How old were you when you were baptized as a JW, and what was it like?

by BonaFide 26 Replies latest jw friends

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  BonaFide

  I was baptized at 15 years old. A brother Toutjian gave the talk. It was the circuit assembly. I was so excited, so was my family. My unbelieving father showed up and hugged me. My mother cried. I thought it was the biggest day of my life. The pictures show my face as absolutely ecstatic. I was given a special-bound Bible and a nice bookbag right after I got my suit back on. My hair was still wet. I was interviewed in the afternoon on the program for Witnessing at school.

  I mean, it really was a special day for me. Even now, when I realize it was for a corporation, to me it wasn't back then. I had no idea about the "Watchtower Corporation." I thought I had dedicated my life to God and was making a public declaration of that by water baptism. I wanted to serve God, I really did. I remember everything about that day, I felt like I had conquered the world, that I had answered Satan the Devil's challenge, and that Jehovah God had accepted me to be his servant. I felt absolutely fantastic.

  And you, what was your baptism like?

  BF
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  Emmylou

  I have no memory of it except the water was cold. I have some of my old publishers cards and there it is I was baptized one month before my sixth birthday. I know it is hard to believe. I have asked my mother why they let me and she said because I wanted to be baptized. She said I loved Jehovah. No-one has ever suggested that I do it again and thankfully I didn't do it before I got out. I had questioned several elders over the years about my baptism and they just didn't want to tell me what to do. I am successfully and happily faded now.
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  Tired of the Hypocrisy

  I was 19 ans wore an OPEC teeshirt.

  O ver

  P riced

  E nergy

  C ountries
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  Kosonen

  I was 13. And for me the baptism was like you wrote, Bonafide:

  I mean, it really was a special day for me. Even now, when I realize it was for a corporation, to me it wasn't back then. I had no idea about the "Watchtower Corporation." I thought I had dedicated my life to God and was making a public declaration of that by water baptism. I wanted to serve God, I really did.
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  jaguarbass

  I was 19 in 71, Armegeddon was just around the corner in 75.

  Kind of a lackluster dissapointing armegeddon but it came and went.

  And now we are in the new world order of George Bush and his ding bat son.
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  asilentone

  I was 18 and naive when I got baptized.
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  boyzone

  I remember it clear as day. I was 22 in 1986 and a young mum of 2 boys. It was at the circuit assembly and the baptism talk was given by Stan Andrews. I remember this overwhelming feeling of safety as I was baptized. I had been thoroughly taught that I must be a JW if I hoped to survive armageddon and baptism meant I'd joined. Afterward I looked at my sleeping children in the pram and felt grateful that they were now safe too.

  Love for God came way down the list, in fact this "relationship with Jehovah" thing always eluded me. Now I really appreciate what faith in Jesus and true love is all about, but it wasn't anything the witnesses taught me, I had to go to church to learn that.
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  oompa

  15
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  scotinsw

  23

  I realise now that I only did it so that I could keep my friends that I'd made. Was raised a JW but never studied a publication, never got asked about it by my parents always went to meetings, did talks, good girl really. Field service was a sham - made up my reports from the second month I was unbaptised pub.

  new PO moved into the cong and cornered me about why I wasn't making the truth my own. Ended up studying with his wife and got baptised about 5 months later.

  All i kept thinking that finally the brother I'd liked for ages would finally go out with me!
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  PrimateDave

  I was almost 15 when I got baptized at a circuit assembly. I did it because it was expected of me, but I never really felt it. I mean, it was a big deal, kind of like a rite of passage, so to speak, but I never would have done it if I hadn't been raise in the Truth TM . And, to me, serving god meant doing lots of things I didn't like, and not doing a few things I did like.

  Dave