At what age can a JW be baptised in the UK? (page 3)

DATA-DOG

Our CO just said that " 6 out of 10 JW's have been baptized in the last 10 years." I wonder what percentage are born-in minors?

Jeffro

tiki:

if the legal age of consent is 16, those baptisms of kids younger hold no clout.

Age of consent is not the same thing as age of majority.

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.

There is no legally binding 'contract' involved in being baptised as a JW, regardless of age.

The peer pressure employed by JWs has no legal weight, but that doesn't alter the impact it has.

Yan Bibiyan

You guys are missing the point.

Kids get in the pool by their own conviction and zeal to serve Jehovah. No contracts, implied or otherwise, are at play here.

I was baptized at the age of 14 (in US) I started regretting it at age 15 when I truly realized hormons and boys. This baptisim started me on the path of living a double life. I was too young to understand what the future held for me.

notsurewheretogo

My wife was baptised at 12 in the UK! Mental!

nugget

Churches and religious organisations are a law unto themselves. Under UK law it is unlikely that being baptised is regarded any differently to any other form of religious confirmation.

What is different is what the religious institution does with the commitment in the future. If a Catholic no longer wishes to attend church they simply walk away. The same is true for CofE and many of the other mainstream faiths. However for a witness child the baptism is not a mere statement of faith it is a set of rules they become bound to for the rest of their lives. If they chose to walk away from the faith they also lose family, friends and support.

In the UK there have been talks that encourage parents to persuade their children to be baptised at an early age as this will supposedly act as a protection for them. Watchtower articles have historically carried the same message. It is a cruel and heartless attempt to entrap children before they have really understood what they are letting themselves in for. The sad truth is that there is no legal protection for minors who chose to be baptised before the age of 16 and certainly no restriction in law.

Auntfancy

The sister that studied with me was 8 when she was baptized!! What the heck do you know at that age??? A friend of mine, her grandson was baptized at 11 and he is now 16.

Band on the Run

I suspect that the age of consent is not applied to religions. One can only use it as an analogy. You can make a strong point by stating what baptism means and the responsibilities incurred. Contrast this with contract formation and all the other age of consent issues.

The states refuses to let you enter into a contract because you are too young. Furthermore, any such contract is totally unenforceable at law. Working papers are necessary until age x. Civil rights of individuals are restricted until age xx. Society clearly feels that teenagers are incapable of making informed decisions that affect their lives. If you look up tort law, there are several categories that forbid teenage employment. A teenager could not work at a dram shop-alcoholic materials.

This is all I can remember on short notice. Infant baptisms are okay.

steve2

Hell, babies are baptized in some churches. Religious organizations don't give a toss about the age of consent. Get in early and win 'em over. Thank goodness reality sets in fast and a big proportion of dunked ones drift and/or leave altogether.

Qcmbr

I was baptised lds at 8. If you want really crazy though have a google sometime on what I covenanted to do, age 18, in the mormon temple. Shudders.

At what age can a JW be baptised in the UK?