The biggest difference between this and an infant baptism is that the way the religion looks at baptism. Catholics do not consider baptism to mean that the child is Catholic, only that the parents vow to teach the child about God. The choice to be part of the Church is later when they are mid teens. JW consider baptism to mean membership.
Nine year old baptized
by EmptyInside 32 Replies latest jw experiences
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changeling
You are not allowed to vote, smoke, drink alchohol, marry, drive, or sign binding contracts till the age of 18-21 (well, driving at 16). But you can commit your life to a God and a religion and be held responsible for that act at the age of 9. Or 8. Or, like me at 10. Makes no sense. :)
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Amber Rose
I remember the summer that I got baptized. I was 15. There were two kids in my hall that were "dating"(they sat together at meetings and rented movies to watch with other families from the hall - if you call that dating) It was such a huge scandal. Everyone was up in arms about these kids being too young, they had no idea what they were getting themselves into, the were too immature to be making such an important decision that will effect the rest of thier lives blah, blah blah. The very same people were congratulating me for being so mature, how proud the were of me for making such an important decision that will effect the rest of my life. I was younger than the kids who didn't know how "serious" "dating" was.
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choosing life
I knew a little girl who was baptized at nine. It's way too young. Also knew a girl of 15 who got married-dub parents signed for it.
I see it in other religions too. Young ones getting baptized. Only difference is that the churches don't try to ruin their lives if they decide to leave the church.
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sspo
Back in 1990 i saw a little 6 year girl getting baptized, i think it's sick allowing someone to get baptzed so early
just because " she loves Jehovah" and is able to answer 80 questions.
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twinkle toes
This is shocking to me too. If Jesus who was a perfect human had to wait until he was 30 years old to be baptized, doesn't it make you think that he was setting an example. I believe John the baptist was 30 too. So why does the ORG ignore this??
tt
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Palimpsest
I was baptized when I was 11, and there was one girl (an elder's daughter) in my group who was a few months younger, but also 11. I later saw a 9-year-old girl get baptized at a district convention. And frankly, I don't know a single person who was baptized before age 16 or so who actually stayed in.
We all did it due to family pressure, and there was no real thought or choice involved. In my case, I only did it because my brother had died shortly before and my mother was obsessed with death and wouldn't stop talking about how she was afraid of me possibly not getting eternal life if I didn't stay in the Witnesses. That was my only reason for doing it, and everyone I knew who did it young had a story similar on some level. We were afraid and we were pressured -- no more, no less.
I remember when the elders came over our house for the questioning...I was woefully underprepared and hadn't even prayed on it yet like they tell you, so I ran up to my room, kneeled at my bed, said a quick one asking Jehovah to get me through the questions, and then went back downstairs. It all ended up being pointless, because they were so smitten with the idea of a young one being baptized that they basically fed me the answers. To this day, I laugh when I think about what a sham it all was.
If they didn't want children getting baptized, they wouldn't make such a big deal about always announcing the age of the youngest or highlighting them on stage with experiences. Simple as that.
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MissingLink
They put down other religions for child baptism because they aren't old enough to make this sort of informed decision on their own. But at the same time they pressure their own members constantly (on fear of death) to do exactly the same thing! It's amazing that more don't see through this crap and make an issue of it. Of course "sheeple" aren't allowed to make an issue of anything, or they wouldn't be sheeple.
Even when I was a believer with a small child, I had decided that I would not allow him to be baptized until he had moved out and started his own life. If you're not able to support yourself, then you can't make a major life decision like that.
"What Did Jesus Do?" (how old was he when he got baptized) - doesn't matter: times are different now. I suppose Jesus didn't have the benefit of the guidance of the "faithful slave class".
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Doubtfully Yours
I'm with you on this one topic. Jesus Christ, our model and savior, waited 'til full maturity to be babtized.
Anyone that hasn't made it through puberty, who's in the view of many states and countries hasn't reached a level of maturity to drink alcohol, or even to hold a driver's license, such person is not fit to make such a strong decision as baptism in any faith!
In this regard, anyone baptized prior to a full mature age, is equivalent to the practice of baptizing infants.
Kids don't know what the heck they're doing! They're just doing it to please their parents, or to make the brothers at the KH proud, etc.
DY
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WTWizard
Now, this would not be so bad if the consequences for changing one's mind were not so harsh. I would not mind a 6 year old getting baptized if it was permissible to later opt out of that baptism (say, at age 12 or 13) for a time, stray for a time, and then return when they are more mature without going through all the sxxx that the witlesses have to if they leave the cancer. Or, if there wasn't such emphasis on giving up one's whole life for this scam, under penalty of being hounded mercilessly.
However, with all the penalties involved if one decides later that it is not for them, I think children should never be allowed to get baptized. This is not like Cub Scouts, where a person can join at age 7, stay a year or two, leave, and come back later without undue hardship. If you are baptized at age 6, suppose you get into a Christmas situation a year ot two later. Even if you are "sorry", the hounders decide it isn't enough--your family is ruined. You will probably be avoided by family--except when things absolutely require your presence. You will not be allowed in any discussions, and will probably have other restrictions added. You still will not be allowed to play with worldly people; other witless children will not play with you. And, when you get older, you will probably be put out on the street without any adequate preparation. All because of a Christmas party.
Besides, the waste of time. Children getting baptized at age 6 will never know a vacation without having to waste it all in field circus. At those ages, the parents will decide that the children should pio-sneer every time there is a school recess. They will have to waste 6 hours on a lousy Number Two talk. Their fun will now be taken away--even time that should have been spent doing school work will now be wasted preparing for the boasting session or out in field circus. This should not be allowed!