by Prisca 16 Replies latest jw friends
I think we have discovered a whole new area of doublespeak that we never considered before.
While officially declaring that children cannot legally make the decision to join an organization (and in this way coming across to the "world" as being reasonable), they surreptitiously put major pressure on minors to dedicate their lives to Jehovah and the organization.
I know of no instance where child baptism resulted in someone's being exempt from judicial committee action.
I really hate it when people get baptized at a young age. I've tried to discourage several but it's usually the parents that are pushing it and they just don't see that there's any reason to wait. I know of quite a few Elders that have tried to put the brakes on when someone at a young age wants to go through the questions but usually they don't have much success stopping it. I even heard a Bethelite at an assembly get a sort of bemused tone in his voice when he mentioned the 11 year old that had been baptized that day, then he said "Well, I guess if he can answer all the questions then he can get baptized." That was from the platform! I think a lot of Witnesses are uncomfortable with young ones making this kind of commitment.
Hey Xandit,
Haven't heard from you for awhile, how ya doin?
Now on baptism: I was baptized at 10, and my mother did not push me into it. In fact, she questioned me about it, but I was ready and I never regeted it. I was firm and strong, and knew what I was doing as well as if I had waited until I was 18. Unfortunately, at the age of 19, I started to have doubts, but could never take them with a grain of salt as you put it. To me, it was very binary. Either I was in or out. I could never remain lukewarm, except for that conflicted period from the age of 19 to 23. Then, I was out altogether.
Once again, Xandit, I'm amazed at the group with which you are purportedly associating.
I got baptized at 13, and I was considered to be very slow in making my decision. There was a LOT of pressure to get baptized. All of the other young people had done it when they were 11 or 12.
I know of no one who was discouraged from getting baptized at a young age.
Hey Red, I can't account for the people you purportedly grew up with. You just picked the wrong place.
After my bachelors, I think I'll enter the 'rat race' for a time. Then I can actually think about getting married.lol No, she doesn't have to be a pioneer.hehe If she wants to though, fine. If not, that's cool too. I just want to have a job where she could if she wanted to...y'know, in case she changes her mind.
I may get MCSE certification first, however. It doesn't do you any good without a degree, but it can help if you've aleady got one. How much it helps will help me determine if it's worth getting or not(It costs $3k through my school;even more someplace else). If there's a need, I might take more classes after working a while. I attend the Unversity of Houston.
There are some parents who do not encourage their children towards baptism at an early age. I know parents who have felt uneasy with their child's request for baptism at an age they consider too young. They expressed those feelings to me and were at some loss as to how they should handle their child's stand at that age.
In my own case, when I approached my parents to inform them of my desire for baptism, my father, (baptised at 10 yrs of age himself), asked me to wait a year. When I approached him a year later with the same request he arranged for a few of the other elders in the congregation to question me. I must have passed the 'third degree interrogation' because some time later I was informed that I could join the next group of baptism candidates when they had were going through their pre-baptism questions. I was 13 yrs old when I was baptised and it ended up being 2 years after I had first spoken to my parents.
I think it would be a hard place for a parent to be in, even when they do believe in JW teachings.
DLJ I admire your stand for your faith here, and the way you are examining all things and your aim at being reasonable in all things pertaining to that faith. I hope you continue to keep examining and reassessing, as we all do throughout our whole life.
