet bippy...

  • Country Girl
    Country Girl

    Carla:

    I was an unbaptized publisher of the congregation, however, I was raised up in it. I spent MANY HOURS in service since I was 3 years old. In fact, I was going to doors when I was three! However, my Mother ( pioneer of 40 years now) had the foresight to not let me get baptized unless I was spiritually ready, and I was not. Thank heaven for her knowledgable foresight! Today, I think the religion is nothing more than a cult, but I am still able to congregate with my family members that are JW's because I ws never baptized. My Mother is a hardline JW, and it's hard for her to face the fact that out of six kids only ONE is a Witness. You'd think she'd think about it. But alas, not to be so.

    Unbaptized does NOT mean UNBRAINWASHED. Just because a person is baptized in the religion does not make them any more holy than another that was raised in it and fed the same crap week after week. BOTH of them are brainwashed, only ONE is held to the same standard, and I feel bad for those that were baptized. However, I was just as brainwashed as those that were baptized eventually, and still have the same problems to go through, except perhaps the shunning ...

    CG

  • FairMind
    FairMind

    Actually unbaptized means not baptized into the JW religion. A person baptized as a Methodist for example who is studying to become a JW would be considered unbaptized (silly is it not?).

  • jaffacake
    jaffacake
    Actually unbaptized means not baptized into the JW religion

    Yet this is a change in policy:

    WT

    A Christian cannot be baptized in the name of the one actually doing the immersing or in the name of any man, nor in the name of any organisation, but in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This shows, amongst other things, that Christianity is not a denominational affair.

    WT page 603

    We do not dedicate ourselves to a religion, nor to a man, nor to an organisation. No, we dedicate ourselves to the Supreme Sovereign of the Universe, our Creator, Jehovah God Himself. This makes dedication a very personal relationship between us and Jehovah.

    Fred Frnz himself said the only reason he had to be rebaptised was because his first one was by sprinkling, not because he was a presbyterian! I have been baptised both ways (but not JW) so one day I will ask why I would need to be baptised again if I was to join the JWs.

  • jaffacake
    jaffacake

    Carla

    Following our earlier discussion, and you starting this thread, can I post one page from my rant to my friend sent when I was learning about what he was getting into. Sorry it goes on a bit:

    Christian Baptism

    I have many more questions, (I can hear you groan!..) but one really troubling me is one I asked a while ago about baptism, and I wasn?t convinced about the answer I got. I checked the Watchtower quotes for authenticity and they all checked out on the Watchtower CD. According to Matthew?s Gospel, Jesus Christ told his disciples to baptize persons ?in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit? In the Apostolic days, Peter and others called on people to ?repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.?

    People were baptized into Christianity in similar ways to this for 1,900 years. For more than 100 years the Watchtower followed this Scriptural example as confirmed by the Watchtower CD:

    Watchtower

    A Christian cannot be baptized in the name of the one actually doing the immersing or in the name of any man, nor in the name of any organisation, but in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This shows, amongst other things, that Christianity is not a denominational affair.

    Watchtower page 603

    We do not dedicate ourselves to a religion, nor to a man, nor to an organisation. No, we dedicate ourselves to the Supreme Sovereign of the Universe, our Creator, Jehovah God Himself. This makes dedication a very personal relationship between us and Jehovah.

    Holy Spirit: Baptizing In The Name Of

    The holy spirit, which Jehovah prophesied that he would pour out in the last days, has not ceased to operate, for the remnant are still baptizing disciples of Christ in the name of that spirit. (Holy Spirit, 1976; pp. 148)

    I understand that to be baptised you must answer Yes to two questions:

    But my question is still this:

    Why, in June 1995, were the questions changed (so called simplified) to remove ?the Holy Spirit? that Jesus Christ told his disciples to baptize in the name of? Instead, persons are asked to confirm their understanding that their dedication and baptism identifies them as one of Jehovah?s Witnesses in association with God?s spirit-directed organisation.

    Is an earthly organisation led by fallible men now inserted into the ?intimate relationship with God?? I am genuinely troubled about how this change sits with the Scriptural importance of God?s Holy Spirit:

    1 Corinthians 1:13

    Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?

    Luke 12:10, 12

    And everyone who speaks a Word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

    Matthew 12:32

    And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

    Acts 5:3-4

    ..why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit???.why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.

    Unfortunately I cannot remember the questions I answered at my own baptism in the early seventies, but frankly it wouldn?t have mattered to me because although I had studied Scriptures myself, I put all my trust in my Pastor and my religion, who had studied the Bible for generations. I have just learned now, that to do so was wholly contrary to Biblical teaching.

    For Jehovah?s Witnesses, if the altered wording is still in place, doesn?t this change go against the principles of Christianity, and even against the long held principles, doctrines and practices of the Watchtower Society? Am I to believe that this change came about from Jehovah revealing new light to an anointed one, perhaps during prayer? Or was there perhaps a more secular reason for the change?

  • ozziepost
    ozziepost

    G'day Carla,

    The term "unbaptised" as in the "theocratic" term "unbaptised publisher" refers not to an act itself but as rebel has pointed out, the lack of the action of being baptised:

    I think when people are saying "unbaptized", they just mean never baptized.

    Here again we find the use of a word in a n unusual way by the WTS but again is a further example of how the WTS in many subtle ways maintains control of its members with yet another label.

    Cheers, Ozzie

  • mad max
    mad max

    Hi Carla,

    un-baptised? everyone and i mean everyone who is studing the bible (only with the jw) everyone who the jw associate with (shame these are the unsuspecting ones who the jw are HOPING to start a bible study with)

    Now with regard to jaffacake's questions, this is just what this elder said to me only last nite, Mon 23, that I got babtized to serve the org. and i replied that GOODNESS I DID NOT KNOW, they dont tell you before. Ps the reason is they only interesed if you can answer all the 365 or so more questions before, in order, for you to take the plunge ahhh another one added to the "great crowd". Ps see Rev 7:9....great multitude ....(and where were they standing ..on earth..I dont think so) standing before the throne..." So there you are the great crowd are also in HEAVEN.

    Anyway I was babtized, GOOD associate! (ps not to good, but thats fine with them) Years later went into "world" BAD associate, though they still spoke to me. Now I have Christ in me VERY D'F BAD BAD now will get D'F on Sun 29 if I do not conform, because I gave my life to the orgn. (they say) and not to Christ.

    Have a great day.

    Ps still new to this

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit