I had heard of accounts of young baptisms, but I figured it was the exception rather than the rule. Now I wonder, after viewing the models of youth paraded at the last assembly. I took note of the ages and age of baptism of the five young men (no girls this time) who were interviewed as models of JW youth at this last week's assembly.
Young JP is thirteen years old. He enjoys giving a positive witness at school by explaining to his classmates why he does not celebrate Christmas. He finds his simple answers in the Reasoning book. He resisted joining a sports team.
KN is also thirteen years old. He was baptized when he was nine. He has a Return Visit lined up with his grade four teacher. He did not involve himself in sports.
CN was baptized at fifteen and has been a Ministerial Servant since he was eighteen. His "worldly" uncle offered to pay for the equipment if he would like to join any sport he was interested in. CN says he was a powerful witness to his Uncle, because his uncle came to understan that he stood forth on his own (not from parental pressure). CN said it was hard to avoid nice people, but he had to remember it could put him in situations where he would have unnecessary association with them.
Young ZK has been out in field service with his dad since he was an infant. He says he does not miss sports because his mom and dad arrange lots of fun things for them to do at home.
I noticed the older teens were goofing off in packs up in the balcony area. I was relieved so see them. With so few outlets for advancement, I imagine it would be very tempting for a mother to live vicariously through her son. "My son the Bethelite.", "My son the Ministerial Servant", "My son married the CO's daughter", "My son was baptized at XXX." All of these model young men were snagged young. Does this creep you out too?
it probably is the only way for the borg to keep existing: when you take them young, you can form them, when you keep them away from normal other young ones, you probably can keep them as well....
What surprised me was that you obviously did go to a meeting and did'nt fall asleep while beeing there....
I bring lots of distractions, Country_Woman. Besides, I enjoy people-watching. I am a little sorry I was too distracted to check out the demographics of the baptismal group this time.
..so, what percentage of Witness kids get baptized before they are eighteen?
CN said it was hard to avoid nice people, but he had to remember it could put him in situations where he would have unnecessary association with them.
Yes, God forbid they associate with "nice people". These kids are going to grow up to be social misfits. I hope they wise up later in life and make some real friends. I know I'm a little bitter because I didn't get to play sports while in school. Thank goodness my mom let me have some "worldly" friends.
If I was a newly interested one at this assemlby, I would think that the witnesses think they are too good to associate with us lowly non-JW's. Oh wait, that is what they think. I would have run screaming out of that assemlby hall.
CN says he was a powerful witness to his Uncle, because his uncle came to understan that he stood forth on his own (not from parental pressure).
Actually, his uncle became enraged internally, because he could see how his own brother had been brainwashed and was doing the same to his entire family. The uncle then went home and cried; he knew he had lost his brother to a cult.
MZSweetz, welcome to the forum. The reason most here have a problem with the JW's and this thread if you read the title in particular is that they don't allow children to have normal activities which help them grow and mature socially in a normal way. Most here feel the WBTS is a high control religion that has undue influence over its member's lives, much more so that most other religions.
And many here are quite happy to be apostates, or non believers, it is not a badge of shame as you seem to indicate.
Stick around for a while and you'll get a little more of an idea of why people feel the way they do about the WBTS.
