by YoursChelbie 6 Replies latest jw friends
Does anyone have a current "oath" that the baptism candidates are asked to recite just before they line up to get immersed in water?
I'm interested in the exact wording of it and if there have been any recent changes in it.
Any help is much appreciated.
YC
I think some wording has changed. Years ago Candidates 'commited' to God - now I think they 'commit' to the Organisation - which is very clever on the Org's part as God never changes, but the Organisation is constantly changing and by altering the wording they are ensuring newly Baptised ones are 'contracted' to change with It.
Baptizm Vows Changed - WHY!
It was on this basis that I wrote a letter which nullified the baptism vow because I was lead to believe I was entering a union with a christian group but which was in fact the subservient portion of a large printing corporation.
The WTS did not contest this claim, they merely side stepped it by announcing that I was no longer an approved associate and no longer to be know as one of Jehovahs Nit-witnesses.
From one link in the thread LadyLee linked to:
Question #2 used to state:
"On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for redemption have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to Jehovah God, to do his will henceforth as that will is revealed to you through Christ Jesus and through God's Word as His Holy Spirit makes it plain?" (See Wt 1970 pg. 309 par. 20)
New Question #2 (the more improved version)
"Do you understand that your deication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah's witnesses in association with God's spirit-directed organization?" (See 6/1/85 Wt. pg. 30 par. 3,4)
In the new improved question, you are no longer directed by (a) Christ Jesus, (b) The Bible and the leadings of the (c) "holy spirit," of God.
Watchtower 1 July 1955 page 411
“A Christian cannot be baptized in the name of the one actually doing the immersing or in the name of any man, nor in the name of any organisation, but in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This shows, amongst other things, that Christianity is not a denominational affair”.
Watchtower 1 October 1966 page 603
“We do not dedicate ourselves to a religion, nor to a man, nor to an organisation. No, we dedicate ourselves to the Supreme Sovereign of the Universe, our Creator, Jehovah God Himself. This makes dedication a very personal relationship between us and Jehovah.
According to Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus Christ told his disciples to baptize persons “in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit” In the Apostolic days, Peter and others called on people to “repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
People were baptized into Christianity in similar ways to this for 1,900 years. For more than 100 years the Watchtower followed this Scriptural example as confirmed by the Watchtower CD:
Why, in June 1985, were the questions changed to remove “the Holy Spirit” against Christ’s clear command?
There was no explanation, just a comment in the 15 April 1987 Watchtower that the questions were “simplified” and reference to person being baptised “coming into intimate relationship with God and his earthly organisation.” Scriptures stress that baptism is into Christ only, and excludes earthly people even the Apostles:
1 Corinthians 1:13
“Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?”
So why the reversal from the scriptural position stressed in the 1955 and 1966 Watchtowers?
Why is an earthly organisation led by fallible men now inserted into the “personal relationship with Jehovah”?
Should we really ignore Christ’s command and replace the Holy Spirit with a human organisation?
Is this another reason why millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Watchtower leaders are now acting as idol gods?
Matthew 12:32
“And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
The holy spirit, which Jehovah prophesied that he would pour out in the last days, has not ceased to operate, for the remnant are still baptizing disciples of Christ in the name of that spirit. (Holy Spirit, 1976; pp. 148)
What bothers me about the baptism is the way this organization hold as binding all of their rules to a baptised minor.
Why is Baptism as a symbol of dedication to God regarded in actual practice in every Kingdom Hall as being of lesser importance than marriage by the UNWRITTEN but widely accepted practice of Baptizing children under the legal age of 18 years?
The Governing Body is “going beyond the things that are written” to pressure young one’s to take such a step before they are adults.
If any Christian Scripure exists that was instituted by Jesus to support this practice I'd like to see it.
YC
