Wrote a letter to the Catholic Chruch.

Blueblades

It was 1969 when I answered that first knock. 1970 when I got Baptized. It was suggested that I write a letter to the Catholic Chruch where I was Baptized and disavow my Baptism,that I no longer considered myself a Catholic. I followed the society suggestion and wrote that letter.

I did not recieve any formal response to that letter from the Church back then. However, when I left the Watchtower, I did not write them a letter disavowing my Baptism and no longer considered myself a Jehovah's Witness.

In any event the society has changed the two Baptism questions since the time that I said yes to the older two questions. Not having been Baptized by answering yes to the two new question I believe that the society has annuled the first set of questions and therefore annuled my Baptism.

About the letter to the church. As I don't belong to any church at this time, I feel that all this stuff about Baptism for me is now moot.

What do you think? Did you follow the society's direction? Have you wrote a letter to your church disavowing your Baptism when you got baptized a Jehovah's Witness? Or, is it all moot to you at this time?

Blueblades

Honesty

I got baptised as a JW.

I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior after I left the cult.

I was rebaptised in a Christian church because the JW baptism was to a god that I don't serve any more.

Bring_the_Light

I was never baptized, and I've been a wordling for about 10 years, but I've been considering writing a disassociation and declaration of apostacy letter to deliver to my home congregation and everyone I know that's still in.

nvrgnbk

I wrote my JW "disassociation" letter last May.

I even signed it.

I just never gave it to anyone.

So now I'm successfully faded... the PO in the hall I was attending, a very sensible guy, knows I'm an atheist and is willing to just let things be.

He said if I ever want to go back and form part of the congregation again they'll want to ask me a few questions.

It's all moot.

Feels good to be free, doesn't it, Blueblades?

RR

Yep, the brother I studied with suggested I write a letter. In fact in the OM book, there was a form letter one can use. I sent it in to the Catholic church I was a member of.

RR

Casper

Did you follow the society's direction? Have you wrote a letter to your church disavowing your Baptism when you got baptized a Jehovah's Witness?

They asked if I had been baptized in any other church just before I went over the questions, I hadn't thought anything about it up till then.

Later asked my Mom about it and she told me that I had been baptised in the Catholic Church when I was an infant. News to me, since no one had ever mentioned it....my whole life...

I told my study conductor and it was suggested (strongly) that I write the church and have them remove my name from their list. I really doubted I was still on a list, after all, it had been 28 years... So I sent the letter.

I "Did" receive a reply... the Priest responded by telling me that he "Could not erase the commitment that I had made to God" (I was an infant, what commitment...???) and that I should read all 4 Gospels.

I showed it to the Elders and they said that was good enough... At least I tried...

Cas

VoidEater

If baptism in a "false religion" is moot, then disassociation from the organization or retracting that baptism is moot. I just view it kinda like "no harm, no foul". Is a false god or a different flavor of God or a non-existent God going to be upset that I left them?

My next baptism will be a Mormon In Absentia deal. I'm hoping for a revelation through Holy Spirit, so I know it "took". Since LDS will baptize after death, I wonder if I might get scooped up out of one Heaven and sent to another when that happens...

StAnn

BlueBlades, my understanding is this. In the Catholic Church, when you are baptised, even as an infant, it is God adopting you as His child and also wiping away your inherited "original" sin. Baptism isn't something we do; it's something God does. So, the Church will always see you as a member because God adopted you. I could tell my mother that I don't want any part of her and walk away but she'd still be my mother, even if I never saw her again. As a matter of fact, if you ever wanted to become active in the Catholic Church again, I believe all you'd need to do is go to confession and you'd be welcomed back with open arms.

When you're older and you've been through CCD, you get confirmed, and that's when you choose the Church for yourself. As an infant, obviously you can't make a choice, so your parents are offering you to God. Thus, in a technical sense, you're still Catholic, despite your letter. The Church doesn't believe that God 'un-adopts" you, so the letter may have made the elders feel better but it didn't change your standing in the Church. I guess you'd be considered a really, really lapsed Catholic!

I did not write a letter when I faded from the WTS because I didn't think their rules applied to me anymore. Since I rejected them, I didn't feel the need to go through any disassociation process, which they would have liked just so they could tidy up their books. I walked away and that's the end of it for me. They took most of my life and my son. I owe them nothing. You are making the rules for your life now. Do what you want to do for yourself.

SA

sacolton

I was baptised Methodist and was asked to send a letter during my studies with the Knowledge Book to renounce my faith in the Methodist church and it had nothing to do with being baptised. I sent the letter. Nine years later, I sent my letter of disassociation to the Kingdom Hall.

RubaDub

I was baptised Methodist and ... I sent the letter. Nine years later, I sent my letter of disassociation to the Kingdom Hall.

Wow ...My boss always says that you should never burn your bridges.

Rub a Dub

Wrote a letter to the Catholic Chruch.

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