JW World Record - Youngest Baptism

by soiledumpling 31 Replies latest jw friends

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  FatFreek 2005

  That six year old number is not speculation. There are no less than three Watchtower publication examples.

  In the summer of 1946, I was baptized at the international convention in Cleveland, Ohio. Although I was only six years of age, I was determined to fulfill my dedication to Jehovah. The Watchtower, 1992 3/1 p. 27

  In 1934, Mom and Dad were baptized. I too wanted to get baptized, and I kept insisting until Mother asked an older Witness to talk with me about it. He asked many questions in a manner that I could understand. Then he told my parents that I should not be prevented from being baptized; it might harm my spiritual growth. So I was baptized the following summer, when I was still six. The Watchtower, 1996, 8/1, p. 21

  A survey of the publishers in Ghana showed that 12 percent of the more than 50,000 publishers were between 6 and 20 years of age. Yearbook, 1998, p. 14

  Len Miller
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  TTWSYF

  I am always amazed at the idea that because Jesus was in his 30s when he was baptised that Christians should wait also. It is unbiblical to wait imho.

  Jesus was in his 30s because that's when John the baptist was baptising. He wasn't baptising when Jesus was 6 was he?

  Also, Jesus did not need to be baptised, did he? It was another example of his humility and humanity in my opinion.

  What do the scriptures say? In the book of acts there are several examples of whole families being baptised at once. Now a family could have teenagers, young children, infants, etc.

  IE Acts 16;15 'She was baptized, with her household'

  Acts 16;33 'He was baptized at once with all his family'

  1Corinthians 1;16 'I did baptize also the household of Stephanas'

  These examples are the examples of the early church establishing it's doctrine on the baptism of the Christians. No studying, No age restrictions and not baptized in the name of any church or organization.

  respectfully,

  dc
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  nugget

  Getting baptised at 6 is a travesty, how can you truly know the consequences of your actions or understand what you are getting into.
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  talesin

  TTWSYF - I see your point, and it's well-taken. For example, in the RC religion, children are baptized as infants. However, they are not banished if they choose not to practice said RC religion later in life. Also, if they commit a 'sin', it can be forgiven by merely entering the confessional 'anonymously' and doing the penance imposed by a priest.

  In the JW religion, before baptism one is required to answer a series of questions that is supposedly designed to tell whether the initiate is 'ready' to dedicate their life to 'Jehovah's wll' based on a clear undertstanding of what being baptized as a JW means.

  It is impossible for an infant, child or teen to comprehend the far-reaching repercussions that baptism into the JW religion can have.

  tal
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  Chariklo

  There is an elder here who was baptised at 6. He's a nice chap, actually.

  Thanks, Talesin, for your explanation. Would I be right then to think that the effect they can have is only on family, so it really has that effect who are JW's as part of a family group, network even taking into account friends?

  If that's so, then one person "getting the truth" as some say wouldn't be so badly affected (though of course the longer they're in the bigger effect as the more friends they'd have.

  have I got it right?
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  bigmouth

  It is impossible for an infant, child or teen to comprehend the far-reaching repercussions that baptism into the JW religion can have.

  The world recognizes that children and youths, even as late as the early 20's, lack life experience and have difficulty foretelling repercussions of their behaviour e.g. incurring debt, road sense, parenting.

  Why would the borg baptize a child and fully hold him responsible for this decision for the rest of his life with the punishment of losing all his friends and family?
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  Momma-Tossed-Me

  it is all about the control. when they have the ability to threaten a person then they can control them.
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  Woody22
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  FlyingHighNow

  Tal, I look at it not that I am banished. I look at shunning as the JW's stepping off into a parallel exisitence.
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  Juan Viejo2

  Nancy Sage, in her book Going Undercover to Rescue My Daughter, reports that she was baptized in 1941 at the St. Louis International Convention. She was one of the children in the group that heard J. F. Rutherford's speech that released the book "Children." She was born in 1933 and was not yet eight years old. So at seven, she would not be a record for the youngest, but would prove to anyone doubting that "baby baptisms" were common and approved at the highest levels that they have been taking place for decades.

  It's funny that the Watchtower criticizes the Catholic Church and other denominations for "christening" babies, but what is the difference? Yes, six and seven year olds are going to school and can speak for themselves, but they certainly have not reached the "age of maturity." They can not vote, drive a car, live on their own, or hold a job. And yet the Watchtower feels that they can make a lifelong commitment that will affect their lives and relationships for their entire future at those tender ages.

  This is another example of the hypocrisy of the Watchtower's leadership, both secular and theologically. I think a few lawsuits are in order to take them to task for applying disfellowshipping rules and enforced shunning against anyone baptized under the age of sixteen.

  JV