Had dinner with friends-found out none of got Baptized because we loved God (page 2)

Ding

I did it for love of jehovah... then I found out I had to love the watchtower more.

Once you realize they aren't the same thing, you start questioning things and you're on your way out...

Jim_TX

Not sure of the EXACT reason... but it wasn't for the 'love' of Jehover...

I think at the time, there was a friend of the family that was getting baptized. She was getting a lot of attention. I thought that it might be a good idea, also. I was old enuf... I think I was about 18... or 19... don't really recall. (They say you should remember the date... I don't). I think that the location may have had an influence (or was my mother whispering in my ear?). the Circuit Assy was going to be held in a small town north of here where my mother grew up, and where she knew a lot of folks.

So, I went through the '80 questions' in this puke yellow book.

The irony of it was, the leading 'elder' didn't buy that I had gone through the book (with a group of 2 or 3 others). He wanted me to go through it AGAIN at his home. He personally went through the book with me - a second time. I guess he was finally convinced... or had figured that he had taken up enough of my time... and 'approved' my request to get baptized. (I think this was during a time when the elders had it in for my mom, and our family... she wasn't too popular with the local 'big three'.)

Anyway... I got dunked at someones' home, they had put up some sort of temporary swimming pool... it was cold (in winter), and getting wet didn't help much.

Did I 'feel' different afterwards? Nah. No special light - or dove came down from heaven to welcome me, like they always pictured in the mags. (Of course... I weren't no Jeezus, either...)

Regards,

Jim TX

PrincessCynic

Because the elders banned me from seeing my boyfriend unless we were both baptized. We both said we'd already dedicated and wanted to get baptized at the next assembly (not exactly true). Then they let me get baptized but not him so it turned out I still wasn't allowed to date him :(

I was a very messed up, confused 16 year old.

PaintedToeNail

Toth, Fernando, WTW, SixoNine, outsmart, DOC, Ding, Jim, Princess-Thank you all for your input

lilbluekitty

I think I sincerely wanted to "do the right thing" but my new understanding of baptism is that it's just a public declaration of the faith you already have. I was 18 and thought it was going to save me and make me have faith. I think I thought it was some type of magic or something. Being raised in, ever since I was like 5 years old all I ever heard about was getting baptized from my parents. I was around 10 or so at one assembly drawing in my notebook and my mom wrote at the top of the page during the baptism talk: "That better be you up there one year from now." My mother was always telling me I'd die in Armageddon if I didn't get dunked. It totally sucked and got worse when my younger sister got dunked at age NINE. People constantly were harping on me for the fact that my sister had done it at such a young age, where was my faith? Didn't I love Jehovah? Crap like that. I dedicated my life at age 14 but only to Jehovah, not to Jesus. Finally at age 18 i couldn't take the pressure and finally asked to get dunked, but only if I could do it in a regular pool with way less people watching me. I did it at an elders' house in his back yard.

I want to get re-baptised at my church because I hadn't dedicated my life to Jesus then but I did finally in November. I'm just waiting til I can get my husband's side of the family together so I can have my own cheering section, since no one from my side of the family will come. =(

man oh man

Well I always loved my heavenly Father but I got baptized to get a good jw wife. It worked, and she even loves the governing body more than me!

I guess I will laugh out loud on that one for a long time. lol

Had dinner with friends-found out none of got Baptized because we loved God