by happehanna 28 Replies latest jw friends
My daughter's step child is getting baptized at the ripe old age of 12.
My SIL is angry and I feel he should try and stop it through the courts, but they feel that would make his ex more determined for baptism to go ahead.
This child has no idea of the mistake they are making
would she get married at 12?
It is so sad and irresponsible for a child to take this step.
You've got that right. And some were baptised at NINE!!! What is even worse is when they are soon thereafter DISFELLOWSHIPPED as children, and yes, it does happen.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/8/122459/1.ashx (copy and paste, sorry it's not an active link)
My SIL is angry
Is he the child's father? If so, he should make his feelings forcefully to the body of elders. They ought not to proceed out of regard for "headship". if they do proceed , there is nothing to stop him going to the Assembly Hall and making his presence felt and demand that the girl leave with him .
This is not a "now or never" issue for the dubs, they would no doubt advise waiting until the girl is a little older
It is hanna and more and more lately are getting baptized at this young age or younger yet. The pressure is on from parents and friends who are baptized. Also, w/all of the hoorah about the end coming soon puts more pressure on ones to make up their minds and get baptized.
A twelve year old is just starting to learn about themselves. They aren't ready to make such a huge decision especially because of the consequences if they stray which many do because it's part of their growing up and trying their "wings". They are not adults yet.
We've read on here where young ones are getting DFed and then getting shunned by family members, but still are under parents' roof so have to go to mtgs. for more shunning by peers.
It's horrible emotional abuse. Horrible for a young developing mind!
Juni
My immediate thought was, "Yes, but how much more stupid is infant baptism?"
Then I realized that context was significant and no one holds that the infant has entered into a binding, non-transferable, non-cancel-able contract with the Almighty, whereas the nine and twelve yer olds are subject to disfellowshipping and all that that implies (shunning, etc.) should they ever unrepentantly doubt the veracity or the authority of THE WATCHTOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY.
I was 10!!!
At the last Circuit Assembly of my former congregation.
They had 12 baptised.
The oldest was 16, the average age I was told 14.
It is outrageous! In the U.S. no one under the age of 18 can be sued or held responsible for any contract they verbally agreed to or physically signed.
You can't vote until you are 18, can't legally smoke or drink until age 21 etc., etc., etc.
This is very irresponsible behavior on the part of any parent that allows this.
Myself, babtized at age 14 (Under high pressure because the end was coming in 75)....Df'd at age 16, reversed the same year, hung on for one more year and returned temporarilly under pressure many times, but never because I wanted to.
r.
I was baptized at 12. Wayyyyy too young!
S4
She needed to be dipped before they married her off to her LDS(splinter cult) uncle bob...
