I Need Some Folks To Set Me Right!

Nate Merit

I need to know a few things in order to be accurate in the book I'm currently writing. If you can help, muchas gracias mi amigo.

I was baptized thirty six years ago. I have no memories of it beyond knowing I was baptized, that I was nervous beforhand and deflated afterward. Do JW's baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? If not, what incantation do they use, if any?

Are 'Kingdom songs" sung at these events? If so, how many songs is the general rule of thumb? Does everyone sing or just the baptismal victims? Is their singing both before and after?

Is there prayer? If so, who prays? Is there an opening and closing prayer?

Do the victims wear baptismal robes? If yes, what color and style? If not, do they simply wear old clothes? Do they wear bathing suits? I know they're too repressed to go skyclad.

When are baptisms usually held? I seem to recall mine being at an assembly. If assemblies are the time and place of baptisms, do they take place at both circuit and district assemblies? Or just one or the other?

Who does the baptizing? I know that "all are ministers of the Good News" in the WTBTS propaganda, but in reality I'm sure R & F don't baptize. Do congregational elders baptize? Overseers? If you can think of anything else that would be important or useful, please include that too. Even small details add authenticity and color to a story. Please kickstart my memory. Thank you.

Nate

Carmel

I was dunked on a Sunday afternoon after a "special talk" in a wooden tank with garden hose water. It was early March so being in a bathing suit was less than fun. Most parts of my anatomy were blue! I was very dissapointed by the results, no flashes of insight, no new understanding of all the mysteries and questions I had been asking..NADA nuttin!

Si amigo! Bueno!

carmelite

Nate Merit

Hi Carmel

So, is your experience normative? I gleaned from your response that folks are baptized in their bathing suits on occasion, and at the Hall, but it this normal? Any additional help you could give me on my many questions would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Nate

jgnat

I've seen a few ceremonies, and wrote down the experience for the uninitiated. I imagine the JW's obsession for uniformity would make most of them alike.

Here's the link.

http://www.angelfire.com/ab6/jgnat/UBM/index.blog?entry_id=1109843

jwfacts

They baptism in the name of the Father, Son and HS in a very loosely worded way, due to the fact that JWs do not believe the HS has a name as it is not a person. The following article lists the vows, however these are different from what you would have answered as they changed in 1985 to include being baptised as one of the Organsiation as well, a very important difference.

*** w85 6/1 p. 30 Subjecting Ourselves to Jehovah by Dedication ***
At the close of the convention baptism talk, the baptism candidates will be in position to answer with depth of understanding and heartfelt appreciation two simple questions that serve to confirm that they recognize the implications of following Christ’s example. The first question is:
On the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, have you repented of your sins and dedicated yourself to Jehovah to do his will?
The second is:
Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in association with God’s spirit-directed organization?
Having answered yes to these questions, candidates are in a right heart condition to undergo Christian baptism.
Proper Decorum
Sometimes questions are raised about proper dress for those being baptized. Certainly modesty should prevail in the type of bathing suit used. This is important today when fashion designers seem to want to flaunt sexuality and achieve almost total nudity. Another factor to take into account is that some suits that appear modest when dry are less than that when wet. No one getting baptized would want to be a cause for distraction or stumbling at an event as serious as baptism.—Philippians 1:10.

There is a song before hand, always one of the same 3 or 4 that are considered appropriate, mine was song number 13, unlucky for some I guess.
There is also a prayer before hand, I can not remember if it is before of after the song.
The brother doing the dunking must be an elder.
It is usually done at an assembly or convention, though in special cases can be done elsewhere, such as a prision.
I know of one sister that had a phobia of water and so it was done privately in her house. It took several hours before they could totally immerse her. I friend of mine has an afro. She was dunked at an assembley. She stepped out of the bath and they noticed her hair did not appear wet, so they made her get back in and had to rub her hair to get the water to penetrate through to the skin.
Dress is supposed to be modest, so many people, brothers and sisters in my area wear tshirts. I remember an unfortunate very old woman that got baptised fully dressed in a white outfit with no underwear. Us young brothers were quite scarred at the site of a virtually naked 90 year old.

Carmel

I always remember that the last day of an assembly there was a dunking of new members. It seemed that they all wore bathing suits except for the ladies that were too voluptuous (kind for fat). I do remember there being a prayer before each one and the dunker was always the visiting poobah. I guess they were circuit servants or something of that sort..

hope that helps..course that was back in the 50's Nate!

carm

GentlyFeral

Nate,

My memory of baptism has faded over time, too. Like you, the things I remember most clearly are the date and my emotional state. Immediately afterward, I was euphoric – but it soon wore off, and then I wondered why I felt nothing. I soon decided I was "in shock" because "I'm just about to start an entirely new life" (I was getting married to a young brother the next day. That proved to be a much better decision.)

Are 'Kingdom songs" sung at these events? If so, how many songs is the general rule of thumb? Does everyone sing or just the baptismal victims? Is their singing both before and after?

As I remember, at least one Kingdom song is sung by the audience as the baptismal candidates file out. In the glory days of the mid-seventies, the song would be over before all the candidates had left the room.

Is there prayer? If so, who prays?Is there an opening and closing prayer?

Baptisms are always part of an assembly, so the opening and closing prayers are for the entire day's session, not the baptism alone. After the baptismal talk, there is a prayer for the candidates. The only exceptions I know of are in countries under ban, and since I've always lived in the US, I don't know how those are handled.

Do the victims wear baptismal robes?

No.

Do they wear bathing suits?

Yes. If necessary (excess prudery or jiggliness) they may also wear an oversized t-shirt. Some overly modest sisters have gotten baptized in a thick t-shirt and bermuda shorts. So dignified – not!

When are baptisms usually held? I seem to recall mine being at an assembly. If assemblies are the time and place of baptisms, do they take place at both circuit and district assemblies? Or just one or the other?

Baptisms take place at all assemblies, but not at Special Assembly Days. In countries where the work is banned, baptisms sometimes take place in private homes. I dimly remember an old yearbook story about a baptism in a (Spanish?) prison.

Who does the baptizing?

Elders – always. There are other rules, such as: baptizing elders may not have tattoos. As I remember, the elders routinely wear t-shirts as well as modest swim trunks.

Hope this helps –

Gently Feral

Nate Merit

THANK YOU jgnat!

I read most of it and placed it on my favs list so I can return to it. This is very helpful.

Nate

Nate Merit

Hey JWfacts!

Thank you for answering so many of my questions! *GACK* on having to see a 90 year old ANYTHING nude!

Being baptized 'into the Org" makes sense in the light of the fact that the R & F are taught that Jesus did not die for their sins, but only for the anointed. Hence, the Org is their savior, not Jesus.

Jesus Christ on a bicycle selling ice-cream to eskimos I am SO glad I am NOT a JW! Or any other cult (religion).

Nate

Nate Merit

Thanks Carmel

Hey, you aren't THAT old. My baptism was in the sixties.

I always think of voluptuous as meaning a woman with an hourglass figure, such as Pamela Anderson or Racquel Welch. Especially Racquel Welch....ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Nate

I Need Some Folks To Set Me Right!

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