Initiation rites representing new birth is quite different from washing your hands.
why? water baptism
by lurk 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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proplog2
Jehovah's Witnesses have become more "catholic" in their baptism.
You have to go through a catechism with a priest/elder and get the elders approval before you can get baptized. This process robs the spontaneous heartfelt expression that baptism was supposed to be.
Dedication is something in the heart. No one can read hearts. If someone wants to be baptized they ought to be able to be baptized. It shouldn't have to be something that is done in front of thousands of applauding gapers in a fishbowl. I thoroughly detest the assembly baptisms today. The mass baptisms in the Bible were merely for convenience because many were returning to areas where no one could baptize them. Any baptized disciple- man woman or minor ought to be able to baptize someone who makes that request. The command to go into all nations and baptize disciples was given to a mixed crowd of men & women.
Back in the 50's it wasn't uncommon for people to be baptized anytime - especially if you lived near a public swimming facility, ocean, river or lake.
Jesus was not trying to establish a big showy ritual. Baptism is a personal marker in one's committment to change their life course. Anything more robs it of its deep meaning.
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Yerusalyim
Pete,
As ritual bathing amongst Jews goes back to at least 1200 BC, maybe they had it on their own, huh? As water is used to clean yourself...perhaps THAT is why it's used by so many different religions as a symbol of purification...ya think?
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peacefulpete
The rite is not universal. It is found among the related cultures of ther middle east and India that had contact with each other. An it is incorrect to say that anything remotely like a water immersion initiation rite existed in Isreal 1200 BC...... Ya think?
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Yerusalyim
Pete,
Ummm Let's talk about the Brass Sea in the Temple (and the tabernacle)
Back to the original question
why? water baptism
It happened this way The early church fathers were writing on a blackboard....
Baptism of
fireBaptism of
LavaBaptism of
RocksBaptism of
glassBaptism of
acidBaptism of water....
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peacefulpete
Actually Yerusalem I can agree in part to your last comment. The theology and practice of the Jewish faith evolved and developed in a way not unlike you described. The influence of culture and competeing cultic practice naturally played a role. It may well have been, and likely was, viewed as a "small leap" to go from washing "holy" vessels and animal sacrifices to adopting a sacrement of human rebirth symbolized by immersion and ascesion in water like there neighbors already were doing. This is the normal course of things.