"...baptizing them in the name of the Father and of Watchtower Society and of the holy spirit "

by irondork 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  irondork

  If baptism is really a symbol of one's dedication to God, as the WTS agrees it is, then why would someone who was baptized years earlier need to be re-baptized after studying with Jehovah's Witnesses? In discussing the two questions asked of baptismal candidates, the Watchtower, April 1, 2006, page 22 par 4 says:

  Therefore, those who qualify for baptism have usually studied the Bible for months or even a year or two, so that their decision is neither hasty nor ill-informed. At the baptism itself, the candidates answer yes to two key questions. Since Jesus emphasized that ‘our Yes should mean Yes, our No, No,’ it will be helpful for all of us to review carefully the significance of these two baptismal questions.

  Re-baptizing someone who has already been baptized undermines this point.

  In ancient times it was customary to rename a person to show your dominance over him. I guess re-baptizing a person the the name of Jehovah's Witnesses serves the same purpose.
• 

  Alfred

  that started in 1985
• 

  irondork

  If it's a matter of rededicating ones self to God after coming to a more accurate knowledge of him, shouldn't the GB get redunked every time they have noo light?
• 

  Ding

  Baptism by the WTS is how a people publicly claim to be JWs.

  They want to have the DF hammer available, and they don't DF people who were never baptized as JWs.
• 

  N.drew

  Are you saying that someone who got baptized as a Jehovah's Witness and then leaves the org can come back and be baptized again according to correct JW policy?

  Or are you saying someone who was baptized as a, let's say, Baptist should get baptized again as a JW according to JW doctrine?

  I know it is true of the org that someone who was baptized in some other church must do it again. But I never have heard about anyone getting baptized twice as a Jehovah's Witness.
• 

  blond-moment

  WT doesn't baptize in the name of the Holy Spirit at all. The organization is not Holy Spirit.

  It's a business contract, it gives them legal authority over you. You are a commodity to be treated as they wish. Even if you voluntarily leave, they need it in a legal, signed form letter of DA. That protects them from lawsuits. It's all legal smegal crap.
• 

  Phizzy

  Well said Blond-moment, and even if your baptism pre-dates the disgusting modern vows, and perhaps was performed in the old days when the vows were more or less scriptural, they will still claim that by being amember in modern times you have efffectively "signed" the same contract as those under the latest vows.

  As you rightly say, it is about control and damage limitation.

  Holy Spirit ? they wouldn't know Him if He bit them on the arse.
• 

  irondork

  N.Drew: Or are you saying someone who was baptized as a, let's say, Baptist should get baptized again as a JW according to JW doctrine?

  This is what I meant. Sorry my OP wasn't clear. (One of these days I'm going to learn not to post until my blood/caffeine levels are proportional for the day.)

  If baptism is about a persons dedication to God and someone has already made that dedication, why should changing religions necessitate a re-baptism. Why do the JW believe it is necessary to rededicate your life to God in the name of the Watchtower instead of just letting that person's Yes mean Yes and his No mean No with regard to the dedication he has already made?
• 

  N.drew

  Irondork it is an excellent question.

  They will answer that the first baptism wasn't according to accurate knowledge.

  Then the person should answer that with "then I should wait to get baptized until I have accurate knowledge". Which is a real GOOD thing to do!
• 

  sd-7

  Well, it's simple: Witnesses do not consider other Christian religions as being Christian. If you were baptized as a Baptist, Catholic, etc., you might as well have been dunked in animal blood in a satanic ritual and dedicated your life to the Devil. Obviously I'm exaggerating, but the point is still valid--all other religious baptisms have no meaning from the Witnesses' point of view. That's part of the reason for insisting on baptism again.

  The other part is obviously the legal part as was mentioned by others. Hence why the "no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses" announcement was created--they need you to join officially so they can track you, same as they need that specific announcement for their own legal protection should you commit any crime against the state.

  --sd-7