Make Them Prove That You Were Baptized!

by VM44 28 Replies latest jw friends

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  VM44

  This might not work for everyone, but it might for some.

  If a person faces disfellowshipping, the person should MAKE the elders PROVE that they are baptized!

  As far as I know, baptism records are NOT sent to Bethel.

  Without two witnesses to the event (and the witnesses HAVE to remember seeing the person immersed), and no photos, there would be no proof.

  If someone did this, the elders would of course contact Bethel for instructions, but what could they do?

  It would put a stop to the elders proceeding with any action.
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  Yan Bibiyan

  That would be a 100% match for a "brazen" request.

  Case closed.....
• 

  VM44

  It might be "brazen," but if they could not prove you were baptized, what could they do?

  The elders couldn't even announce that the person was "No longer a Jehovah's Witness" as they couldn't prove the person ever was to begin with!
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  VM44

  This action is even better if the person doesn't remember the actual event of being immersed in water themself.
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  VM44

  "I want proof that I was baptized!"
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  finally awake

  It might work in a large hall or if you had moved into the area after baptism. In the hall I attended, probably every elder has a picture of me getting baptized in his personal possession.
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  NomadSoul

  And don't they announce the new baptisms at the local hall after the conventions?
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  blondie

  I know that some poster on JWN succeeded in this. A search might find something or someone with a better memory than mine as to the name.
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  DATA-DOG

  If you are a volunteer on the construction scene, don't you have to fill something out with your Baptism date on it? I am sure they have record somewhere.
• 

  AnneB

  There's another part to the story...

  If the elders can't find two witnesses to your actual baptism they can fall back on "proof" that two people have heard you identify yourself as a JW and are living as a JW (going out in field service, "making disciples").

  I got this info from the Bethel Service Desk about 6 years ago. During the same phone call the brother/elder told me that baptism records are kept only at the local level.