Good points here. The first thing I thought of is that you can surrender your licence, let it expire and stop driving with what consequence? You will not lose family and "friends". To compare having authorization to operate a machine to dedicating your life to a group that holds shunning over you is crazy. I got baptized at 12. I remember years ago how they said the deciscions making frontal cortex of the brain was not developed until 25 and you should not make the commitment of marriage before then. I guess they were right. The two worst deciscions of my life were made at age 12 and 19. Getting baptized into a cult and marrying a cult member. Now at 27 I do feel more mature and also feel I have fucked up my life royally from those decisions.
2015 Regional Convention Anthony Morris Governing Body encourages coerced baptism of unwilling children ...again
by Watchtower-Free 63 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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thedepressedsoul
They teach that marriage is the 2nd biggest decision of a Christians life, the 1st being baptism.
They also unofficially taught that a person is not developed enough, whether it's their decision making portion of their brain, their likes and dislikes until your mid 20's (Read the Young People Ask book marriage and dating). Try dating in JW land at 18 or before your 20's and 99% of the time you will get talked to about your age and the importance this decision will have on your life. Some elders will go as far as stating that you should wait until "you're older and more mature to date".
Despite that, they also teach that the 1st biggest decision of your life should be done when you are young. It's now getting even lower by touching on things like driver's license and giving examples of very young baptisms.
Do you see the double speak and hypocrisy? You're not responsible or mature enough to make the 2nd biggest decision in your life but you are ready to make the "the biggest" one.
I'm not downplaying either. Both getting baptized and getting married are two huge decision that someone should heavily evaluate. Both can be devastating and life altering if it doesn't work out. Would you marry someone just because mommy or daddy thought you should or others pressured you to do so? I'd hope not...
Could you imagine Jesus (if you believe in him) telling all those little kids around him and on his lap that they should get baptized if they feel they can ride a horse or go out and work? It's nutty and whether you believe in the bible or not, it's far from what the bible suggest and the few examples given. And since they claim to represent the god of the bible, you'd think they'd try to follow it. I've always said though, the bible can be used to push any agenda or idea, there's always a scripture that applies and can justified to fit your point or agenda.
That double speak shows me that they are all about the numbers to them. They don't care if is young Joe publisher is mature enough to get baptized or how old Susie is. All it is to them is growth on their chart that allows them to keep using the "huge growth" as a reason to need money along with buy and build a real estate portfolio. Not to mention it's 100x harder for young baptized Joe to leave when he's mature enough to realize it's not for him and actually have a decrease on the numbers than spiritually weak Alex who never decided to get baptized.
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freemindfade
Every time he says:
"Explain that one to
- Heaven
- God
- Jesus
We need the sadtrombone and laugh track...
Cappy?
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Heaven
I was never baptized into this religion.
While the religion caused a lot of damage and destruction within our family, my parents never stopped associating with us.
I think this is a very key message to all lurkers... DO NOT GET BAPTIZED!
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thedepressedsoul
Every time he says:
"Explain that one to- Heaven
- God
- Jesus
You know, I've often wondered if GB actually believe it all. I am 99% sure that Tight Pants Tony thinks he's the 2nd Jesus. He really thinks he has a direct line and that he has the authority to speak for god and where the bible is silent.
With this guy in charge, which I believe he is, do not expect to see any and I mean ANY relaxations in the borg. DF will get worse, shunning will get worse and so on. This guy is on a major power trip, attach that with thinking he's the next level after Jesus and you've got a very scary situation.
It's funny how lower mankind has always had to go through "higher" mankind to have a relationship with god.
If there prophecy is true about the nations turning on religion, it's 100% religions fault, including their own. They would have done that one to themselves.
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problemaddict 2
So this makes me think of something that I am not certain has been brought up yet.
Does anyone here remember the phrase, "the age of accountability"?
In other words, if parents die at Armageddon, they are no doubt responsible for their toddlers murder (this only makes sense). However, there is an age of accountability where you can no longer "get in" on your parents good name like a toddler would.
Is this still the current teaching? Is AM3 suggesting that outside of being a toddler, lets say maybe 6 and up, that you are accountable before God?
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cofty
Does anybody know roughly what the attendance figure was for this convention?
We used to have 5 baptised at most circuit assemblies and that was with the circuit split in two or three parts.
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Pistoff
You know, I've often wondered if GB actually believe it all. I am 99% sure that Tight Pants Tony thinks he's the 2nd Jesus. He really thinks he has a direct line and that he has the authority to speak for god and where the bible is silent.
Agreed; he seems to be the hammer.
He speaks off the cuff all the time, very sure of himself; the others hold back.
Not AMIII; he delivers his own radical opinions and then his trademark line, 'Explain that to (heaven, God, Jehovah)'.
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Doltologist
What kind of a guy say stuff like this? -
punkofnice
DarioKehla day agoF this a. I hope something terrible happens to him. Seriously--it would make me happy.
I do know how you feel and in my case it's because I feel helpless to stop the child abuse. That's what it is and it seems typical that the governing body of jehovah's witnesses(r) ihave become very adept at loving child abuse. The governing body are lovers of child abuse. Makes me wonder if they are running a paedo ring.TOMO wants kids craptised as the JW growth is static. Get 'em in while they're kids and the WBT$ will control, use and spit them out once they have mo monetary value.