Only JW "adults" getting baptized in France?

by Gayle 11 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Gayle

  Tens of thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses meet in France

  (AFP) – 43 minutes ago

  PARIS — Tens of thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses gathered on Saturday in cities across France for an annual international gathering, the religious movement said.

  About 150,000 flocked to meetings with the main gathering in Villepinte, in the Paris region, attracting 50,000 followers.

  Several hundred Jehovah's Witnesses were baptised by being immersed in water during the event, which lasts the whole weekend.

  Those baptised were adults, following the example of Christ.

  Jehovah's Witnesses consider themselves the heirs of a primitive form of Christianity.

  Their beliefs are strongly based on the text of the Bible and they consider modern Christian Churches to have deviated from the book's true teachings.

  Followers reject the ideas of modern evolutionary theory and refuse blood transfusions.

  They are perhaps best known for preaching on doorsteps, where they offer religious literature and attempt to convert people.

  The movement emerged towards the end of the 19th century in the United States and arrived in France in 1906.

  There are more than seven million Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide and around 150,000 in France.

  The group's status varies from country to country. They are given the same recognition as mainstream religions in Austria and Germany but are classed as a "recognised cult" in Denmark.

  In France, some of their branches have the status of "religious association" but the movement was also mentioned in a 1995 parliamentary report on sects.

  Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
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  blondie

  So what is the definition of an adult in France in regard to religious baptism? I don't think that everyone was 18 and older.
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  Kahlua

  Hi Gayle. I just saw that on Google news and wondered if you had seen it yet.

  It is interesting they made such a point of this.

  I too wonder what they consider adults there or if it is just another way to use theocratic warfare.
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  Narkissos

  I wasn't there, but I'd rather put it on a loose journalistic use of words ("adult" vs. "infant" baptism as the majoritary Catholic pattern). I very much doubt the French WT policy has changed on this (even though young JWs are probably not baptised as early as they used to be 30 years ago).
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  Farkel

  Does anyone remember the Watchtower picture in around 2001 of the girl who had been baptized at a USA assembly? She looked to be about 8 years old. I believe she was on the cover of that rag.

  I got baptized when I was 12 and for a very mature and spiritual reason: I was scared shitless of dying at Armageddon because I was unbaptized. The WTS had written about those above the "age of accountability" even if they were not adults would be snuffed at the big A. if they were not baptized, but they never hinted at what age that might be.

  My baptism was my insurance policy for salvation because my cynical and manipulative religious masters scared me into taking it out.

  Farkel
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  wobble

  I was baptised ,in 1962, at the age of 12.by Jehovah's Witnesses.

  My motive was simply to serve Almighty God in any way he wanted me to,I never had a fear of Armageddon,I only saw that as a battle between Jesusand God against those who opposed them, i.e nothing to do with me.

  I was baptised into the name of the Father ,Son and Holy Spirit. My baptism,and the vows I took stand,they just bear no relation to the modern JW/WBT$.

  Having said that,I believe only adults should be baptised,especially now that it is imperative to understand that you are vowing loyalty to a man-made man-ruled organization,rather than God,and indeed,over and above God !

  I wish it were true that only adults were baptised in France,at least they only have themselves,and the duplicity of the WT to blame.

  Love

  Wobble
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  choosing life

  I remember some elders using the account of Jesus at the temple at the age of twelve as an example of an "accountable" age. I saw some as young as nine get baptized.

  I rather doubt this article means adults in the sense of being an adult of 18-21 years. No matter what age one makes a decision, they should have the right to change their views as they see things differently.

  I doubt very many of those in their older years see things as they did at 21.
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  smiddy

  My nephew was just recently baptized...he`s 12 yrs old

  smiddy
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  Mattieu

  I was baptised at the grand old age of 15....... Man, all those years wasted between 12-15 when I could have been reaching out more in the org.....
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  Vinny

  Many places are mostly JW kids going under the water. To me the article saying, "adults", means not much of anything. Today, I'd guess far fewer adults are getting baptized, percentage-wise, than in times past because of the abundance of information on the world wide web that exposes the JW religion for what it actually is rather than what they tell you.

  I've seen people become educated online, and say no thanks to becoming a JW, too many times to count now.