Can you annul an underage baptism?

Question

I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness and pressured into baptism at 13. I would not have made this choice as an adult. Officially disassociating myself would cause me to be disfellowshipped as an apostate or opposer of Jehovah's Witnesses. This would mean that any family and friends still practicing the religion would no longer be able to associate with me or they would be subject to being disfellowshipped as well. I am in no way opposed to their religion. If I had made the decision as an adult to become baptised I would accept the consequences of retracting my decision. As a child, I was allowed and even encouraged to make a weighty and serious decision regarding my future. In no way was I mature enough to have grasped the gravity of my decision at that age. I now stand to lose contact with my family for taking steps to liberate myself from the religion. Are there any legal precedents regarding this matter? Can a baptism be annulled?

Answer 1

There's no need to annul it as it has no legal meaning.

Answer 2

I am a JW as well, and we're taught that Baptism is a VERY serious matter and step that you shouldn't take until YOU are ready. JWs get Baptised at varying ages, as long as they have a basic understanding of Bible truths. No one pressures them to get Baptised, and if they do, you should still make that choice on your own; not because someone told you that you should do it. I don't see how you can't associate with your family being that you disassociated yourself. Disassociation and disfellowshipping are two different things. If you disassociate yourself, you should still be able to speak with your family (I know a sister who is in the same position). But if you are disfellowshipped, that means that you've done something unscriptural and didn't repent. There are no legal precedents regarding the matter.

Answer 3

Kriky, that is a tight spot. I don't think there is a legal precedent, and asking the elders of your church is going to backfire. Can you leave the religion in any other way, like just stop going to meetings? If there is no other way, you are going to have to choose between your own beliefs and your family.

Answer 4

What difference could having been baptized make if you don't believe in it? I was christened as an infant, but who cares? It means nothing to me (I'm an atheist). Besides, no one under the age of majority can enter into a binding contract, if that makes you feel better.

Answer 5

No.

The pre-baptism procedures assure that the baptismal candidate understands what is going on, even if he secretly deceives everyone during the entire process (which takes months). Becoming baptized as a Jehovah's Witnesses is not a trivial step. At a minimum, a student must demonstrate months of regular meeting attendance and public ministry, then must himself express the desire to be baptized. The candidate then spends hours answering hundreds of bible questions wherein he expresses both a clear understanding and personal conviction regarding Jehovah's Witness teachings in at least three separate interviews with three different elders. The candidate must vocally agree to be baptized in front of hundreds or thousands of eyewitnesses, and must be publicly immersed in water. This is not a momentary emotional decision by an unreasoning child. Dedication as a Witness required hard work and determination at the time.

Of course, a person who deceitfully "qualified" for baptism and later repented of his deceit could conscientiously request and receive re-baptism (or more precisely, "a valid baptism").

Some Jehovah's Witnesses become inactive because they feel unable to continue preaching or certain other Christian obligations for a few months or even years. These are not counted in any JW statistics, but they are considered "brothers" and "sisters" by active Witnesses. Their standing is entirely different from those who are disfellowshipped or disassociated.


Jehovah's Witnesses practice the Scriptural practice of disfellowshipping for unrepentance of such serious sins as fornication, drug abuse, stealing, and apostasy. Baptized Witnesses who join the military or publicly engage in worship with another religion are considered to have disassociated themselves from Jehovah's Witnesses.

Contrary to the misinformation of anti-Witnesses, it is quite possible to become inactive in the JW religion without becoming disfellowshipped. As long as one's lifestyle does not bring reproach upon the congregation, and as long as one does not advocate one's disagreements with the religion, the congregation has no interest in "investigating", exposing, and disfellowshipping an inactive former Jehovah's Witness.

For those who are disfellowshipped or disassociated, a primary goal is to shock the person into recognizing the serious of their wrong so that they rejoin the congregation in pure worship. Since the primary bonds that are broken involve friendship and spiritual fellowship, it is well understood that family bonds remain intact. Parents, siblings, and grown children of disfellowshipped and disassociated ones sometimes choose to limit what they may feel is discouraging or "bad association" but that is a personal decision and is not required by their religion.

Former Witnesses who are disfellowshipped or disassociated are typically treated in accord with the Scriptural pattern explained in these Scriptures:

(1 Corinthians 5:11-13) Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. ...Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

(Titus 3:10) As for a man that promotes a sect, reject him after a first and a second admonition

(Romans 16:17) Now I exhort you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who cause divisions and occasions for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them.

(2 Thessalonians 3:6) Now we are giving you orders, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition you received from us.

(2 Thessalonians 3:14) But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked, stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed.

(2 John 10) If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him.

(Matthew 18:17) If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations


Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/19880415/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/19970101/article_01.htm

Answer 6

Ex-JW here, you can't annul it, you may have to deal with the consequences if you leave. They have you by the throat and there's not a whole lot you can do without consequences.

Answer 7

Baptism in the Holy Catholic church is the only baptism officially recognized. You can be baptized by a lowly church member (not even a priest!) and it will have more far-reaching effects than any other denominations' baptisms. And if you leave the church, no one in your family has to ignore you. They just raise their eyebrows and pray harder.

Answer 8

Just wanted to give you (((HUGS))). That sucks. This is precisely why I teach my child about ALL different religions and let him choose what he wants to believe in when he is an adult.