Infant Baptism, alive and well in JW land.

by Gill 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Gill

  The April 1st Watchtower has an interesting section on : 'Meeting the Requirements for Christian Baptism.'

  Paragraph 9:

  In the case of youths, come develop a measure of spirituality at a relatively tender age, while others take longer. Before getting baptized, however, a younster should have a personal relationship with Jehovah, a sound understanding of the fundamentals of the Scriptures, and a clear comprehension of what dedication involves, as in the case with adults.

  There follows the picture of a child of around 8 years old being baptised.

  However, there then follows a paragraph that describes what this little child has to have done to qualify for baptism:

  So first of all, the new ones need to acquire an accurate knowledge of the truth, which in turn would enable them to develop faith in Jehovah and in his word.

  THEN, when Scriptural truth touches a person's heart, it moves him to repent and turn around from his previous way of life.'

  What previous way of life has this little child got to repent from - eating too many sweeties?

  Infant baptism is alive and well in JW land. And they're so different from the Catholic Church - Really?
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  Severus

  I watch carefully the baptism lineup at conventions and assemblies.

  90% are JW kids.
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  Gill

  That's a staggering statistic, Severus.

  I wonder if it's roughly the same in all developed countries. I wonder what 'former sinful way of life' these kids feel they need to repent from. I wonder what the average is for their remaining JWs.
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  Dune

  I was baptized when i was 11. I dont even remember praying about it. Its not till 9 years later that i've realized the stupidity of it all.
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  luna2

  I guess you just have to be old enough to talk in sentances and know what door to door service means...oh, and you should probably be able to read a little bit.

  I'm sure such child-baptism candidates deeply repent that they spent their infancy playing with toys, that they were naughty occassionaly or that they don't like broccoli.
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  GoingGoingGone

  And they're so different from the Catholic Church - Really?

  Yup, they're different.... The Catholic Church will not shun you and tell all it's members to ignore you, if you decide that you do not want to be Catholic anymore.

  The JWs baptize you as young as they can, and then destroy your life after you've done what they told you to do. You can never get out unscathed.

  GGG
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  Clam

  What's the youngest age you can be disfellowshipped ???

  If that 8 year old was DFd his Mum and Dad wouldn't be able to talk to him.
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  Gill

  GGG - I take your point. That's very true that Catholics don't practice shunning, but they did, in many years gone by kill those who would not convert. (Not now, I admit ...... thank goodness....we leave that to Islam, to try to convert the world.)
• 

  95stormfront

  I guess you just have to be old enough to talk in sentances and know what door to door service means...oh, and you should probably be able to read a little bit.

  that's a quality only needed if you happen to be born with a penis.
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  GoingGoingGone

  That's very true that Catholics don't practice shunning, but they did, in many years gone by kill those who would not convert.

  Gill - You're right. And I agree. It's all the same crap.

  GGG