Are JWs as eager to accept voluntary disassociation by minor JWs as they are to baptize them?

by Island Man 3 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Island Man
    Island Man

    We all know that the organization shamelessly pushes for youth baptism, even encouraging parents to withhold driver's licenses from driving-aged teens unless they get baptized. I've been asking myself: since they are wiling to accept minor baptisms, are they also willing to accept letters of disassociation signed by young minors?

    I ask this because it seems to me that a signed letter of resignation has a greater "air of legality" to it than baptism, because its a signed document just as most contracts are signed documents. So I suspect that many more JWs will be inclined to say that minors are not mature enough to disassociate, than would say they're not mature enough to be baptized.

    But that position would be hypocritical because disassociation is essentially the equal opposite of baptism so if they think a kid is mature enough to be baptized they should equally accept the kid's decision to disassociate without questioning whether or not he/she is mature enough to take such action.

    What do you think would happen if an 11 year old baptized JW handed in a letter of disassociation? Will the elders accept it and respect the kid's decision; or will they discard it and get the parents to "rein him/her in"? What's the youngest age you know of a JW disassociating?

  • schnell
    schnell

    That is a fantastic argument against youth baptism. If you can't leave, why join? If you can't accept a minor's DA letter, why accept the minor's baptism?

  • scratchme1010
    scratchme1010
    Never thought of it. Truth is that when a minor accepts to get baptized, a lot of the child's voice has already been take away from him/her. hard to defend yourself against your parents and pretty much every authority figure you know over a coerced decision you made.
  • JWdaughter
    JWdaughter

    They have no issues with disassociating or DFing minors.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit