by jwfacts 35 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Slimboyfat - What do you mean by "age of consent"?
Good question. Since the person tied baptism and consent together I thought it was a UK law. Looking further, age of consent is tied to sex and marriage. I did find this interesting article about an athiest having his baptism as a child removed, due to being too young to consent, but it did not stage what age baptism and consent can be tied together.
jwfacts, I believe you have an interesting case concerning the baptism of a 14-year-old in the UK on your website:
http://jwfacts.com/watchtower/experiences/baptism-of-a-minor.php
I do not believe there could be any legal objection to a minor's baptism. The age 16 consent is to sexual intercourse.
Adulthood is legally obtained at age 18 in the U.K
None of this has any bearing on the validity of a baptism from the WT perspective, once dunked, even at age six, they own you, and you cannot leave with dignity.
I baptised a 14 year old just last year.
Splash.
I was dunked at 15 years of age at Crystal Palace London 20+ years ago, really wish I hadn't been!!
Children and babies are baptised in all kinds of denominations in the UK, .. there is no law against it. Linking the age of sexual consent to it in a persons mind doesnt change anything about it. Legal adulthood is 18 in the UK.
The age of majority in Britain, which generally includes eligibiligy to enter into a contract, is - as it is in most countries - 18.
However, any 'verbal contract' implied by the JW baptism questions is invalidated by its terms regardless of the candidate's age, because the claim that their 'organisation' is 'spirit directed' is semantically ambiguous, and based on flawed chronology and stupid superstition.
As such, the Watch Tower Society / Jehovah's Witnesses have no legal right to make any JW members or former members do (or not do) anything at all, regardless of age. It is only their use of peer pressure (including convincing other members to shun dissidents) that 'allows' them to do so. The 'commitment' made to the 'organisation' has no legal standing.
Because baptism is essentially meaningless in legal terms, it doesn't really restrict a minor from undergoing the ritual.
It appears to be happening at an earlier and earlier age here (US).
I'm aware of a few kids being baptized in their PRE-teens.
Everyone is SO proud! Feather in the cap of the Elder Daddy.
Doc
What an absolute joy it is to see all of you who were baptized at and early age here on an apostate board!
Certainly, getting baptized young was a HUGE PROTECTION to you all!
BUT - if the legal age of consent is 16, those baptisms of kids younger hold no clout. Same as entering into a contract - the contract cannot be binding if one party to it is a child who has not reached legal age of consent. (at least in the US and I cannot imagine the UK would be much different in that respect). I do not attach any meaning whatsoever to the dunking of any kid less than age 18 personally.
