Hello all!

Dub

Hey guys, how is it going? Ironically, my nickname is Dub and has been since I was in the 5th grade! I stumbled upon the forum one day while I was at school and have been browsing ever since. My dad is a minesterial servant and he pressures me alot to get baptized. I have been going to the Hall since I was in 6th grade. It wasn't bad at first, we had Christmas that year and celebrated my birthday, but soon after that, the holidays stopped. Hanging out with my old best friends(whom I miss SO incredibly much) came to a halt as well. I'm still in public school and somehow manage to how a girlfriend of over 2 years behind his back. My mom isn't a JDub, so she helps me cover. I swear to God, to get out of the house I have to tell him I have work late or I'm going to the gym. The ONLY places I get to go besides school and the meetings. I know other Dubs in my congregation that are homeschooled and once I revealed my feelings of resentment toward my dad and my dislike for the meetings, I found that they had the same thoughts! You don't understand how happy I was to hear that someone felt the same way. Anyways, I'm 17 now and I am a junior in High School, but I've got a real dilemma on hand. Recently, I got into a wreck and my car got totaled. My grandparents decided to give me a brand new truck as a gift (they're awesome if you haven't yet come to that conclusion). Basically though, my dad has told me that IF I don't get baptized before I turn 18, the truck is his. How does he go from telling me that it's my personal choice, but if I choose not to, I get punishded. How the hell does that work? There is no way that I'm getting baptized! How would I work this out? I love that truck to death but on the other hand, I'm not faking my way through the baptism. Doing it at the meetings and during service/ comments is about all I can handle Help! Sorry bringing so much drama to the forums in my introduction post, lol, but nice to meet you all.

Es

welcome to the board, your father has no right in taking something that is your's have you told your mum and grandparents what he is threatening to do? I would. I would also tell the body of elders that your dad is forcing you to become baptized if they are half decent they will discourage this if your doing it for the wrong reasons.

Keep us updated

all the bes

es

tetrapod.sapien

welcome to the board Dub!

thanks for posting your story. keep on posting!

ts

MerryMagdalene

Welcome, Dub, and hello! Hope things work out for ya with minimal hassle and you get to keep your truck and your sanity and your freedom

~Merry (of the 2-out-of-3 class...I don't have a truck)

Confession

my dad has told me that IF I don't get baptized before I turn 18, the truck is his. How does he go from telling me that it's my personal choice, but if I choose not to, I get punishded?

Dub, first, you are unquestionably correct that this is wrong. My mother once told me (at 17 also, but 22 years ago) that if I didn't get baptized she and my dad would not allow me to take a simple community college course. To be clear, this is childish manipulation. I think your case is even worse than mine since, in my situation, at least my parents weren't trying to take something away that somebody else gave me.

Second, if I were you, I'd try to have a conversation with your dad. I have no idea what your relationship with him is like, but I think you should strive to come across in as mature a way as possible. Don't whine, don't interrupt, don't make exasperated facial expressions you may have made as a child, etc. Act as much like an adult as possible. Simply ask him if he'll remind you of what exactly baptism is. Then ask him, "Should someone be pressured into getting baptized? Is that right?"

(You might want to take some time to do some research here. See if your dad has the Watchtower Library CD-ROM. Do a search under "rice Christians." The Society has a lot of negative things to say about missionaries of Christendom, and how they used to give food (such as rice) to hungry people in poor lands--only if they would come to their church--and ultimately become baptized by them. The position the Society takes is that dedication and baptism are extremely personal matters and shouldn't be the result of manipulation.)

I hope things go well for you, and look forward to hearing either way.

vitty

Id have a "confidential "chat with an elder, "Say how baptisim is such an important decision, you want to be ready and not feel forced into it" then tell him how your dad is emotionally blackmailing you.

They may even give a local needs talk, about it. I remember an item happened like that when I was in, apparently this was happening to one of the kids in the hall.

Id tell your Grandparents and mum and get them to gang up on him.

vitty

Id have a "confidential "chat with an elder, "Say how baptisim is such an important decision, you want to be ready and not feel forced into it" then tell him how your dad is emotionally blackmailing you.

They may even give a local needs talk, about it. I remember an item happened like that when I was in, apparently this was happening to one of the kids in the hall.

Id tell your Grandparents and mum and get them to gang up on him.

Legolas

Welcome to the board!

I agree your parents have NO RIGHT to say that to you!

If I was you I would tell my grandparents what they said (how they are blackmailing you to do something that you don't want to) and ask them to put the truck in their name till you are 18 then they can sign it over to you!

Elsewhere

The bottom line is this: Whoever pays the bills makes the rules.

Once you are able to pay your own bills you will be free.

defd

dub

Do not get baptised for that reason (TRUCK ULTIMATUM) That is not the right reason. Talk to your dad and let him no that Jehovah wants WILLING not FORCED Love.

D.

Hello all!

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