by redskymedic 25 Replies latest jw friends
I am sure I am not the only one that thinks it's ridiculous that they allow pre-teens and young teens to get baptized. I know now that I did not have a full understanding of the implications of baptism. I did it primarily because that's what was expected. What are your thougts on allowing the young to make such a life-altering decision at a very young age?
Red
I would encourage it if only it was understood that LEGALLY it meant zippo----just like communion. But, really, getting into ANYTHING that requires giving of your life is something only a responsible older person can give.
I don't so much have trouble with baptism of young teens but HUGE problems on their treatment if and when they themselves realize that the organization is not for them.
Because of the shunning later, teens do not realize the full implication of their actions. Baptism is the one action that could fully shut out their family forever. That is unconscientionable (sp?).
I was just 12.
My grandmother took me to the 1958 Yankee Stadium assembly and it seemed an appropriate place to get baptised. I hadn't a clue what I was doing.
Englishman.
I don't so much have trouble with baptism of young teens but HUGE problems on their treatment if and when they themselves realize that the organization is not for them.
Because of the shunning later, teens do not realize the full implication of their actions. Baptism is the one action that could fully shut out their family forever. That is unconscientionable (sp?).
My thought on the matter exactly.
I asked an elder once if they would allow a kid that age to get married. At least you can get out of being married right... He just walked away! I've heard he's out now I hope it was one of the many seeds that I planted!
Allowing young kids to get baptized is ridiculous. I was 10 years old!!!! I was only in the 4th grade!!! Can you imagine a ten year old understanding the ramifictions of something so serious? I was probably still playing with Barbie dolls!
Because of the severe treatment and implications involved of becoming baptized, I do not think they should allow it until they are 18. Of course that will never happen. They would hardly have anyone get baptized at all then, at least in the Western world.
Just think about how many of those reported baptized at the end of the year were probably under 18. It would interesting to know those statistics. Allowing baptism at a young age allows them to later use emotional blackmail to keep them in. When someone (particular a young adult) decides they no longer want to be a witness, being baptized totally changes the rules of the game.
In a conversation with a newbie (last 5 years or so) JW he mentioned how he was glad he had known what he was doing when he got baptised because he appreciated what he was doing, unlike in infant baptism. I said "But primary school children get baptised." He replied "Oh, I don't think so." and I said "(Name) was 9 years old." He replied that he didn't know as he wasn't in then, but he looked quite surprised.
I was by far, no Einstein as I was growing up, but I always had logical questions in the back of my mind that bothered me. The thing that struck me hard during all those boring meetings, was how hateful and unforgiving Jehovah God seemed to be. The carrot that kept me interested when I was a child, was the possibility of living forever. The idea, of course is laughable, and even as child I could see the folly in such hope. I sat there during the meetings and would hear about a God that would wipe out the vast majority of this planet if he just got pissed enough. As a kid I used to think that forever is an awfully long time, so wouldn't someone somewhere, sometime piss Him off again and I would be wiped out eventually along with everyone else. There were many other things that bothered me about the doctrine I was being spoon fed as a child, but for me, that was the biggie. As long as I had these doubts in the back of my mind, I never had an interest in becoming baptized. They did make it very clear that getting baptized was a big deal. -fin
I was baptized at age 14. But it must be said though, I do feel that personally I knew what I was doing. All these years later and despite the fact that I am no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I still am respectful of the personal vows that I made to God at the time.
You should remember that religious belief or unbelief is established early on in life, not later.
However, I do agree with the general sentiments of this thread. Often youngs ones are presuured into getting baptized at an early age for all the wrong reasons.
Sometimes it is for family status reasons. I remember as an elder people asking me why my 19 year old wasn't yet baptized (he did get baptized eventually but quit not longer after). Your status as a 'spiritual' family is undermined if you have kids in their late teens or early twenties who are not baptized.
I am sure that at other times young ones get baptized round about 16 in order to be free to go out with members of the opposite sex. You get a young baptized brother aged 19 or 20 in the congregation and suddenly all the 16 year old sisters are getting spiritual and being baptized. Given the silly restrictions of the WTB&TS I must say I can't really blame them.
Eyeslice
