What was the recent change made regarding baptisms?

by Witness My Fury 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • blondie
    blondie

    So there is a letter but no one has the specifics. I can't see the WTS not baptizing someone with a known STD, separately or last. People are so uninformed; people can have an STD and not know it, HIV, AIDS, etc. What are they going to do require every baptizee get tested first and give it to the brothers?

  • leaving_quietly
    leaving_quietly

    Part of the baptism questions that the candidate has to go over discusses the importance of revealing whether one has any contagious disease or infection so that one does not infect others. Can't recall the scripture used... I think it was about keeping an eye, not in personal interests, but upon those of others.

  • RubaDub
    RubaDub

    people can have an STD and not know it, HIV, AIDS, etc. What are they going to do require every baptizee get tested first and give it to the brothers?

    Blondie is correct. This makes no sense. Does this mean you need to go to a doctor and get a physical exam before getting baptized? Only "healthy" people can get baptized?

    It would seem very strange that after going through the baptismal questions, the elders would review your medical records and check your blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.

    Rub a Dub

  • St George of England
    St George of England
    People are so uninformed; people can have an STD and not know it, HIV, AIDS, etc. What are they going to do require every baptizee get tested first and give it to the brothers?

    At what age would an STD test be required? One would assume that a 6yr old would not be required to be tested, so what about a 12 yr old, 14 yr old, 16 yr old.....

    Who makes the decision at what age can someone become sexually active and what age would that be?

    If there is a danger for other baptismal candidates, what about the brother DOING the baptizing? What do they think happens at public swimming pools?

    George

  • RubaDub
    RubaDub
    One would assume that a 6yr old would not be required to be tested, so what about a 12 yr old, 14 yr old, 16 yr old.....

    St George ...

    A 6 year old actually could have HIV and not know it. If the mother has HIV, it can be passed at childbirth (along with other STDs). And HIV can be even be transmitted through breastfeeding.

    So a kid could have the "drip" and not know how he got it.

    Rub a Dub

  • Mad Sweeney
    Mad Sweeney

    Wow, the UK is WAY behind the USA with that change. I was just a kid when they last baptized as part of the session here in the USA and I'm 45 now.

  • BluesBrother
    BluesBrother

    "now the dunking happens while everyone has lunch ."

    That IS an improvement. Last time I went to one of those things, lunch break was at 12.00 . We could not go and eat though, because we "had" to sit and observe a dozen sad deluded souls committing their lives to The Lord The WTS..

    I was famished!

  • Atlantis
    Atlantis

    AIDS, Tuberculosis and so forth. (See page 1) . How should Jehovah's Witnesses respond to the needs of those with contagious and potentially fatal diseases? . (See page 2) 2. He may attend the district convention or circuit assembly or special assembly day, listen to the baptismal discourse, and then that evening it may be preferred that he be baptized in his hotel or motel room or a private home where there is a large tub that can be used for this purpose. 3. If he is sensitive to others becoming aware of the fact that he has such a disease and does not want it to become known to others, he may attend a district convention or circuit assembly or special assembly day to which his congregation is not assigned, listen to the baptismal discourse, and then be baptized in a running body of water. 4. He may request that the elders arrange to have him baptized last or have a private baptism at the local congregation. . . . . . . . . Petra

  • Calebs Airplane
    Calebs Airplane

    Thanks Atlantis...

    So un-baptized publishers infected with HIV are to be taken to a nearby river if they want to get baptized??? How demeaning...

  • hamsterbait
    hamsterbait

    You cannot catch HIV from being in a properly treated swimming pool.

    Maybe the running water has some magical significance, like in the Fairy stories of Baba Yaga. Or in the Jewish Law, where if your house had dry rot or rising damp, you took two sparrows to a stream with a bowl. Cut the throat of one bird over the running water, catch the blood in the bowl. Dip second bird in blood, then release. Finally smash the bowl.

    WHO SAID THE Borg gives you the equivalent of a COLLEGE education?

    HB

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