It has been reported that a 8 yr. old child was baptized to prevent the child from seeing his mother(exjw) for custody rights. My JW son has joint custody of my grandson also 8. The boys mother is not a JW. The weekends my grandson is at his dads he is forced to go to meetings and field services etc. He hates this. If he doesn't he is physically spanked and goes home with bruises. What are the rights of this child? We live in WI.
when 8 yr. olds get baptized, what rights do nonbeliever children have?
by slvrtrixter 8 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
Scully
Here is a link to your thread from yesterday, with replies on it:
-
Scully
To answer your question, children of JWs must submit to the same course of study and undergo a lengthy oral examination to qualify for baptism. Considering your description that your grandson hates going to meetings and engaging in JW activities, it would be difficult for him to qualify to be baptized at this point in time.
However, if you notice him becoming more compliant with his father's JW belief system in order to avoid beatings, he will definitely be in danger of assimilating the teachings (being brainwashed to put it plainly).
-
kwr
If he is causing bruising then document it and call in CPS or make a police report. You can't leave marks on a child.
-
38 Years
I agree. A call into your social services or police department would be best. Your grandson needs help immediately. There is no excuse for physically abusing a child.
-
slvrtrixter
Thanks. I was thinking if a 8 year old is mature enough to decide to be a JW why can't he decide not to be one. Can't he sue his dad or the congregation? I was trying to advocate for what a childs right to freedom of religion might be. Yes, we are reporting his abuse but it is not taken serious. I don't want my grandson to come back to his dads but how can you stop visitation with out breaking the law?
-
choosing life
You have to have proof. If there are bruise, take pictures. Then the child would have to speak up against his father. This would be traumatic for him, so it is necessary to be sure of the abuse. While he is in the care of his father, he does have the right to take him to the meetings and out in service. The child does not have to participate as far as speaking at doors or at the hall.
If he is spanked for not participating, take pictures of any marks left and make an appt. with his pediatrition. they must report to children's services.
If there is no proof such as bruises, etc. , try to remember that you are dealing with a very young child. At his age, I doubt the courts would say he has the right to refuse to go with his fsather to the hall or in service any more than the mother not having a right to take him to her church.
To place a child in a bitter battle between parents is very counterproductive. A child naturally loves both parents and you may do much harm by pitting him against his father for religious reasons. Try to keep his best interests at heart. If you don't want him to become a Witness, then teach him why and provide other sources of spiritual education. Make it his choice.
-
blondie
None if they do not have at least one parent that is a baptized jw. Otherwise, they are birdfood too.
Remember, the WTS says that no children survived the flood or Sodom and Gomorrah.
Sick, isn't it.
Blondie
-
steve2
First, I don't think that this is a typical case. Sure, JW parents expect their children - especially the younger they are - to accompany them in their door-to-door work. That's no different than Jewish parents expecting their children to accompany them to the temple, or Moslem parents expecting their children to go through certain religious rites. Whether the child protests or not doesn't change the fact that the child is in the custody of the parent.
The issue of beating a child for "disobedience" is a totally different topic. As a parent, I would be clear about what I wanted my 8-year-old to do, but I would never resort to physical force to back up my request. Please draw upon your country's statutory legislation to see what rights your grandson has. In New Zealand, for example, it is now against the law for parents to physically hit their children regardless of the issue.
If your garandson is at risk of physical harm, you owe it to him to report the matter to the relevant authorities. I understand that in most industrialised nations, there are provisions for anonymous reporting, and perhaps that is the case in your country as well.