Did You Dedicate Your Life to Serving Jehovah?

Nosferatu

I remember at the age of 14, I was studying with a very well respected elder in the congregation. Me, him, and my dad studied together. Every once in a while during the study, he would turn to me and ask me "Have you dedicated your life to Jehovah?". Even though I was only 14, my mind was able to translate this question into "Have you made the decision to give up all your freedom and become a slave?". I knew what had to be done to dedicate my life to Jehovah, I would have to approach him in prayer and tell him that I no longer wanted to be part of "the world". I just couldn't bring myself to do this. I also couldn't lie to god and everyone else so I could go through with baptism and make everyone happy. Something inside me told me that I would be giving up my happiness. Therefore, I never got baptized.

My question is, how many of you actually "approached Jehovah in prayer" before you got baptized?

Stacy Smith

My question is, how many of you actually "approached Jehovah in prayer" before you got baptized?

OK I'm disqualified because I never took the plunge.

And I never dedicated myself to anything other than good grades.

But I just wanted to say in response to your question, just because.....

HELL NO

franklin J

yes. Guilty as charged.

When I was baptized at age 13 ( too young to know what I was doing, much less dedicating my lfe to a monastic lifestyle) I really believed in what I was taught. I believed that I was part of the generation that would never experience death. I was a full time pioneer and Ministerial Servant at age 17 ( also too young to comprehend was I was sacrificing).

Fortunately for me I came to my senses at age 21 ( and ran like hell), and made up for lost time.

cruzanheart

Golly, Nos, you sound like my mother! She, too, admonished me to "approach Jehovah in prayer." Yes, I did dedicate my life to Jehovah and got baptized at the precocious age of 9. I never felt like it was slavery, though, just that I was showing God that I wanted to be good and live the way He wanted me to. For some reason (probably due to my man-hating mom), I was always able to separate God from the Borg, and I still do. Granted, I learned about God from Jehovah's Witnesses but I'm also a thinking, reasoning human being, and I can read the Bible for myself and see what kind of deity I'm worshipping. I question my perception of God more now that I'm not locked into a rigid form of worship, but I strongly feel that what God looks for is heart motivation and that our best is good enough.

And if I'm wrong, well, I'm used to Texas summers so I'll just get myself a big ol' glass of iced tea and sweat out the hereafter.

Nina

Frannie Banannie

Yes, but I cancelled that "contract" in favor of one wherein I could be served. Works for me.

Frannie B

zen nudist

Guilty...with one reservation.... I always gave myself the out that if this ever turned out to be other than what I thought it was, I was out of there.... I never pretended to KNOW it was THE TRUTH, only BELIEVED it as everything I knew at the time pointed that way via a series of crafty if, then logical arguements JWs assembled.

The marriage was not legal, the shot gun was not loaded.

unbeliever

My question is, how many of you actually "approached Jehovah in prayer" before you got baptized?

I once came thisclose to getting baptized. It was during a very bad time in my life. I remember looking up at the sky and telling myself I don't believe in you and by the off chance you do exist I think you suck. The only reason I was doing it was to please my mom. I would not say I prayed to "Jehovah" that day but I decided then and there I was not going to get baptized ever in any religion.

Euphemism

I did dedicate my life to Jehovah and got baptized at the precocious age of 9. I never felt like it was slavery, though, just that I was showing God that I wanted to be good and live the way He wanted me to.

Ditto here (at the age of 8). I didn't really have a concept of what I was giving up. I just felt that dedication to God was what any good person would do.

crownboy

Wow Euphemism, it's amazing how good your memory is from 94 years ago . But I did feel exactly the way you did (aged 12); I figured that it was simply what any good person would do, and obviously I had no real concept of what I was giving up. I don't recall having a "dedicate your life to God" prayer either.

Euphemism

Wow Euphemism, it's amazing how good your memory is from 94 years ago

Hey, you know what they say, it's the short-term memory that goes first...

Did You Dedicate Your Life to Serving Jehovah?

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