GiftsinMen23 minutes agoSorry Xanthippe but I don't really care if I'm understood or not, it's actually not important. My baptism mattered to me, that's it!
OK, have a good day. 🌺
What does your baptism mean to you now?
by GiftsinMen 59 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Xanthippe
OK, have a good day. 🌺 -
GiftsinMen
Xanthippe, You too my love
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Vidiot
Gosh, I'm at the point now where I sometimes forget that I was once baptized. -
moley
Back then, not much. Now zero -
JW_Rogue
At that time it was just a matter of doing the right thing. In my mind a "good" person would get baptized and live a clean life. I wonder where I got that idea? I wanted to be like my older brother and sister who also got baptized at a young age. I actually didn't make a dedication to God in prayer until the day of the baptism when I realized I was supposed to do that. I probably had some doubts even then but trusted that my mom wouldn't want me to do something unless it was for my own good. When you live a sheltered life it is very hard to think of life outside your little bubble and that there are other ways of doing things.
I now realize that I was just a kid and had no concept of a life long dedication I assumed that I would be happy as a JW. Sometimes I wonder why I wasn't like some of the other kids who never got baptized. Or why I can't be like others in the hall who seem to believe everything and actually find happiness from the org. No, I have to see things as they really are for some reason.
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GiftsinMen
Fair play jwrogue, I hope you have found happiness.
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JW_Rogue
I'm have a lot of things to be happy about and grateful for but I'd really just like to drop the facade of believing in WT doctrines. Playing the game with everyone including my wife gets harder each day. To really have any meaningful relationships your authentic self must be known. That is what the org takes away from you the day you're baptized. -
Designer Stubble
Nothing really. It was the pressured decision of a young immature teenager trying to please his single mother...At the time based on the limited knowledge I had (information control) it seemed the right decision.
when much later I found that I had been deceived, I found this more than valid information to treat this "contract" as void.
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Phizzy
I was 12 when I was dunked. I sincerely wished to serve God. I did not vow anything to any Organization in those days, it was 1962 after all.
There was no pressure from anybody, rather the reverse, my dear old mum tried her hardest to dissuade me.
It means nothing to me now, as I am no longer a believer in god, the bible, or Unicorns.
It is simply a curious memory, as is so much of my JDub life, none of it bore much resemblance to reality.
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The Marvster
When I was 14, I wanted to get baptised as my best friend was getting dunked, but I got told, 'not enough return visits'.... so it got dropped, then eventually at 21 years old and 'under pressure' from an elder I got baptised.. I was reluctant because of that age old reason, I thought I would 'sin' after dedicating my life and not be able to live the 'strict' lifestyle, I never even made a proper dedication, that's how doubtful I was.
Just 1 month after baptism, the secret sin restarted.... and I fought with it for 20 years and never won the battle.... so here I am 22 years after getting baptised and after a very long losing battle I'm out of the congregation... why didn't I listen to the gut feelings of that 21 year old?