I also believe that most ppl have to reach their late twenties before they become reasonably mature and can make their big choices in life, that includes getting matrried.
Teenagers getting married in the dubs is definitely a mistake given the extremist nature of that organisation and their many capricious ideas.
shouldn't we wait till we're 30+ to be baptized?
by annalice 26 Replies latest jw friends
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greendawn
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schne_belly
If your 9 year old says "mom I really feel that I want to get married" do you say "Oh ok honey you're old enough to make that decision"HECK NO!
Yeuppers... I agree with you 100% on this. I was 16 when I was baptized and in my area, that is getting pretty darn old...so you better get the deed done with or something is wrong with you!!!
I was the last one in my group of friends who got dunked, PLUS I wanted to date and that was a no, no unless you had "dedicated your life to the org." Ya, I guess I felt a bit pushed into it. Everyone was happy when I made my decision, no questions about if I was REALLY ready or mature enough.
But 2 years later when I wanted to get married at 18, it caused a big fuss....
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Carmel
...at 12 under false pretenses! in my mind the whole thing was null and void once I realized they lied to me about the consequences of being dunked!
carmel who rejects meaningless rituals
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stillAwitness
This thread is so interesting! All the comments are right on! I was baptized at 14. I threw up during the baptismal talk.I knew I was not ready to make such a decision but everyone else was getting baptized in my hall (one girl was 9) and so mother of course wanted me to join the club. Here I am in my 20's and I am still trying to grow as a person. So why the hell did they think I was mature enough at 14 to make such a decsion!!
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Sunspot
Not that I don't disagree with baptisms taking place in the "bloom of youth"....cuz I DO....
But sad as it sounds (and IS) that I was 31 when I got baptized! I believed everything the WTS taught because I had NO prior bible knowledge and never KNEW what was fantasy and fabrication.
It took me 30 long years of experience, observations of congregation "goings on", the LACK of love they claim to possess and ulitmately getting a computer and finding the internet and the REAL truth that finally made a LOT of things about the WTS very clear to me.
I can't blame my "age" on making THE biggest mistake of my life....I CAN blame my naivete, my gullibility AND the cleverly written and deliberately misleading teachings of a CULT on it though.
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Faraon
I had sex when I was 7 also. I started life when I was young.
I had it at birth.
You can see it on my birth certificate. It reads: Live male.
Maybe it's a national custom, but they assign you a sex right after you are born. I guess they also assign you a life. lol
Faraon
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MidwichCuckoo
I was previously Christened (Baptised) CofE at 6 weeks old - I think the Org considers that meaningless as I was a mere infant, not knowing the full facts about the Church. A choice made by my parents, with best intentions.