More WT Propaganda: 10 Year Old Children Should Get Baptized! (page 2)

3rdgen

Julia and OTWO, we are on the same wavelength.

'In a long civil war, as the adult soldiers are picked off, the teenagers are recruited to carry it on. Once the teenagers are killed off, the children are recruited. Google any civil war in Africa, such as the one in Sierra Leonne, for an example. This is what I see happening to the Wt. As they lose the adults who wake up and leave, they have to recruit younger and younger children of their own to keep up the numbers.'

WOW! This is exactly whats' taking place among JWs!

JW GoneBad

This week's WT lesson is all about different forms of transformation that a baptized JW is expected to make in order to stay faithful to his dedication. Were the following paragraphs written with 8, 9 and 10 year-olds in mind or just adults:

(Par 9) As a person studies and applies Bible truth, he begins to make spiritual progress. Reflecting this progress, he makes changes in his life according to what he has learned. He puts away false religious practices and undesirable traits of his former way of life and cultivates the Christlike personality. (Eph. 4:22-24) We are happy to see hundreds of thousands make such progress each year and become qualified to get baptized in symbol of their dedication to Jehovah God. This, to be sure, makes Jehovah’s heart glad. (Prov. 27:11) However, we do well to consider: Are these changes all that are needed?

(Par 10) Actually, being transformed involves more than making progress or improving. A product may be labeled or advertised as “improved,” but essentially it is still the same product. There might be just one new ingredient, and the packaging might be more attractive. As to the expression “be transformed,” a note in Vine’s Expository Dictionary explains: “In Rom[ans] 12:2 being outwardly conformed to the things of this age [or system of things] is contrasted with being transformed (or transfigured) inwardly by the renewal of the thoughts through the Holy Spirit’s power.” Hence, the transformation that a Christian must make is not simply the putting away of harmful habits, unwholesome speech, and immoral conduct. Some people who have no knowledge of the Bible endeavor to keep their life more or less free of such things. What, then, is involved in the transformation that Christians must undergo?

(Par 11) “Be transformed by making your mind over,” Paul wrote. The “mind” relates to our thinking faculties. But as used in the Bible, it includes our mental inclination, attitude, and power of reason. Earlier in his letter to the Romans, Paul described people who reflected “a disapproved mental state.” Such ones were given to “unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, badness, being full of envy, murder, strife, deceit,” and other hurtful things. (Rom. 1:28-31) We can see why Paul urged those who were brought up in such an environment and became servants of God to “be transformed” and ‘make their mind over.’

(Par 12) Sadly, we are surrounded by people in the world who fit Paul’s description. They likely think that it is old-fashioned or intolerant to insist on standards and principles. Many teachers and parents take a permissive approach and promote a “liberal” way of thinking. To them, everything is relative; nothing is absolute. Even many who claim to be religious feel that they are at liberty to do what they think is right, without any obligation to obey God and his commandments. (Ps. 14:1) This attitude may pose a real threat to true Christians. The unwary may adopt the same view of theocratic arrangements. They may be unwilling to go along with congregation procedures and may even complain about anything not to their liking. Or they may have reservations about Bible based counsel on entertainment, use of the Internet, and the pursuit of higher education.

(Par 13) Accordingly, for us not to be fashioned, or molded, by the world any longer, we need to make an honest appraisal of our innermost attitudes and feelings, our goals, and our values. Such things may be hidden from public view. Others may tell us that we are doing well. Yet, we alone know if we really have allowed what we have learned from the Bible to transform us in these critical areas and to continue to transform us. –Read James 1:23-25.

How can a delicate 8, 9, or 10 year-old be expected to go through such a metamorphosis at such a young age when he/she is possibly still wetting their bed, barely mastering the technique of wiping his/her butt or taking boogers out of his/her nose?

What is the WT thinking??

Oh, I forgot! I guess with God's Holy Spirit anything is possible even the spiritual transformation of a 8, 9, or 10 year-old!

WTWizard

Did anyone mention that the washtowel course is one that goes against nature? Everything that is natural is a "sin". There are long lists of things that cannot be done--sex taboos, celebrating holidays and birthdays, as much as looking into other religions, spending a few coins or toilet papers on a scratch-off, and so on. Do one of those things, and you face hardship (unlike the cat lick church, which at least only cuts your membership with the church but does not bust up families and force you to find other jobs or apartments). Besides, you will be expected to waste all your life doing things that no human being is made to do. You will be asked to go door to door, facing dangers that are inherent with doing this work, in bad neighborhoods and staircases in poor condition, spreading a message that goes directly against their nature.

And what about the everchanging rules? You dedicate, you agree to obey whatever rules the washtowel comes up with in the future. What if they create rules that go directly against your nature a few years in the future? Suppose they take the October 6 study to the extreme, and impose that "If you have enough to eat, you are not doing enough for joke-hova. Did you get up reasonably rested? You didn't dn enough." rule. Or, they could state that they had 700 toilet papers on hand at the beginning of the month, took in 800 more during the month, and had expenses of 1500 and one Fenix LD22 flashlight--the one you bought! When you got baptized, they were urging people to carry a good light in case they had to go into a building with a staircase lit with a single light bulb and it blew out. Now, you are guilted for doing what you were supposed to have been doing, just a few months ago. Do children understand this? Is this even fair for adults? Companies with ever-changing terms of service usually end up going out of business. And they can be sued if they break the contract by changing the rules in the middle--even dishonest companies like banks, utility companies, and holding companies that buy up apartment complexes across the country can be sued. Why can't the washtowel?

WinstonSmith

Even when I was 'in' it used to bemuse me when the WTS would mock the churches for infant baptism yet they and their ardent followers would be the first to rejoice at a young one getting dunked. "Did you hear about little Johnny, he got baptised and he's only 10! Such a wonderful example."

One of the reasons that WTS mocks the churches is because babies are in no position to make a decision such as getting baptised. I ask you, what 10 year old is in any position to make this decision and be cognisant of the fact that if they change their mind later they will lose their entire family, and actually understands what this could mean for them?

Child abuse on so many levels is rampant among God's chosen people.

Phizzy

" Child abuse on so many levels is rampant among God's chosen people." This should read "............... among the JW's".

El_Guapo

The sad thing is the friends don't even notice the hypocrisy. Last year a friend of mine told be his 11 year old son had been super bummed becaused he was too young to go to the pioneer school. The CO didn't think he would be able to grasp the infitmation. REALLY? I asked him Albert, so let me get this straight he's no old enough to go the school but he's old enough to get baptized????? He just gave me a blank stare.......

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Of course the JW reasoning is that they have "the truth" and there's nothing else that their children should ever be dedicated to. And they think it's "a protection" so that their kiddies will think more seriously before ever engaging in "wrongdoing."

In reality, their reasoning "the younger the better" is moving 100% in the direction of infant baptism. And I've certainly seen teens who'd been dunked around 10 find themselves DFd before 20.

metatron

For those of you who believe that the Watchtower Society is being run by utter cynics, I think this may be one of your strongest pieces of evidence.

They have exposed the Baptism Vow as meaningless. How can a child who might not have even hit puberty make such a commitment?

If infant baptism is wrong, why is the baptism of minor children right?

metatron

tiki

poor kids - they don't give them a chance to be young and free and happy. ten year old girls still play with dolls. most ten year olds haven't even started puberty....they are silly little children! yeah, they want to make mommy and daddy happy - but any parent in their right mind is going to want them to be kids and not allow them to enter into any contractual arrangement. and realize that any minor has no legal rights to enter into a contract. that is no meaningless law - it is a protection because children do not have the maturity, sensibility or understanding of the ramifications of contractual arrangements. Hence - baptism of minors - given the WT defininition of baptism - should not be occurring, allowed, and certainly not encouraged on any level. It is meaningless, as they are not of an age of majority.

More WT Propaganda: 10 Year Old Children Should Get Baptized!

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