just a thought about baptism......

by scootergirl 5 Replies latest jw friends

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  scootergirl

  I have been reading (...and reading...and reading) about how many of us were baptized at an early age (early teens) and how many of us have suffered the consequences of leaving the "Truth" because we were baptized....

  If it is such a major comittment why are young people allowed to be baptized? I mean, at 13,14 or 15 if many of us would have told our parents that we wanted to get married-how many of our parents would have allowed it? Hell, I could have taken a written test about marriage and passed and been ready for marriage, right?! (just joking....) I mean, marriage is a "life-long" comittment. I just think as teenagers a comittment that can have such devasting consequences should not be taken lightly. Had I realized exactly all that was involved, I would have not been baptized.

  I don't know.....just something that has been taking up free rent in my head. What are your thoughts?

  ~Christy

  You know when healing's occurred when you can remember when you want to and forget when you choose.-Bessel van der Kolk
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  openminded

  Unfortunately, I was baptized at 15 because my incompetent parents (and I use the word parent loosely here) allowed 30 something witnesses (really small cong) to "study" (brainwash) with me. I am an "achiever" by nature and these people were the only ones I received any strokes from. I naturally excelled in athletics and since sports were a no-no(I still HATE any and everyone that stood between me and sports(directly or indirectly)...yes Hate), I was screwed from the get go and if I had my way (with normal people who understood child development), I'd have went straight to college on an athletic scholarship like the rest of my contemporaries. Oh well, better late than never, I graduate from university in December and I play in 3 different city leagues. Then it’s off to graduate school(MBA). -om
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  RunningMan

  Why do they "allow" children to be baptized? Well, I think the Society's role is more than just "allowing" it. They encourage it.

  They do this because they have no concern for a person's well being. Their only concern is for their own organizational propogation. Being baptized gives them one more method of coercing people. The sooner and the tighter they can tie you up, the happier they are.
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  Bang

  I think that infants should be baptised. What's the big deal about physically 'having been baptised' anyway?

  Bang
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  City Fan

  The two things that JW's are rushed into are baptism and marriage. There's constant pressure from the platform and from most older JW's to do these things as quickly as possible.
  Why wait to be baptised when the end is so near!!
  And remember courting is "with a view to marriage".

  I was once asked by a girlfriends father why I had waited so long to get baptised. I was baptised at 18 which I thought was quite reasonable. He obviously thought I must have had doubts to have waited till I was 18. God was he right.
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  Gopher

  Christy and all,

  For more postings about this subject, look here: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=10382&site=3

  -J.R.

  Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.--Will Rogers, 1879-1935