Watchtower Annulled My Baptism

by RICHT 29 Replies latest jw experiences

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  BluesBrother

  The April 2017 Study Wt. will tighten this still further , but this was printed 7 years ago,

  Questions From Readers Wt 2010 Feb 15 page 22

  
  Under what circumstances might rebaptism be considered?
  Under certain circumstances, a baptized person may want to give thought to the validity of his baptism and may consider rebaptism. At the time of baptism, for instance, an individual may secretly have been living in a situation or engaging in a practice that could have resulted in his being disfellowshipped if he had already been validly baptized. Could he make a dedication to God in such circumstances? Such an individual would have been in a position to make a valid dedication to Jehovah only if the unscriptural conduct had been discontinued. Therefore, a person baptized while such a serious impediment existed may appropriately consider the necessity of rebaptism.
  What about an individual who was not practicing sin at the time of his baptism but whose subsequent wrongdoing required the formation of a judicial committee? Suppose he then claimed that he did not fully understand what he was doing at the time of his baptism and said that his baptism was not truly a valid one. When meeting with a wrongdoer, the elders should not raise questions about his baptism and ask whether he feels that his dedication and baptism were valid. After all, he heard a Scriptural discourse about the significance of baptism. He answered affirmatively questions regarding dedication and baptism. Then he changed his clothing and was physically immersed in water. It is, therefore, reasonable to believe that he fully understood the seriousness of what he was doing. The elders would thus treat him as a baptized person.
  If the individual raises the issue of the validity of his baptism, the elders may direct his attention to The Watchtower of March 1, 1960, pages 159 and 160, and February 15, 1964, pages 123 to 126, where the matter of rebaptism is discussed in detail. Eventual rebaptism under certain circumstances (such as a lack of sufficient Bible understanding when one was baptized) is a personal matter.

  Even then, rebaptism is one thing - letting you off d/f is quite another. I doubt that the elders would fall for that !
• 

  Mad Irishman

  What happened to you is very rare and does not happen often.
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  redvip2000

  It was used to remind us of the "very rare" possibility. BUT we were told not to "offer it" but contact the branch if someone "claimed their baptism was invalid"

  lol....Just think of this for a minute. Why would you ever want to develop a mechanism to lock in members in this manner? What desperation.... Reminds me a sneaky business practices where they try do hide the fine print.
  

  Leaving this religion should be as easy as cancelling a credit card.
  
• 

  Giordano

  The elder's manual makes brief note of such an allowance.

  "There are rare occasions when it is obvious that the baptism was invalid because serious wrong- doing did not cease before baptism, even for a brief period of time. For example, it may be that at the time of baptism, the individual was living immorally with a member of the opposite or the same sex, was a member of a non-neutral organization, or some- thing similar. If there are questions, the branch office should be consulted." Shepherd the Flock of God (2012) p.76

  "Under what circumstances might rebaptism be considered?
  
  Under certain circumstances, a baptized person may want to give thought to the validity of his baptism and may consider rebaptism. At the time of baptism, for instance, an individual may secretly have been living in a situation or engaging in a practice that could have resulted in his being disfellowshipped if he had already been validly baptized. Could he make a dedication to God in such circumstances? Such an individual would have been in a position to make a valid dedication to Jehovah only if the unscriptural conduct had been discontinued. Therefore, a person baptized while such a serious impediment existed may appropriately consider the necessity of rebaptism." Watchtower 2010 Feb 15 p.22

  Of course you could claim to being addicted to tobacco before and immediately after the actual baptism. "Hey guys my hair was still wet....when I lite one up to celebrate"

  Or you could say that you 'choked the chicken' Before, during and after. "Hell my little general demands I salute it each and every time it stands up.
• 

  EatsShootsAndLeaves

  RICHT's baptism was annulled in September 1996 in England UK.
• 

  Island Man

  What if you never made a prayer of dedication to Jehovah? I bet they would have to annul your baptism for that. Here's what might work:

  Go to the elders in tears saying you believe you've made a grave mistake. Tell them you fear you did not make a scriptural dedication in prayer to God. You were doing some personal study recently and came across some information in Watchtower literature about the steps involved in becoming a Christian and you read a description of what dedication means and it suddenly hit that that is not what you did. You thought you were dedicated because you didn't fully understand what it meant to be dedicated and so you thought you were dedicated based on your prayer relationship with Jehovah - you didn't realize that one had to make a special specific prayer promising to serve God unreservedly.

  Act like you're devastated by the fact that all this time you weren't really fully right with Jehovah and ask the brothers to allow you the opportunity to be truly baptized the proper way after you make an actual dedication like you were supposed to.

  Then you let others in the congregation know of your mistake. You start the rumor that all this time you were never really a dedicated JW like you thought you were and you'll be correcting that at the next assembly/convention. Get everyone accustomed to viewing you as a non-JW. Then when the day for your real baptism comes along, get cold feet. Have second thoughts about getting baptized and chicken out.
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  smiddy

  When you get to my age you dont give a fig whether your baptism was ridgy- didge or not ,JW`s are irrelevant .
• 

  Vidiot

  Does anyone here actually think that "annulling" one's baptism (as opposed to DAing or being DFed) will make a difference in how the majority of active JWs will treat you?
• 

  Old Navy

  Could it be that the Elders referred to in the OP are well aware of the Nature of the Corporation? Since the WTBorg Inc. type of "baptism" is in reality a Corporation Ritual disguised as the Biblical Baptism it could be "undone" in accordance with Corporation Rules.

  This, of course, falls into the category of "good news!" Further evidence that the WTBorg Inc. truly are a Cult of Deception. Workers of The Adversary. The Brainchild of the Rothschild Masonic Dynasty.

  How fitting.
  
• 

  moreconfusedthanever

  Happened to a woman in my congregation. Gets baptised one weekend and a couple of months later annulment is announced.

  I also know of a case where the elders stepped in and stopped a baptism going ahead the night before it was going to happen.