by konemy 20 Replies latest members private
Here is a link to one of the threads started by member 'BlackWolf'
She also was 15 when she first started posting here 4 years ago. Similar to you, she was not baptised, her father an elder and she no longer wanted to be a JW. Her parents were placing pressure on her to become baptised.
You may want to read through her threads and review the advice she was offered as much of that advice will be relevant to you also.
I never got baptised. Because of that, I had a sort of relationship with them for the rest of their lives and was never shunned by them or the wider family. It was dysfunctional, but at least we were able to have some association and help each other through hard times, old age, etc.. If I had succumbed to their pressure to get baptised it would have been a very different story as they always praised their friends and extended family members for how they shunned their DFd & DA'd children.
Re: Baptism advice for a young lady
FYI there's also a big exjw community with many young people over at reddit.com/r/exjw
Yes they still do announce un-baptised publisher. Where I am at it is still the norm.
Before that you used to be announced as no longer an approved associate if you quit publishing or words to that effect. It was kind of like DFing for unbaptized individuals
"Before that you used to be announced as no longer an approved associate if you quit publishing or words to that effect. It was kind of like DFing for unbaptized individuals"
I've never seen any official documentation for that, so, if you have some, I want to see it, please.
57. If the unbaptized publisher does not respond to the elders’ assistance, thus displaying an unrepentant attitude, the two elders should inform him that he no longer qualifies as an unbaptized publisher. Or if he informs the elders that he no longer desires to be a publisher, they will accept his decision.
In either case, the elders will have the following announcement made during the Service Meeting:
“[Name of person] is no longer recognized as an unbaptized publisher.” Because of his unrepentant wrongdoing, it would be best for a time not to call on him if he raises his hand to comment at meetings.
58. If the elders see that such a person is a threat to the flock, they can privately warn those endangered. For example, despite the announcement, the wrongdoer might attempt to socialize with youths in the congregation. In that situation, the elders would speak privately to the parents of the endangered ones and maybe to those youths also.
62. When an unbaptized publisher is involved in wrongdoing, the two elders assigned to meet with him should prepare a written record of the case. The secretary files this record in the same manner as he files judicial cases.
Shepherd the Flock of God (2012) p77,78
Go with the crowd. Walpurgisnacht is a great place to meet interesting people, like witches.
You are 15, what do you want to be when you grow up: a boring ex-Jehovah´s witness that writes angry posts in apostate forums or a fun witch that sells magic potions?
This book by David G. McAfee "Mom, Dad, I'm an Atheist: The guide to coming out as a non-believer" may give you some ideas on how to deal with your situation. It is available on Amazon in hard copy or Kindle version.
Trying to extricate yourself from the JW belief system is difficult enough for adults to do I can only imagine how difficult it is for a young person living at home. I see some good advise here that I think will help you. The only advise I can think of offering is to take it slow and carefully consider the repercussion of anything you decide to do. I'm sure your parents love you and only want the best for you sadly they are being deceived by the Watchtower just like most of us here were. Keep in mind that you have been lucky enough to figure it out early. You have a bright future ahead of you and you won't be wasting it by pioneering or going to Bethel or any of the other things JWs waste their lives doing.
