what were you thinking when you got yourself baptised?

greven

My first post diappeared so here's another try:

This is actually more than one question. But let me first explain my own experience:

At about the age of 16 my parents started asking the famous question: What is keeping you from getting babtised? Actually I wasn't sure about this religion being true. I just hated the meetings and fieldservice was even worse. So my plan was to hold on till I would live on my own and then simply cease going to meetings. This question and the quilttrip around it stood in the way of my cunning plan. I could postpone it intil I was 18. Then finally I decided to go along with it. I had started to have doubts regarding the existance of God aswell and figured the baptism to be a final test. If I would pledge an oath to obey God with all my hart I figured that if he existed, the baptism would make an end to my doubts. Hearing all these stories from loyal JW's, I somehow expected to feel different, cleansed when arising out of the water. Well when it finally happened, I felt lonely, deceived, cold and wet ofcourse. No difference. No nothing. Well, the presents were nice but that was about the only benefits that came out of it. No renewed zeal. No burning fire within me. And no celestial dove either (not that I expected it, but it would have been a nice touch). I knew I had made a mistake.

So what were your experiences? Were you pressured into it or did you do it out of your own free will? Did it feel like you expected it? Did it change you?

Greven

greven

So it now seems I have posted double and in addition to that minimus posted an almost simular question!

minimus

M&M's.......BIG RED ONES........Actually, I don't quite remember, I do know I felt proud of my accomplishment.

RAYZORBLADE

Greven. Believe it or not, I honestly felt that it was the thing to do.

I also honestly thought, while sitting in that warm water, before they dunked me back in the spring of 1981, that I'd be filled with the holy spirit.

For some odd reason, I remember praying very heavily way back then, hoping that as soon as I came up from out of that water, things would be different, that I would have a different state of mind, I'd be a better person.

Quietly, I was very unhappy, disappointed and depressed. NOTHING was different, it was still all the same.

I remember feeling like....'oops, why did I even bother?'

So, that's what was going through my mind, before, during and after. I remember being inactive for 4-6 weeks back in late 1981. I was almost ready to leave then, and I was tempted to do the same in 1982 when I visited the big city.

It was only a matter of time.

Thankfully, 'that time' happened, came and went, and here I am today. FREE

teenyuck

what were you thinking when you got yourself baptised?

Me: "God, I hope I don't look fat in this bathing suit"

Then: "God, those Brothers looks so stupid standing in a pool of water with tee-shirts and swim trunks on"

After: "I don't feel different...just wet...I wish I had held my nose harder..."cough""

Later: "I wish I had worn waterproof mascara!!"

I was 13

calamityjane

Uhmmmmmm. I wish I had a V-8, instead.

greven

NOTHING was different, it was still all the same.

INDEED!

Greven

LB

OK was I supposed to be thinking?

Elsewhere

Elders kept walking up to me saying: "You are getting up in age, when are you planning on getting baptized?"

I guess it's like the dog who keeps getting swatted on the nose with a paper until he finally does the Roll-Over trick... then everyone runs up and pets him saying "goooood boy!"

BeelzeDub

[QUOTE]what were you thinking when you got yourself baptised?[/QUOTE]

background: male, age 16

First thought: It's 1975 and the end will be here before year end, I better take care of this thing and save my ass.

Second thought: Doing this will open up to me many more options for poon tang not available to an unbaptized publisher.

Send me, send me. [:D]

what were you thinking when you got yourself baptised?

Share this