Approval of child baptism

JWB

APPROVAL OF CHILD BAPTISM

"YOUNG PIONEER PARTNERS. Persis, who lives in Cameroon, became an unbaptized publisher when she was six years old. Her first service report showed ten home Bible studies. The congregation secretary thought that it was a mistake. When questioned, Persis explained to him that she actually had ten different students. He further asked: 'How do you know how much time to report, since you do not have a watch?' She replied that she knew that her school recess was one hour long. She started preaching at the beginning and stopped when the bell rang. Her bold witnessing influenced her mother and cousin, who later became unbaptized publishers. Now ten years old, Persis is baptized and is serving as an auxilliary pioneer while in school. Her eight-year-old friend Aasy is already an unbaptized publisher. A Bible student said of them: 'At the meetings I was happy to see children greeting everyone, especially the elderly ones, before going to sit with their parents. I never saw this at my church. I know children growing up that way will be better people in society tomorrow.'" [From pages 53 and 54 of the 2011 Year Book of Jehovah's Witnesses]

"BAPTIZED AT SEVEN. Paola, who lives in western Mexico, is being raised by her grandparents. Her grandmother began studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses when Paola was five years old. Paola listened in, and the truth took root in her young heart. Although her grandmother did not progress, Paola began to attend the meetings by herself. She would ask her grandparents to help her get dressed and to help her cross the street to get to the Kingdom Hall.
As soon as she learned to read and write, Paola enrolled in the Theocratic Ministry School and became a publisher. Because of her love for Jehovah, she got baptized at the age of seven. When asked why she attends the meetings and preaches so zealously, even without her family's support, Paola, who is now ten, answers: 'I like the talks a lot because they encourage me to keep on studying the Bible and stay out of trouble. And I preach because I want to teach people what Jehovah is going to do for them in the future and because the Bible can make them happy right now.'" [From pages 58 and 59 of the same book]

Although the percentage, among JWs, of those baptized at a very young age may not be very high, it is clear from the above extracts that children who get baptised as members of the JW religion are seen as deserving of praise. However, there seems to be no concern for a young person's emotional vulnerability and suggestibility to peer/group pressure. Is it right that these little ones should be encouraged to commit themselves to a life under the ecclesiastical authority of the Governing Body and it's local representatives (elders)? Is it right that their emotional vulnerability should be exploited? Is it right for those entering the changeable years of adolescence to be put under pressure to make far reaching decisions that they may later regret?

The links given below show more examples of JW baptism of children.

[9 years old]

"The new baptized members were of an age going from 9 to 90. Gabriele, the youngest, a 9 year old boy, or better, a young man, said: “I know I am only 9 years old, and both mom and dad explained to me that the step I decided to take is a very serious one. I thought deeply about it and I spoke to Jehovah personally in prayer. Today I finally got baptized and it's a great joy ..."

[http://www.modernghana.com/news/232017/1/ufficio-stampa-dei-testimoni-di-geova-assemblea-in.html]

[10 years old]

"A 10-year boy is baptised at the Jehovah's Witness Assembly Hall ..."

[http://www.salisburypost.com/Lifestyle/070310-Jehovah_s-Witnesses-qcd]

[11 years old]

"For 11-year-old [Eliaz] Valdez, being baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness was somewhat of a rite of passage in his family ..."

[http://lubbockonline.com/faith/2011-07-09/jehovahs-witnesses-share-stories-faith-during-baptisms-convention]

[12 years old]

"Mark Robins (from left) baptizes Alyssa Bernal, 12, while Krysten Meza is baptized by Jeff Gaudette on Saturday during the Jehovah's Witnesses convention at American Bank Center ..."

[http://www.caller.com/photos/galleries/2010/aug/21/jehovahs-witnesses-baptism/]

[12 years old]

"Katherine Cole, 12, of Bessemer shivered and her teeth chattered as she dried off with a towel. "I've been looking forward to it," she said of her baptism ..."

[http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/metro.ssf?/base/news/124678172586800.xml&coll=2]

[13 years old]

"13 year old Kelsie Freeman from Cullman was one of 42 people who were baptized in a pool at the BJCC arena during a three day convention for Jehovah's Witnesses in Birmingham ..."

[http://photos.al.com/birmingham-news/2011/07/jehovahs_baptism_8.html]

blond-moment

Yes they do push child baptisms, even tho I no longer believe those "experienes"

out4good3

99.999% of those experiences I've seen on assemblies are contrived bull$hit presented in such a way as to give only glowing praises to the sock puppet WT god.

If only the venues would post signs such as this one

lilbluekitty

My sister was nine. I'm two years older and didn't get baptized til I was 18, partially out of the intense pressure I went through every day of my life because of my younger sister being so "spiritual." "Why aren't you baptized yet?" "And your sister was only 9? What about you?" "What's holding you back, is it a lack of faith?" etc. It totally sucked. I did become a publisher (and gave talks) starting at age six. To be honest I didn't really know what I was doing, my mom wrote all my talks and told me what to say at the doors.

Morbidzbaby

Yeah they love to bash the Catholic church for baptizing babies because "they don't know what kind of commitment they're making". They've stated in the past that Jesus was 30 years old when he got baptized, and so this shows that the Catholics are wrong for pushing infant baptism. There's a reason that children under 18 aren't allowed to enter into contracts...because they aren't adults and fully cognizant of the commitment they're making. The same applies with baptism. All these kids know is "If I don't do this, I'll die at Armageddon" and "This is what Jehovah wants me to do"...and worse, "This is what is expected of me".

At a young age, these children set themselves up for failure by commiting themselves to remain in an organization that is always changing, stringent, and controlling...without even knowing who they are, who they will become, or how their feelings and thinking might evolve down the road. A 6 year old is not cognizant of the magnitude of such a decision... A 6 year old is still under the illusion that his or her JW parents will love and support them no matter what... But if they dare get DF'ed at, say, 10 years old...they lose real familial relationships, even though they aren't old enough to move out and be on their own, they're treated as an outcast in their own home. That's not something a child should have to endure.

Disillusioned Lost-Lamb

They know that the younger you can trap them the easier they, and their parents, are to control.