Baptized at 12 years of age (page 2)

MidwichCuckoo

Welcome to the Board hilannj - I know exactly what you mean - I regarded the Baptismal questions as if I was swotting for an exam, just learning the answers.

I was baptized when I was 13. Me & my best friend at the time did it together. It was the cool thing to do and go around the DC with wet hair so everyone would notice that you were dunked! How said is that!!!

I totally agree that a child does not have the maturity nor the understanding on how much of a life altering decision this is or the reprocussions of not living up to the standards of the organization. It should not make any difference if they are able to answer those questions before baptizm. If I would have waited, I probably would not have ever been baptized and would not be in the position I'm in now of being isolated from my family and all the friends I grew up with!

Frequent_Fader_Miles

Mum, you said:

If you are still in touch with this young woman who sounds very confused, tell her she needs to know who she is and what she stands for before getting into a relatiionship. She is not in a good frame of mind to choose wisely, and the fact that she is involved with someone who is unavailable is pretty good evidence of this fact.

Yes I still am in touch with her and I agree with you that she is very confused. Not only is the man she loves a married man, he's also visually impaired. I believe her self esteem is questionable also. I think her life would be a whole lot better without the JW-instilled guilt and fear. My suggestion that she move out of her parents' home was also shot down; she's scared to do that too.

why???

I got baptized at 13 with my sister who was 11. I only did it because my dad made me feel incredibly guilty for allowing his adult study to get baptized before me.....I recently asked my older bro(who got baptized same time as dad's study) and sis why they did it ...they both said because of dad!!!!!!!! Im very angry that i allowed myself to get baptized..yes i beleived it at the time but i also knew that I just didnt know enough and i even told that to him but he said dont worry that will come later..which makes no sense now that i think about it....IT SHOULD HAVE COME FIRST..... Now my lil cuzin who's 12 is getting baptized in July and when i heard it for the first time I was EXTREMLY SAD..to hear someone was getting baptized!!! They should definetly set the age for baptizim for the same time as when we're allowed to date! I hope that your friend takes your advice and moves out she's in her twenties..she can make it on her own....

reneeisorym

wow -- now my blood's boiling. I was 12 when I got dunked.

38 Years

She's depressed, unhappy, and utterly miserable. I asked her whether she truly WANTS to be happy. She replied "Yes, but I don't want to die at Armageddon either"
I tried to reason with her that if Jehovah judges the heart condition, and she's "serving Him" with the wrong motives ... it makes absolutely no sense continuing! She also agreed with me that her life shouldn't be ruled by guilt and fear. I believe that deep down she knows what she should do, but she's just so very scared of making the decision.

I was baptized at 13. The above is how I lived as a dub for my entire adult life and just got out 4 years ago. She's not going to have any self-esteem, since everything has been taken away. Sounds like she's headed down a really bad road with this married ex-boyfriend (jw).

It's scary to leave, no doubt about it, and it sounds like she needs a lot of support. I wonder if you could get her to post here so she could see that many others have been where she is? She also needs to see that there is life after being a dub and you won't be struck by lightening.

WTWizard

Are you kidding? They want people getting baptized long before age 12 now. I guess that's the only way to get clear of the 7 million mark, by getting children that are way too young to make this decision to commit themselves and then not be able to get out.

I wouldn't be surprised if they start using more Old Testament examples of children getting baptized. Samuel, for example, was only five when he got dedicated for full service, and they will probably start using that example to insinuate that anyone who reaches 6 years old and is not yet baptized cannot be fully righteous, and neither can the parents. Look for the Kool-Aid edition of the Craptower starting in 2008 soon for further information about this: I wouldn't be surprised to see parents getting marked if they have children that are 6 years or more old and are not yet baptized.

snowbird

Look for the Kool-Aid edition of the Craptower starting in 2008 soon for further information about this: I wouldn't be surprised to see parents getting marked if they have children that are 6 years or more old and are not yet baptized.
Is it me or does anyone else feel that WTWizard knows something that we don't?
Please let us in on it, WTWizard. Knowledge is power.
Snowbird

Tatiana

My brother and mother used to fight all the time. My brother was very intelligent, and taught himself to play guitar by the age of ten. He was a very talented artist also.

He did not want to go to meetings, and did not want to be a witness. One day, he asked my mother at what age he would be old enough to decide whether or not he wanted to be baptized. My mother told him age 12 would be old enough. So, my brother asked if that would be the age to decide that he DIDN'T want to be a witness, and she went into a frenzy...screaming and yelling that he would do as she said as long as he lived under her roof. Totally illogical.

My brother ran away when he turned 12 and never went home again. I didn't see him until he was 21. I hate this religion.

bluebell

your bro was one bright boy tatiana, do you have much contact now? or did the fact that you both lost your childhood together mean you dont really know him? my bro was baptized at 12, he was df at 15 and da at 17 when he left home to sleep rough. i was 15 and missed him terribly.

Baptized at 12 years of age