Baptism

ConcernedMom

What is the usual age for someone raised as a JW to be baptised? Is the belief that you must be a BAPTISED JW to survive Armageddon?

L_A_Big_Dawg

I have seen ages range from 9 - 17.

The issue of Armeggedon survival, and baptism are linked to the Arminian doctrine of "the age of accountability."

This "age" is differrent form person to person, but is generally right around the early to mid teens. Any teen that postpones this, is usually viewed as "bad association."

LABD, of the baptized at 15, class

While I have seen some as young as 9 and heard of some as young as 6 (in Chicago), 13 to 16 is about the average range. If they get to be 17 or older the elders and parents start putting pressure on them to get baptized before they are old enough to leave home and get out from under parental control.

Blondie

Bubbamar

I was baptized at 13 and that was WAY too young. It is a major life decision - one that should not be made until a person is able to make other, equally significant decisions. The reason that it is significant in the JW religion is the ramifications of that decision. If a baptized person ever changes their mind about the religion they are disfellowshipped and other members are not allowed to speak to them....including family members.

IMO its no different than allowing a 13 year old to get married. We can be sure that, given time, the mind of a 13 year might change. That's a given considering their developmental stage. They should not later be punished for a bad decision and have to live with it for the rest of their lives - especially when they have older, wiser parents to help them avoid making irreversible decisions.

This obviously is not the answer you will get from the WTBTS - just my personal experiences and opinions.

The rock

Excuse my ignorance folks but if you are not baptised does that mean you cannot be disfellowshipped

take care

blondie

If you are not baptized, you cannot be disfellowshipped, but that does not mean you cannot be "marked" and "shunned" by family and friends in the WTS.

L_A_Big_Dawg

I'm not sure if this has changed or not. But unbaptized ones could be "marked" as bad association. This would usually be done from the platform during the service meeting. I only saw this happen once with the g/f of the TMSO's son, that was "worldly."

He turned himself in after they helped me move to California back in 1986. She eventually studied with my mom, and was baptized. The last I heard neither was active.

LABD

heathen

According to the idiot I studied with , as long as you believe the WTBTS is the truth and are actively persuing baptism , should armageddon happen you would be saved . Funny how jesus said that being born again was essential to salvation . The apostles did not wait to fully indoctrinate early christians before they baptized them , it was one of the first things they did .

RandomTask

I got baptized at 16 and was among the oldest to do so in my cong. Definitely was feeling the pressure.

Obviously Secret

ya baptism is kind of weird. Oh well. I would love to be baptised actually. Only thing that gets me is the strings attatched with it at the congregations. I will probably just suck it up for life and be a goody goody but I mean It's between the person and God not a bunch of other people. I even see other people outside of JW's pushing out baptism like crazy oh well.

Baptism

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