2007-09-08 14:30:53 · 6 answers · asked by ~testube Jebus~ 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No, that seems unlikely. Jehovah's Witnesses do not want anyone to get baptized even one moment before he is ready (and qualified).
Becoming baptized as a member of the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses is not a trivial step. Generally, 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 requires hard work and determination.
Baptism has important spiritual meaning, related to one's relationship with God and Christ. Of course, a dedication can be made in one's heart, and of course a heart-felt dedication is more important than any half-hearted immersion in water.
(1 Peter 3:15,16) But sanctify the Christ as Lord in your hearts... Hold a good conscience
(Ephesians 3:17-19) Have the Christ dwell through your faith in your hearts with love; that you may be rooted and established on the foundation... and to know the love of the Christ
But (to be fair) Jehovah's Witnesses do believe the bible to teach that baptism is required for a person to demonstrate a complete repudiation of his former association with this "system of things", and thus be free from its "community bloodguilt" (see 'The Watchtower' 11/15/1995, pg 15-20). What degree of bloodguilt is tolerated by Jehovah? Jehovah's Witnesses prefer to stay well inside any margin of doubt. In any event, the typical JW student is moved by love (rather than duty) to eventually recognize baptism as necessary for himself personally.
(1 Peter 3:21) This is also now saving you, namely, baptism, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the request made to God for a good conscience,) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
It is perhaps noteworthy that an unbaptized person who follows the bible, associates with the congregation, and joins in their ministry is called "brother" or "sister", is considered "a believer", and may even be called a "Jehovah's Witness" all before he is baptized. However, he cannot be called "in the Lord" or "in the Christ" until he himself publicly declares himself so by valid water immersion (see 'The Watchtower' 7/1/2004, pg 30-31).
Naturally, Jehovah's Witnesses do not pretend that Jehovah cannot preserve alive anyone he wishes to preserve. Jehovah's Witnesses also have unlimited confidence in Jehovah's wisdom, love, justice, power, and mercy in selecting whom he will for eternal life. Certainly, Jehovah can read hearts.
(1 Samuel 16:7) Not the way man sees is the way God sees, because mere man sees what appears to the eyes; but as for Jehovah, he sees what the heart is.”
Learn more:
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/20000622/
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/20030301/
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/20020401/
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_14.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/dg/index.htm?article=article_11.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/lmn/index.htm?article=article_01.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_09.htm
2007-09-10 08:02:52 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I never got pressured to get baptized as a Jehovah's Witness's. We are free moral agents and we have a right to decide what religion we want to be a part of. Jehovah's Witnesses never pressure anyone. Jehovah's wants people to get baptized because they want to serve him and love him.
The only pressure I got was from my Family who are not witnesses. They said I had been brain washed and that I was joining a cult. My Mom disowned me for a while and most of my family stopped speaking to me.
They were just upset that I wouldn't be celebrating the holidays any longer.
I knew I had found the truth and nothing was going to hold me back from making my personal decision to serve Jehovah.
My Wife and I got baptized in Aug. 1996.
2007-09-10 15:10:56 · answer #2 · answered by Jason W 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. In my case I wanted to get baptized when I was 14. My parents told me I wasn't old enough to make that choice and to wait a while.
I have read where others claimed they were forced to get baptized but I have a hard time believing such claims.
Baptism
Definition: The word “baptize” comes from the Greek ba‧pti′zein, meaning “to dip, to plunge.” (A Greek-English Lexicon, by Liddell and Scott) Christian water baptism is an outward symbol that the one being baptized has made a complete, unreserved, and unconditional dedication through Jesus Christ to do the will of Jehovah God.
Anyone "forced" into baptism cannot have made such an unreserved dedication.
2007-09-09 11:10:15 · answer #3 · answered by NMB 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Baptized at 13...Last ditch effort to gain the favor of my parents and god.....
RE-baptized july 2005 as an adult, by choice, and one of the most blessed days of my life!
Re-Baptized as a Christian this time.
2007-09-08 23:11:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Two of my cousins and I were baptized catholics when we were babies. Later in our teenage years, a pair of mormons visited us constantly preaching their doctrine. Somehow we ended up getting baptized in their church even though we didn't truly believe in their religion. I think we just did it so they would stop hassling us, and you know what, eventually they did.
2007-09-08 21:45:24 · answer #5 · answered by juaritos 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
These things happen in all faiths, not just Jehovah's Witness,
2007-09-08 21:34:50 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋