They Push You In,,,,Then Punish You If You Go! (page 2)

Princess Daisy Boo

I was only 14. I felt a fair amount of peer pressure to get baptised. Mom now says to me that clearly my heart was never in it. She is right!

VoidEater

I was 9.

Dad was 7...actually, must've been 6 now that look at the dates a little more carefully.

Moxie

I soooo agree with exactly what you're saying... I have used this argument many times before... to no avail.

I was 17 when I was baptized and one of the last among my friends to take the plunge... I felt that I was falling behind the pack. I was disfellowshipped almost exactly one year later after questioning the Society and just drifting away... How I regret that decision... It has changed my life forever.

IMustBreakAway

This is why it should be illegal to expose children to religious thought. Let them study it in college like philosophy or psychology.

spanteach

It's just my personal opinion, but I think it's the responsibility of the parents guide their child's lives in the early years, religion included. But I think any steps the child makes toward any particular path should be THEIR decision, not the parents. And they shouldn't be punished if their parents don't agree with the path.

brunnhilde

I was fifteen, almost sixteen and felt like I had waited as long as I could without getting sidelong glances.

brunn

megawatt

Excellent topic.

First off- this hits home. Being baptised at 15, the only reason I DUNKED was seeing my younger brother asking to take the dunk, first. Having a rocky relationship with my step dad (my brother's biological father) and never living up to my parents expectations, I felt the need to do something that MIGHT make them happy, which never helped anyways in the long run. I honestly believed, if my younger brother never asked to get baptised, the thought wouldn't have crossed my mind. *SIGH* That's what happens when you try to live up to certain expectations that are not your own, but by the time you have the mental maturity to realize it's not for you, it's too late. Welcome to a world of hurt.

I've personally seen every age of baptism, starting from age 7 up to 18. Before doubting the WTS, I was vocally against baptism at such a young age and that included me @ the age of 15. Last assembly I attended, saw my good friend's niece get baptised at 12. What's going to happen when the hormones kick in? BOYS? SEX? God forbid, pregnancy. How can anyone in their right mind think this is appropriate for someone so young and be subjected to shunning if not repentant according to WTS during their teenage years as a baptised witness?

Sad really....

cognac

I was 12...

Yup, I was evidently mature enough to make this decision for the rest of my life...

PS... I didn't even know what a d'fing was... I knew there was a person when I was little that I couldn't talk to, but didn't really get the connection...

Maybe I didn't pay attention enough, I don't know... Wish I had a lawyer present...

llbh

I was 18 way to young

My 14 y old daughter wants to be baptised asap i said you cant vote till 18 so how can you possibly dedicate your life to god

I was ignored as inconsequential because i no longer go. I know i am right though

David

drew sagan

In my opinion the Watchtower holds two contradictory ideas regarding baptism at the same time. I think the story is changed depending upon who they are talking to.

If the person is an adult who is a potential member, they will bring up that they don't baptize babies because they want to make a point about how their religion is different from other Churches. This is the argument most are familiar with, but they do add to it.

The way they add to it is through their suggestions on when children should be baptized. The Watchtower views baptism as a deciding factor as to whether or not an individual comes under congregational authority. If you grow up JW but never get baptized you have the chance to have your family as well as stay away from all of the "requirements" to being JW. I believe the organization really dislikes this possibility. Because of this I think they feel it is important to bring children into the arrangement before they grow up into their late teens and early twenties because there is a bigger chance that they will not stick around. Locking them in while they are young seems to be an important part of their organizational goals

Of course once you compare their desire to baptize kids along with their views of infant baptism contradictions become ever apparent.

They Push You In,,,,Then Punish You If You Go!

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