Has it ever happened?

by slimboyfat 4 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  slimboyfat

  I wonder, has it ever happened that someone changed their mind about getting baptised after answering yes to the two baptismal questions?

  If they answered yes, but didn't get baptised, would they still be liable to get disfellowshipped?

  Just curious because I remember having serious second thoughts on the way to get baptised and now I wonder if it would have made any difference.

  I guess even if a person in that position couldn't technically be disfellowshipped they would nevertheless become nototious and likely shunned in any case.
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  Mr. Falcon

  Not sure, but I remember I had this really cool friend who was a badass and my dad (an elder) studied with him. Dude "progressed" (i hate that term) all the way and did the questions, was scheduled to get dipped at the next CA. Except that morning, he never showed up LIKE A BOSS. haha GANGSTA. me and my ex-JW relatives who knew him still raise our glasses to that frapjous day.
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  slimboyfat

  Ha ha good story. Maybe I should make my question broader and ask if people know of cases where people changed their mind about baptism at the last minute and what the reaction was.
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  Marvin Shilmer

  slimboyfat,

  I recall an incident where a person decided at the last minute against getting baptized. It was blamed on a persistent family member who was unrelentingly against the act. I never saw the person again.

  I recall another incident of a man who was baptized. A “sister” had studied with him. Immediately after the baptism (the same day!) they were married by a local official. The next day he confessed to a carload of Witnesses that most of his “study” sessions consisted of fornicating with his teacher (you know, the “sister,” now his wife). He thought because he had married her their premarital escapes were not sinful, so he made no bones about sharing the happy events.

  As you can imagine, his new wife was none too happy. Both ended up being disfellowshipped. Later on they divorced, but only after she had beat the snot out of him nearly to the point of death on multiple occasion.

  Sorry for digressing.

  Marvin Shilmer
  http://marvinshilmer.blogspot.com
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  dozy

  Interesting question. I would guess as they hadn't been baptised & made a "public declaration" , then they would still be regarded as a UBP and have to go through the questions again. I suppose it is possible that someone would have cold feet & would opt out at the last moment , so I guess it must have happened sometime.

  Re the two questions , the answers always used to be mumbled into their socks by the baptism candidates so no-one could hear them. So more recently at assemblies mikes were stationed in the vicinity of the candidates , so a "loud & affirmative" response could be heard by all. My friend used to do the sound & turned the volume on full blast to pick up the voices , but he got caught out one year when he put the mike a bit too close to a candidate who shouted out her yeses. Almost deafened the whole audience , who laughed loudly , much to the annoyance of the speaker , who quickly said "brothers , this is a solumn occasion."