I'm getting baptized (page 11)

Scully

Are you old enough to get a driver's licence? No.

Are you old enough to vote? No.

Are you old enough to open a bank account without needing your parents to co-sign for you? Probably not.

Are you old enough to get married without your parents' permission? No.

Are you old enough to join the military? No.

Are you old enough to sign a contract? No.

Are you old enough to get a job? Maybe, but maybe not.

My point is this: The law of the land does not permit *children* to undertake certain adult activities, and for a very good reason: a child's power of reasoning and critical thinking is not fully developed. Unscrupulous people prey on young people like yourself and trap them in situations that can cause irreparable damage to the young person. Why do you think so many kids start smoking or trying drugs when they are teenagers? It's because they really want to be accepted by peers, despite what they have been taught about the dangers of these behaviours.

If the Watchtower Society had your best interests at heart, why would they need to put so much pressure on young people to forego higher education, or limit association outside the Congregation™, or get Baptized™ before they are old enough to really truly understand the consequences of being Baptized™?

If your parents are reasonable, they would allow you to complete your high school education in a Public School. If they are reasonable, they will allow you to wait to get Baptized™ until you are an adult (like Jesus did). If they are reasonable, they will allow you to go to community college or vocational school to learn a trade so that you can support yourself if and when you wish to Pioneer™ (like the Apostle Paul did). The Bible™ says that "overseers" should be "reasonable" (1 Timothy 3:1-3) and that Christians should "let your reasonableness become known to all men" (Philippians 4:5).

Only people (and Organizations™) who are unreasonable would try to force a person who is not legally an adult, to make adult-sized commitments. If someone was trying to get you to sign a contract or force you to get married or recruit you into a gang at your age, they would be committing an illegal act. I believe in my heart of hearts that coercing or strongly persuading or using threats to get children to commit to a religion should be punishable by law, particularly if leaving that religion in adulthood results in severe negative consequences for that person.

PLEASE WAIT. Peer pressure is still peer pressure, whether it's from kids at school or kids at the KH or even family members. You DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS.

OnTheWayOut

I am going to just repeat what Scully said.

You broke the ice and were brave enough to start this conversation. You have to go back and have some more of that conversation. "Grandma planning to come isn't a reason for me to stop having the same problems that are holding me back......

Am I old enough to get a driver's licence? No.

Am I old enough to vote? No.

Am I old enough to open a bank account without needing parents to co-sign? Probably not.

Am I old enough to get married? No.

Am I old enough to join the military? No. I haven't even registered for selective service yet.

Am I old enough to sign a contract? No.

I will be ready enough when I am ready enough."

bsmart

What Scully said!

HBH

All the rational thinking in the world won't stop a kid from running away (or worse, checking out) if they feel there is no way out. 1 in 5 teens run away. That's why I think she should have some sort of counselor/helper in person, or at least a helpline. Maybe it's just me, but I sense desperation.

HBH

Anders Andersen

Some new content on JW.org says:

We raise our children “in the discipline and admonition of Jehovah,” just as the Bible commands. (Ephesians 6:4) However, as they grow, they must make a personal decision to learn, accept, and apply what the Bible teaches before they can qualify for baptism. (Romans 12:2) Ultimately, each person must make his own choice concerning worship.—Romans 14:12; Galatians 6:5.

Somebody please explain this to BlackWolf's parents, and all the other JW parents who pressure their kids into this cult.

It sounds so reasonable when coming from the PR dept...but reality is quite different.

TheListener

Blackwolf, I have been thinking a lot about your situation. I don't have any additional good advice from the others here but I wanted to say that your situation is exactly what I wanted to avoid with my kids and why when I faded I tried so hard to free them at the same time. I never wanted them to have to live a double life and fear my abandonment.

I wish you the best of luck.

KiddingMe

I agree with the thoughts of TheListener.

I'd also like to add that the next WT article for this coming Sunday continues the discussion on baptism. Therefore, BlackWolf is in for some more stressful days ahead. I glanced at the article and there is a reference to consider questions in the Young People Ask book. If I get a moment a little later I will post them. Maybe we can give suggestions for how BlackWolf can use this to an advantage.

In the meantime BlackWolf consider that your parents' focus on baptism may die down a little after we move on from these articles.

KiddingMe

Paragraph 13 of this Sunday WT states,

13 To help you set goals, we have a worksheet on pages 308 and 309 of the book Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work, Volume 2. This worksheet invites you to write your responses to such questions as “How specific are your prayers, and what do they reveal about your love for Jehovah?” “What do you include in your personal study?” “Do you engage in the ministry even if your parents do not?” The worksheet also provides space for you to write down any goals you would like to set regarding your prayers, personal study, and ministry.

Below are the questions within the worksheet. Maybe you can say you are taking your time going through these questions and setting personal goals but feel like 6 weeks is rushing it and this something you are serious about.

yp2 pp. 308-309

Should I Get Baptized?

[Box on page 308, 309]
Worksheet
Are You Thinking of Getting Baptized?
Check your progress by considering the questions and statements below. Be sure to look up the cited scriptures before writing your answers.
In what ways are you currently showing confidence in Jehovah?—Psalm 71:5. ․․․․․
How have you demonstrated that your perceptive powers are trained to distinguish right from wrong?—Hebrews 5:14. ․․․․․
How often do you pray? ․․․․․
How specific are your prayers, and what do they reveal about your love for Jehovah?—Psalm 17:6. ․․․․․
List below any goals you would like to set with regard to your prayers. ․․․․․
How regular is your personal study of the Bible?—Joshua 1:8. ․․․․․
What do you include in your personal study?․․․․․
List below any goals you would like to set with regard to your personal study. ․․․․․
Is your ministry meaningful? (Examples: Can you explain basic Bible teachings to others? Do you call back on interested ones? Are you working toward conducting a home Bible study?)
□ Yes □ No
Do you engage in the ministry even if your parents do not?—Acts 5:42.
□ Yes □ No
List below any goals you would like to set with regard to your ministry.—2 Timothy 2:15. ․․․․․
Would you describe your attendance at Christian meetings as regular or sporadic?—Hebrews 10:25. ․․․․․
In what ways do you participate at meetings?․․․․․
Do you attend when your parents cannot (if you have their permission to do so)?
□ Yes □ No
Can you say that you truly delight to do God’s will?—Psalm 40:8.
□ Yes □ No
Can you list specific instances in which you have resisted peer pressure?—Romans 12:2. ․․․․․
How do you plan to keep your love for Jehovah strong?—Jude 20, 21. ․․․․․
Would you serve Jehovah even if your parents and friends stopped doing so?—Matthew 10:36, 37.
□ Yes □ No

KiddingMe

Below is an excerpt from this Sunday's WT.

Maybe you express that you want to do deeper study like Timothy and research of some of the questions raised. For example, you can say you would like to research the question, Why do I believe that God exists? You can say something like although you feel you know the answer, you want dig deeper. It would also help you when teaching others.

Then maybe you can actually start researching, if you haven't already, and start raising points/questions to your parents. You can possibly drag this out a while, especially if you dont have much time for researching after work, meetings, field service etc.

YOUR CONVICTIONS

3, 4. What lesson can young ones learn from the example of Timothy? 3 Think about how you would respond to these questions: Why do I believe that God exists? What convinces me that the Bible is God’s inspired Word? Why do I feel that living by God’s moral standards is better than adopting the lifestyle of the world? Those questions are not designed to create doubts in your mind. Rather, they can help you to follow the apostle Paul’s admonition: “Prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Rom. 12:2) But why did Christians in Rome need to prove to themselves something that they had already accepted? 4 Consider a Bible example. Timothy knew the Scriptures well. He had been taught “from infancy” by his mother and grandmother. Nevertheless, Paul urged Timothy: “Continue in the things that you learned and were persuaded to believe.” (2 Tim. 3:14, 15) According to one reference work, the original-language word for “persuaded” has the sense “to be convinced and certain of the truth of something.” Timothy had made the truth his own. He accepted it, not because his mother and grandmother told him to do so, but because he had reasoned on it for himself and had been persuaded.—Read Romans 12:1.

TheListener

Kiddingme, thanks for spending your time posting that. I will read it over and see if I have any worthwhile advice.

I'm getting baptized

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