Can a 13 year child be spiritually held accountable?

Question

I was a Jehovah'w Witness. When I was 13 years old I got baptized. My older brother did not get baptized. At an older age, I decided that the Jw's were a cult and disassosciated myself.

The result of my disassosciation, was the loss of any contact what so ever with my family....My brother, can have contact.

Question: If Baptism is the deciding factor of disfellowshipping, Do the Jehovah'w Witnesses having any business allowing children to make that kind of dedication.

In a previous question Auchting Heiss points out that a 13 year old lesbian is not old enough to know her own future or mind.....

Marooned on earth...LOL

sorry to all...no spell check except for posted question...I am hopelessly lysdexic..

edit: Jesus was 30 when he got baptized.

Auchting Heiss...so let me get your answers straight: at 13 a child can not be sure that she is gay, but the same 13 year old can make a lifelong dedication knowing full well the impact of her decision. according to you. YOur flawed thinking is hanging out, in a big way!

at 13 you can not even get a library card without a parents signature.

Seasoned with salt...I am sick of your snotty comments..good by to you.

Seasonedwithsalt...there is hope for you, you are about the age when I realsied that all that I thought to be truth was in fact false.

seasoned with salt...I appreciate you changing your answer...thank you, but, I can not change my response, so I look like an idiot...LOL...Like we discussed this morning...both of us were a little cranky lastnight.

Answer 1

The Watchtower encourages children raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses to be baptised as minors. Even a pre-teenage child can get baptised and for the remainder of their life be subject to the principle of being disfellowshipped.

Watchtower 1992 March 1 p.27 “In the summer of 1946, I was baptized at the international convention in Cleveland, Ohio. Although I was only six years of age, I was determined to fulfill my dedication to Jehovah. That summer I served as a pioneer for the first time.”

A JW child can be disfellowshipped.

Pay Attention to Yourself and to All the Flock p.98 “When a baptized minor becomes involved in wrongdoing that threatens the cleanness of the congregation, the assigned committee should meet with such individual just as they would with any other member of the congregation.”

Baptism as a Jehovah’s Witness is a binding verbal contract with the Watchtower Society and as such baptising minors is wrong both legally and scripturally. Never is the baptism of a minor mentioned in the Bible. Jesus was not baptised until he was 30 and Jews felt a person became an adult at 30. When Cornelius and his family were baptised it does not state that any non adults were baptised and there is no scriptural evidence of any children or teenagers ever being baptised.

A child’s knowledge and ideas change dramatically between the teens and twenties, and for this reason the law protects the rights of minors. A minor is usually not permitted by law to enter contracts, drink, vote, join the army or marry. These start becoming legally available between the ages of 16 to 21. The brain does not fully develop until 25. ‘What’s in your mind’ National Geographic (Australian Edition) March 2005 states;

“The last area of the brain to reach maturity is the prefrontal cortex, where the so-called executive brain resides – where we make social judgements, weigh alternatives, plan for the future, and hold our behaviour in check. ”The executive brain doesn’t hit adult levels until the age of 25,” says Jay Giedd of the national Institute of Mental Health, on of the lead scientists on the neuroimaging studies. “At puberty, you have adult passions, sex drive, energy, and emotion, but the reining in doesn’t happen until much later.” It is no wonder, perhaps, that teenagers seem to lack good judgement or the ability to restrain impulse. “We can vote at 18,” says Giedd, “and drive a car. But you can’t rent a car until you’re 25.”

When a person baptised as a minor chooses they no longer wish to be known as a Jehovah’s Witness they are regularly disfellowshipped. Once this happens that teenager may not associate freely with family or friends for the remainder of their life!

Answer 2

I would think that it depends on the individual. Some 13 year-olds are mature and well-adjusted, thinking like adults. While some people are still immature at 40.

Jehovah's Witnesses are cautioned over and over that baptism is a serious step, as it should be, and not to be entered lightly. Everyone that is baptized knows full well what it means and what could result if they do not live up to their dedication.

The elders attempt, with the use of many questions, to ascertain the spiritual maturity of the baptismal candidate. If it is found that they do not posses the maturity to take this important step, they are advised to wait a while before choosing to be baptized.

The girl you are referring to claims that she is not baptized.

I was baptized at 11, and the 12 years since then have done nothing to convince me that I made the wrong decision.

Answer 3

Our laws about when you are legally an adult are confusing enough, without figuring in religious rules. Personally, I think 13 is too young to be held accountable for anything really serious, but you know it is traditional for Jews to be considered adults at 13. I think the world was enough less complicated in those days, and people were prepared to take adult responsibility earlier as a result.

I really cannot comment on the rules of Jehovah's Witnesses without getting asterisked or committing a violation of Community Guidelines. I have had a variety of issues with them since my own adolescence, which was a very, very long time ago.

Answer 4

40 years

Moses was 40 when he left and was taught about God Almighty.

The 12 tribes of adults were in the wilderness 40 years.

40 is the probationary period for the spiritual condition and immaturity of error. Jesus was given 40 days and nights to battle Satan's temptations.

Ishmael was 13 at the time of his circumcision. Many errors have been made about 13 being the "time and age" of accountability. The tribe of Judah errors in many ways. Christians should not follow the example of man made laws imposed by the rabbinical pharisees.

13 year olds have a lot of growing to do. Many of them are just learning that the world is bigger than their grade school and the local mall.

Many people are given the first forty then - GOD - steps in and says; "You have had 40 years now it is time to grow up and be My servant". - not everyone though - just some!

; )

-C

Answer 5

Just because the law holds a thirteen year old accountable is ridiculous. Of course, disciplinary action should be taken accordingly. Since Christ was baptized at that age for profetic purposes it seems clear that his age meant a age of real maturity *not* barely hitting puberty. Because trust me your mind changes almost drastically every five to six years. True, cultivating a relationship with god shouldnt be something scary but the people that surround you make it terrifying, its people. Thirteen in my opinion and sorry to say its only my opinion should really really think hard about getting baptized.

Answer 6

It really depends on the 13 year old. Some mature a lot faster than others. Please understnad that I am not talking about what happens in a Kingdom Hall because I have never set foot in one. I am talking about what happens in the historical Christian church of whatever flavour(Baptist, Alliance, Mennonite, Pentecostal etc.) Some may be accountable at that age and not need to rededicate their lives later in life. Others report "following the herd" and getting baptized about that age because it is the "done thing".

Answer 7

I believe that the Bible says that when a child is at the age of moral awareness they are responsible for themselves. Water baptizm is symbolic of the new life in a born again Christian, in which the person makes their own decision on being water baptized. The JW's are a cult and should not force anyone to be water baptized. A 13 year old I would think is definatly passed the age of moral comprehension.

Answer 8

Making a spiritual decision is something that is based on reasoning ability not age. Consider, the Bible tells us of a young person, around that age, who faithfully decided to serve God. Still other's did not begin serving Jehovah till much later in their lives. When someone decides to become a dedicated Witness, they willingly show their desire to serve Him. A question that is raised on here is about the questions asked before someone is baptised. Some on here have said how asking so many questions is wrong, that if someone wants to be a Witness there shouldn't be so many questions, however, to publicly symbolise their dedication is a big decision, not to be taken lightly. If at 13 someone is able to show their determination, there is No reason for them to not be responsible for this matter.

As for sexual feelings, that is a hormonal matter. Some youths don't even begin puberty till after 13, so it is hard to say what someone feels sexually till after this period of turmoil.

Answer 9

No children shouldn't be allowed to commit themselves like that its as simple as that.As for JW's being a cult I dont know about that I have a friend who is a Jehovahs Witness hes one of the nicest people I know because his family raised him to abide by strict christian morals but you can tell hes been brainwashed a bit because he thinks anything JW's say is true(to the point he'd rather die than get a blood transplant,he wont allow himself any celebration apparently Easter christmas and birthdays are pagan festivals, and he now thinks he knows the exact number of people going to heaven because of something vague in the book of revelations) ,he was only 13 when I met him hes alot older now and hes been a JW all his life so they have had a long time to influence him.
Like I said before hes a really nice guy because of his religion ,he has no problem with other religions or non JW's ,he just agrees with his religion and dislikes it when people say JW's are a cult. So I think your wrong to say JW's are a cult in the first place I do however think your family are being very extremist even for JW's.

Edit:Its kind of obvious achtung heiss deserves best answer
but Id like to say to 8 ball and the like who have resorted to saying teens are dumb that Im a teenager and my IQ's probably higher than his/hers and if its not I know plenty of young teens whose IQ's will be.

Answer 10

Absolutely a 13 yr old is spiritually responsible. However, that depends on the parents. If a parent teaches immoral or illegal behavior to a child, at 13 they are not wise enough to know that they were taught wrong, but then they may not be that wise at 30. But a child raised in a loving home where the parents are responsible enough to teach the kids to know their own minds is wise enough to know what is right and wrong and the moment they know that difference they are held accountable by God.