Were You Truly Aware of What Your Baptism Meant? (page 2)

the_classicist

I wasn't JW baptised, but what I always found interesting is that they were always talking about how baptism was the symbol of your "personal dedication to Jehovah." Never mind the fact that the whole idea of baptism being a "persoal dedication" does not exist in the bible. The bible really talks about a baptism for the "forgiveness of sins." But I think that JWs don't include this in their theology because they cannot believe that physical actions can have spiritual effects.

Mystery

I can't remember the exact date any longer. I was around 11, 12 or 13. All i wanted to do was serve Jehovah. Didn't realize at that time that it wasn't God I was serving.

Never phantomed being disfellowshipped. I wasn't like "those people!".

At 14 "those people" were some of my friends; i believe that is when i began "my downfall" from the truth - it was wrong to turn my back on my friend. But i did.

TheEdge

Baptism - meaningless - just something to get out of the way in order to relieve THAT particular pressure and continue (hopefully) with a normal life.

OldSoul

I thought so, but I was totally surprised by the new questions. I answered yes, but it felt like the floor gave way beneath me as I heard them read. There was no mention of the Bible or the operation of God's holy spirit on me, personally. It was a scary feeling, saying "Yes" to different questions than I'd ever heard and not comfortable saying, "Stop, wait a minute fellas. I want to consider the fine print, first. I'm not sure just what I'm agreeing to here."

Respectfully,
OldSoul

Sunspot

At age 31, I was no kid. The love-bombing worked, I was surrounded by moral and clean people, and I desperately wanted to live on that Paradise earth.

There was nothing to keep me from being baptized. I was ready to do Jehovah's will as I understood it.

But what the WTS meant and what I understood, were not the same thing. Over the years, the meaning of a lot of things changed but it didn't bother me much until the baptism questions underwent a radical change (in my eyes) that I wondered HOW they could do that!

If I didn't agree with it, what could I do anyway? So I stuck around another six years until I just couldn't do this any more.

Was I aware of what my baptism meant?

Apparently not.

Annie

Midget-Sasquatch

At around 19, I understood what I was doing. I actually enjoyed contemplating religious beliefs and story telling, but I never felt a deep certainty for any of them. I saw everybody around me, either JW or RC, being happy in their "spirituality" so I sincerely thought, I'd give this a try. Now I knew alot of the doctrinal errors from reading some of Penton's stuff, but I thought they were just good-intentioned but deluded people. So I decided to personally and quietly attribute my own meanings to the concepts of Organization and Spirit Directed and try being more religious.

Put aside the mistaken details and focus on the more important heart of it - I told myself. That was my mistake. I was really trying to deny who I was...I instead was focussing on trying to change my own lack of heart. I should have seen that there really wasn't any heart in the movement either.

gumby

When you come out of the womb with dub genes all through your body like I was, you never question whether your doing the right thing. All you know is that your in the truth. When I was baptised in 1970 at 16, I never had given a thought to the repercusions that exist among those who leave. I thought I'd be a witness for life.

Gumby

FlyingHighNow

I was 20. I would have to say no. I had no idea how easily you can be labled an apostate. I had no idea how easily your beloved family members could shun you, even when you were never dfd or da'd. I didn't know that once you get baptized that you had better not dare have serious, long lasting problems. That if you did have such problems you would be viewed a liability to the cong.

stillajwexelder

I was in my 20s - but didnot truly apprecaite what it meant - I knew it was a very serious step but even so, did not truly appreciate what it meant

minimus

From a legal point of view, I think no one knows that all personal normal rights are forfeited when a person joins the JW organization.

Were You Truly Aware of What Your Baptism Meant?

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