Annulment of baptism for a minor? (page 2)

Tornintwo

I'm talking about a minor baptized less than a year ago. But you are probably right, it would be an uphill struggle, the better option would be to fade gradually.

In the case of adults who were baptized as minors, JW attorneys have pointed that the baptism is validated by the person's course of conduct after attaining the age of majority. In other words, continuing to identify and act as a JW and participate in JW activities, especially those reserved for baptized adults removes any question of whether or not the baptism is valid.

Annulment of a minor's baptism strikes me as something of an oxymoron though. Minors are unable to enter into the legal aspects of JW baptism and I don't see how it could be anything other than a religious rite at that age.

OrphanCrow

Question:

Does a JW child require parental permission to enter into the baptismal agreement?

JWchange

Dear Tornintwo.

I very much sympathize as i was baptized very young. See Paul Grudy;s story. He owns the excellent JWfacts website. http://jwfacts.com/watchtower/experiences/grundy.php . The Borg's attitude will likely be it's too late. You're a JW whether you like it or not.

Depending on your citizenship there may be legal remedies for 'leverage purposes', however if you are American the Borg will defend with 1st amendment. Paul is Australian and it appears he had no legal case.

i pray one day this injustice of child baptisms, where kids enter into a contract with the Borg without knowing all the facts, will end. i wish you well buddy.

Dissonant15

I was baptized at age 10. I'm sure mine would never be over turned however because I pioneered a while as an adult.

It's really similar to an adult being baptized who doesn't know the org's true history but may learn TTATT later in life. Which is basically everyone.

Phizzy

Why bother to get it annulled ?

I know it will make it easier to fade and yet maintain contact withJW family perhaps, but even if it were possible, there is still little advantage, you would be viewed much like a DA'd person by most JW's, not viewed like some who never got baptized.

The only successful case I know of is of a young girl who proved to the Elders she was mentally unhinged at the time of her baptism. She got her annulment and left never to be seen again, she was at Uni by then, I think she wanted to still speak with her JW grandparents but live her own life. Good for her !

stuckinarut2

Dissonant15: It's really similar to an adult being baptized who doesn't know the org's true history but may learn TTATT later in life. Which is basically everyone.
Great comment! All of us fit that description.... We were never taught the REAL history and background of the society.....and that has been the problem. If we had learned these disturbing things, surely none of us would have got baptised.

C0ntr013r

I posted on this topic before:

Read entire thread: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/109423/do-disassociate-anull-your-baptism?size=20&page=1

If you read the elders hand book you can see that the only way to get your baptism annulled is if you where participating in sinful behavior before during and after your baptism that, if the eldest knew would have stopped you from getting baptized. They are advised to contact the branch to make sure thou, maybe there will be a way to disfellowship anyways...
It is worth a try if you want a "clean" exit.

If anyone want's to try it I would suggest that you first read the "rules" so you can play their "game".
Then you could go to the elders with a story (if it is fabricated or not wont matter). You can tell them that you where watching porn before during and after your baptism, you can say that you are distraught because you know deep down you never really got baptized and you hate living a lie, you never even gave your life to Jehovah in prayer... You just gave in to peer pressure etc.
Then if they decide to "grant your wish" you can start to fade instead of making progress towards your "real" baptism.
It is dishonest I know, but why play by their rules?
I don't know if this works in practice but it think it would have the best chance of working. I don't think bringing up doubt and reasons you don't believe anymore is going to help, that might just reveal the truth, that you are trying to escape without being DFed.

Yeah, if anyone tries please let us know how it goes.
One of the reasons it might fail is that the elders manual makes it very hard to actually pull it of. And if you say all the right things and manage to persuade the BOE, they are then supposed to call bethel for future instructions. So they might not grant it even if the BOE think it needs to be annulled...
It is important that you where sinning before and during the entire process because that is proof that Jehovah could not have accepted your dedication to him.
Don't forget to read everything about this before trying it, the elders manual is a good place to start.

Annulment of baptism for a minor?