by Gopher 20 Replies latest jw friends
I was petrified that day. I felt nervous and slightly sick that morning, so I couldn't even eat breakfast.
Leading up to that baptism day ( I was only 16 ), I didn't want to tell anyone about it. Maybe because I came from a cold-hearted congregation where the other kids my age didn't like me (I was too serious), I didn't want anyone else to know.
I felt relief after the dunking was finally over. And also I felt a little sense of belonging, like I finally joined the club.
What I remember at age 14, under heavy pressure to do so, was standing at the District assembly while they asked the questions and crossing my fingers behind my back. I also remember not answering out loud what ever it was they were asking. Just mouthing the words. Were the answers "yes"?
To me it never was. I was too young, and yet seemed to know better even at that age.
r.
Wet mostly, and I loved the attention it got me. I was in grade 7.
Kwin
I took it fairly serious . I had been a "sinful" 15 yr. old and wanted more than any thing to know God didn't hate me anymore , and if that meant getting dunked under so be it . That day elders kept telling me THIS is the most important day of your life . OOOkayy so I was really expecting to FEEL something , other than wet. ( I worried about my hair looking gross the rest of the day ) Afterwards I agree it felt I had joined the club now . Bonus point - now my boyfriend and I could get engaged .
Restrangled and Kwin, I can totally relate to the pressure beforehand, and then getting attention / lovebombing for a while after the baptism day. They are so happy that someone joined up and made their numbers grow.
That day elders kept telling me THIS is the most important day of your life
I heard that too. Sometimes you'd hear that the day of your DEDICATION was the most important day of your life, not the baptism day. They drum into your head that the most important day was the day you joined THEIR organization. '
That day is supposed to be much more important than your day of brith, marriage, graduation, or anything else. The day you came into a contract with their publishing and real-estate-owning organization is the most important day. (Oh yeah, their "Jehovah" fits in there somewhere too. But if you are suspected later to be disloyal, it's always to the organization and not to Jehovah. The organization rules your life from now on!)
I don't remember.
I remember wanting to feel something spiritual, ethereal, or genuine and all i felt was nervous and self-righteous. 'Yes, I am good now,...Jehovah loves me.'
I especially remember the alarm clock my mom gave to me as a present when I got baptised because I still use it to this day. Little did she know that alarm clock would be waking up an apostate for 14 yrs now.
Liquidsky, how could you forget the MOST important day of your life?? LOL. I wish I could forget (although the memory has really faded).
Jeremiah, my mom got me a watch for my baptism. What's up with these baptism presents anyway?
Prior to becoming submerged, I was expecting to have a feeling of elevated consciousness -- any feeling that would run through my body as evidence that jah's holy shit spirit was now upon me. Imagine my surprise when I came out of the pool and walked back to the changing room to get dressed again that I didn't feel any different.
The only thing that happened was when my parents and another family got together for lunch, guess who got to say prayer for the first time?
it was just like any other day for me.
