Just wondering..My step-grandfather, (he eventually persuaded my widowed JW grand-mother to marry him and he was already well into his 80's but had lusted after her for some time, she being an incredibly bonny woman)..I digress..He eventually converted to the JW religion, but because of health issues was baptised at home in the bath.
Can You Only Be Baptised At An Assembly These Days?
by snugglebunny 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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joe134cd
I have heard of situations like that.
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BluesBrother
In "special circumstances " it can be done.
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blondie
Yes, the WTS has and would make adjustments for people for people with health issues; I have seen it with older people and people without any mobility, such as a motorized vehicle or even more sophisticated devices. I think it is for liability purposes. Most baptism venues are not accessible for such people or with great difficulty. Going into a temporary pool set up with steps is not a possibility for them.
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2002408#h=1:0-5:653
Accordingly, Jehovah’s Witnesses arrange for baptisms in pools, lakes, rivers, or other places where there is enough water for complete immersion. Since baptism by complete immersion is a Scriptural requirement, humans have no authority to exempt someone from baptism. Thus, a person should be baptized even when unusual steps are necessary because of his condition. For example, baptisms in large bathtubs have been helpful to those of advanced age or those with especially frail health. The tub water could be warmed, the baptism candidate could calmly and gradually be placed in the water and, once acclimatized to it, the actual baptism could occur.
Even people with severe handicaps have been baptized. For instance, individuals who have had a tracheotomy and, as a result, have a permanent hole in the throat, or those who need to use a mechanical respirator have been immersed. Of course, for all such baptisms thorough preparations would need to be made. It would be wise to have a trained nurse on hand or a doctor if available. However, when special care or precautions are taken, in almost all cases, baptisms can be performed. Therefore, every reasonable effort should be made to baptize a person in water if this is the individual’s sincere desire and if he wishes to accept the risks involved.
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truth_b_known
One congregation I belonged to has 2 prisons in its territory. Elders would go out and conduct meetings there. Our congregation donated a small tub for baptisms at the prisons. -
redvip2000
I think these days that is probably the only way, as long as the religion is not banned. But my mother told me that when she got baptized -- I think the late 60's -- it was in a private home. She told me they arranged a tub and filled it with water, and a few candidates were immersed. This was in Europe, at that time living under a dictatorship, so there were no conventions there. Everybody was baptized in a private home.
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ZindagiNaMilegiDobaara
same here
One congregation I belonged to has 2 prisons in its territory. Elders would go out and conduct meetings there. Our congregation donated a small tub for baptisms at the prisons.
Zing
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stan livedeath
i wonder--if a person lay down on the ground--and a number of others persons stood around him, and pissed on him--would that count as a baptism ?
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blondie
stan, only if they pissed enough for him to be totally under piss.
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neat blue dog
I read that as incredibly 'boney' woman, I'm sorry 😂