by isnrblog 14 Replies latest jw experiences
It was in the 80's I think but they began stressing the urgency of baptism for anyone who was "at an age of understanding"
I heard several assembly talks that said kids under ten could be baptized if they qualified.
This sticks in my mind because my kids were 12 or so and not qualified in my view. My ex wife pushed my daughter into baptism at 12, She is now 32, not a Witness and we both laugh about it.
Yep. 1985 and I was 12 when my dad said it was time to make baptism "my goal". I was dunked in 1986 at 13. My sister was also 12 or 13. Our brother missed all the pressure as my parents were divorcing, even though he lived with my dad. Now because he never was baptized my mom is still speaking to him. Any one else see the stupidity?
momz
I still see kids that young being pushed to baptism.
When I was still going to meetings last year, I remember a 10 year old telling me her goal was to get baptized and the first thing that came out of my mouth was "why would you go and do that?" LOL!
My sister was 12 when she got baptized and 14 when she got disfellowshipped. I was also 12 when I got baptized as well. I started rebelling and then my mom would not allow my brother to get baptized so that she could talk to him no matter what when he got older.
My husband got baptized real young... I think 11 or so. I put it off until 16, but mostly did it because my Dad had left and didn't approve. It felt good to go against him and have a bunch of adults patting my back about it. Good reason, eh?
my sister was baptized at 16, df'ed at 18. This should be something that a person feels the need to do, not pressured into making a decision that will have serious effects years later if they realize that baptism was not the correct thing to do !
I think the push is still happening.
Fortunately I didn't take the dunk until I was 20 years old. My father didn't even pressure me to, never did. He actually asked me a few times on the way to the assembly that day if I was really sure I wanted to go through with it.
This should be something that a person feels the need to do, not pressured into making a decision that will have serious effects years later if they realize that baptism was not the correct thing to do !
I agree totally! Even though I was an adult when I got baptized, I was somewhat "born in" .... the pressure was still there. Even though I was grown, I still didn't want to do it.
I think there is an ongoing push to get those children baptized before they can understand what they are getting into. This means before they reach 12. However, they feel they can get them to pioneer (at least part time) sooner if they are baptized as young as possible, like age 6. Get someone baptized in first grade, and the only vacations they will ever get will be meeting/service vacations.
I know there is the whole freedom of religion thing... but baptism has always struck me as a contract of sorts. "I promise to do this forever, and should I fail I will be cut off from everything I've ever known"
I don't think 12 year olds really know what they are committing to, or have the critical thinking skills to enter in to such an agreement. I don't think our laws should let them. of course I realize this is a religious arrangement that can't really be governed by the state.
For our hall it was years 1987-89, all bapitized but me. I didn't qualify according to the Elders (like the Bible ever had an occurence of baptism denial), and I don't believe in children baptism unless under dying circumstances. Since I was at my Father's during the summers I missed the baptismal question announcement in 1985, when I did hear it in 1988 I was shocked. Even as a 14 year old I knew a legally binding membership initiation rite versus a Christian baptism!
