by Cold Steel 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
If you're a Jehovah's Witness and you have a child, spouse, or buddy who wants to be baptized, can you baptize them yourself if they request it? This is assuming you're a Jehovah's Witness in good standing.
Would you want to? And is it common in the church?
And what are the words one says? I doubt it's "Rub a dub dub, another J-Dub!"
In the 1970s it was common (in my area) to hold baptisms that were not part of an assembly or convention; they were held at someone's house who had a swimming pool. My brother, no longer active, was baptised at one of these events.
That practice was stopped for a reason that I'm not clear on.
This leads me to think that a family member probably would not be allowed to baptise a new one, but that's just a gut feeling, and I realize it might vary from place to place in the world since organized assemblies may not be as common everywhere as they are in the U.S.
Added note: These baptisms-on-the-side were done in the early 70s, and may have been a result of the 1975 end-of-the-world expectations being promoted by Witnesses. After all, the end was so close that 'there might not be another assembly,' so better get them baptised as soon as possible. That way 'they can be in the New System with us, dontcha know.'
Well, first of all Cold Steel you left off a couple words. It should be " "Rub a dub dub, another J-Dub!... in a tub! ". Your question is a good one. All Jehovah's witnesses are considered ordained ministers. They can perform Weddings. Why couldn't one baptize another? I wonder.... Think how pissed the GB would be if people started baptizing eachother in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!! Don't the JW higher ups say that if you were baptized in another Religion prior to becoming a dub, that baptism is valid? You dedicated yourself to God in your heart, you just didn't know the " truth ". Parents could really start rocking the boat. Are the GB and the Elders going to judge the validity of someones baptism. especially by an ordained minister?! This could be good.....
I have not found anything yet that says I cannot baptize someone..... I wonder if the early Bible Students swore their allegience to The Watchtower and CT Russell?
Man baptize.
Woman wear swimsuit.
If woman think 1+1=2 and man think 1+1=3, woman should hide her head, stupid woman, under a veil. For no woman shall teacheth a man. Womon shall waiteth upon MALE GOD JEHOVAH. For womon is inferior to man by man-god.
So sayith the LORD.
That is the JW doctrine in the whole stupid nutshell.
"Look, a body of water. What prevents me from being baptized?"
Well.. the whole JW ritual of course!!
You cannot baptize yourself in the name of Jesus! You have to answer all the questions in a WT publication Jesus said nothing about, being baptized in the name of the .. father, son, and holy spirit WT Society... then you have to pass by that body of water and wait for a district convention.
What a crock.
- Lime
I know a lot of Dubs that were baptised outside of Arsemblies, but I haven't heard of any recently. It's probably because there are so few baptisms now, that they are compelled to save them up for big events so that they actually have some to parade at dunking time.
Take a peek at early Life magazine archives. There were so many getting baptised that a a few getting dunked in bathtubs didn't make much difference to the spectacle.
I think not, these days....God might recognize it but the WTBTS would not.
As far as I know the only "off Assembly" baptisms are rarities arranged by the Cong Elders, after the 80 questions and before cong witnesses. The standard WT vows would have to be used. This would only be done in exceptional circumstances.
It is like marriage. You can get together with friends and take vows, but The State does not recognize it .
Thanks for the replies, people! Yes, it's true that the Bible says nothing about baptizing in the name of the Father and the Holy Spirit, but it also doesn't say how to baptize, the words one uses, and who can baptize. For example, can a woman baptize? How about in an emergency? How about blessing the emblems of the Sacrament? The Bible also says nothing about how to do that, as well, nor does it teach that the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Spirit was officially abolished.
The church must have paperwork and records, so that may be a reason it wants to have a record of the baptisms.
But the thing that got me thinking was whether people in the church can baptize their children? If you have a son or daughter who isn't baptized, but wants to be, I'd think his or her Father would be the one who would want to do it.
Has anyone here baptized a convert, a family member, etc.??
I have baptized. You would be suprised at how disorganised it all is.
U cud turn up on the day, stand and say your "yes"s then join the queue.
Splash.
Has anyone here baptized a convert, a family member, etc.??
I know Dubs that did that. It was an emergency. Their killer god was about to feed non-Dubs to the birds.
Shame he never showed up for the gore-fest.
Many of those newbies are now dead. The rest are waiting for Jebooboo to show up and demonstrate that their dunker wasn't an idiot and that Paradise is a great retirement plan.
