Preventing a minor child from being baptized if you are their parent

by RayPublisher 44 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Nathan Natas

  Your kids may have become convinced that they need to be baptized to assure their survival at Armageddon.

  If so, this is proof of their SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY and lack of "accurate knowledge."

  Throughout the years, the WTB&TS has made it clear that minor children will benefit from the faith of their parents.

  Since both you and your wife are JWs in good standing, it is entirely appropriate that your MINOR, DEPENDANT children not be forced into a decision they are not mature enough to make.

  You would not let your kids get married at this age, and Bethel would not consider them as volunteers at this age.

  They might also be "too young" to be full-time pioneers, but I'm not certain of that.

  You can make a big, JUSTIFIED stink about how you will not tolerate having your children question your "god given" authority.

  In this instance, you may be of more help to them by not leaving so soon. you can protect your kids better by using your headship to shield them from harmful WTB&TS radiation.

  Good luck!
• 

  Nathan Natas

  Challenge your wife to explain why infant baptism is wrong and what the signs of "maturity" are.
• 

  Nathan Natas

  Ask the elders for TWO Bethel applications, and have your wife help them fill it out.

  Maybe the elders will mention that they're too young for bethel. "But why? They're young and full of zeal. You boys DID want to go to Bethel, didn't you?"

  If your wife brings up the "rather than MEN" quotefirst show her that this applies to "wolrdly" men, not CHISTIAN FATHERS, then counter wiith Paul's " women should be SILENT" comment. If she gives you grief, take her to the elders.

  the cards are all in your favor if you play them right.
• 

  pbrow

  Nathan, I dont see how he could be more benificial to them by staying in. Give the kids a chance to be involved in a normal childhood and they will not choose the dubs. A huge weapon in the indoctrination process is sheltering them from the other side of things. SHOW THEM THE OTHER SIDE!! Ray, get out. Have a birthday party with them and maybe a few kids from school. When the dub friends find out and start to move away from hanging with your kids explain this to them!! Tell them that the jw kids are not allowed to play with them because.... you dont agree with everything they do. That is showing your kids what a croc these people stand for. You are the father. You live with them. Take the bull by the horns! Your kids are more important than any other reason or person to "stay in" for. By staying in and pretending for the next 2, 3, 4 or 5 years you are just allowing the mindset to creep in.

  GTFO for your kids!!

  pbrow
• 

  jwfacts

  I agree with the "teaching your children how to think approach." Without even sounding apostate, you can start to study with them about areas that will lead them to the conclusion that it is not the truth. Study general history, all the wars, sickness, poverty and famines of the past, so they know we are not living in the worst time ever. Study with them Watchtower history, so they realise it is a new and changing religion. My daughter was stunned when I told her about Pastor Russell. She thought there had always been JWs. She realised the religion was a joke when hearing the religion was started by a self titled Pastor only a little over 100 years ago. Discuss world religion, so they comprehend that the religion they are part of is solely based on the place they were born, and hence it is not logical to teach that other youth will die at Armageddon for not being part of the correct organisation.
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  Nathan Natas

  Pbrow, your entitled to your opinion even if it is wrong.

  If he breaks the family now, he will be seen as a "spiritual threat" to his wife and kids, and the WT will help her gain custody of them. By breaking the family, he will lose time he could spend with his kids and will subject them to unneccessary economic hardship. First he needs to get his wife in line and then he needs to begin discovering the flaws in the Watchtower TOGETHER WITH THEM, not as a demonic outsider.
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  Nathan Natas

  jwfacts, that is good advice. He is simply helping his children learn to reason clearly so they can do well in school - an admirable motivation for a loving Father! Discussing history in general and the history of science and religion in particular are good strategies. Discuss the many parasitical diseases that exist on earth and let them ask how parasites fulfill god's purpose.
• 

  jwfacts

  The reason to teach your children how to determine if it is the truth, is that you will not be able to prevent them otherwise. There is a poster here that tried to enforce with the wife, child and elders that the child was not to be baptised under the age of 16. They went behind his back and the son got baptised without telling the father. The father threatened the elders legally that the baptism is illegal and should be anullled but was ignored.

  The details are here http://jwbaptism.blogspot.com/
• 

  Nathan Natas

  Assuming his kids want to get baptised RIGHT NOW, how does he prevent it? If the elders and his wife are such dishonest sneaks that they would go behind his back to baptize a child, what can he do to stop it for the time being?

  somehow i feel that turning into ULTRA-APOSTATE isn't the way to go. Besides, I've already got that job.
• 

  pbrow

  Thanks for the insight. I didnt realize my opinion was wrong bro! It is working for me but I am not in the exact same situation. Just throwing my perspective out there. Ray, you dont NEED to put a letter in, but let the kids get involved. Play sports, celebrate birthdays, sleepovers. Your the dad right?? Do you have no power in these areas? If thats the case then there are other issues involved. I wish you the best Ray, get the kids out whatever way you see possible. It seems to me the longer you wait for your "wife to get inline" which may take awhile, your children are being immersed in the JW culture. They are almost dripping wet with it already.

  as a side note, Jwfacts... thank you for everything you have done bro, you are lifesaver. Thank you!

  pbrow