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Post by Why on Jun 18, 2006 18:33:37 GMT -5
Workers allow children to profess at an early age in some areas. yet postpone baptism for several years? Makes no sene why they cannot partake of the "emblems!"
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Post by Greg Lee unplugged on Jun 18, 2006 18:37:18 GMT -5
Workers allow children to profess at an early age in some areas. yet postpone baptism for several years? Makes no sene why they cannot partake of the "emblems!" Are you looking for replies? Are you just venting? Are you new here?
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Post by bowhunter on Jun 18, 2006 22:12:02 GMT -5
Workers allow children to profess at an early age in some areas. yet postpone baptism for several years? Makes no sene why they cannot partake of the "emblems!" Yes, and that is silly in my opinion-where is the restriction in scripture? Growing up in the 'way' I had the notion that I wasn't 'fully' saved until baptism-anyone else feel that way? (I professed at 14 and was dipped at 18)
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Post by Rob O on Jun 18, 2006 22:22:23 GMT -5
Yes, Bowhunter. Worse still, I didn't get baptised because I didn't believe I was worthy of it. It was not until I understood it and had left that I was baptised.
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Post by Erik on Jun 19, 2006 1:18:28 GMT -5
I'm not sure what is meant here: I professed at 13, was baptised at 14 and took the empblems from when I professed.
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Post by Greg Lee unplugged on Jun 19, 2006 1:26:17 GMT -5
I'm not sure what is meant here: I professed at 13, was baptised at 14 and took the empblems from when I professed. Erik, the first poster generalized and speaks from her/his experience. What they experienced is by no means all inclusive of the workers' converts. Your sole experience is not either.
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Post by jxr on Jun 19, 2006 7:38:01 GMT -5
Workers allow children to profess at an early age in some areas. yet postpone baptism for several years? Makes no sene why they cannot partake of the "emblems!" It makes no sense at all. If you are of sound mind enough to make the decision to profess to serve the Lord then I would have thought it appropriate to be baptised at the earliest convenience (i.e. the next convention, typically). Is this some trial period where you get to see if you like the concept before making the real commitment? Since such a commitment is supposed to analogue with betrothal and marriage, does any sorf of reverse analogue apply? Is it like casual dating is to engagement? Does that mean you it's acceptable to drink alcohol, watch TV, go to movies and all those other forbidden activities. before you get baptised?
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Post by mrleo on Jun 19, 2006 9:41:15 GMT -5
I don't think I would have appreciated the significance of the emblems when I professed (age 9)...and although I'm sure I had a greater appreciation/understanding of their significance when I was baptised (age 16), I chose to get baptised mostly from a feeling of "If not now, when?"--not wanting to be thought unwilling in comparison to friends and relatives of the same age or younger who were also getting baptised that year.
It's unfortunate that we can have this inner dialogue knowing we're doing the "right" things but not necessarily for the right reasons, and all the external positive reinforcement (group think) just sweeps those doubts under the rug.
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Brenda
Senior Member
Posts: 652
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Post by Brenda on Jun 19, 2006 21:52:47 GMT -5
I dont know-- I professed at 10-- most folks professed one year at convention and the next year at convention they got babtised. So I decided I wanted to be babtised (this was 1977 at Demorest GA) Some of the workers talked to my mom and my mom had to come to me and tell me they did not think I was ready. After that I did not get babtised until age 15.
I dont know what their criteria is-- I know I professed a few months after my oldest brother was killed in a car accident and I was having nightmares about dying-- I know I wanted to do the right thing at the time--
but I was only 11-- so I really dont have an answer
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Post by hi6 on Jun 20, 2006 16:42:58 GMT -5
I was baptised at convention one year after I professed. I remember a little bit about the baptism meeting after the night convention. I remember the overseer telling one little boy that he needed to wait awhile. The young man later left the fellowship. I can remember that little red haired boy feeling rejected. I wonder where he is today. I remember what happened to the children I used to play with during convention for that matter.
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Post by mrleo on Jun 20, 2006 21:12:25 GMT -5
Does anyone know, or is it even possible to research, the history of the "convention baptism meeting" and its protocol?
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Post by nonprofessing teen on Jun 20, 2006 22:33:14 GMT -5
I "professed" when i was 13......never was baptized......now im unprofessed............yay ;D
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Post by lilwolfmisty on Jun 21, 2006 1:03:06 GMT -5
I felt like I was bullied into being baptized about a year after I professed when I was about 20. I felt like I was bullied in the sense that the workers kept stressing that I would not go to heaven unless I was even tho I didn't feel ready so I always felt like it was not my choice but theirs. Now I am in a church that belives in baptism by the spirit.
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Post by justamom on Jun 21, 2006 1:08:01 GMT -5
I professed when I was 12... but didn't get baptised until I was 19... my mom told me that I had to get baptised before I got married.. ... I was getting married real soon.... so even though I didn't want to be baptised I went ahead and did it... because it was what was expected of me....
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Post by rjkee on Jun 21, 2006 2:29:47 GMT -5
Hi,
I professed at age 13 and was baptised a few months later. In the interval, I'd become totally disillusioned (among other things, in my innocence I thought I'd hear God speaking to me, as the workers claimed) and had become atheist. The workers were happy to baptise me, as in their judgement all was fine. At the same convention, they refused to baptise my cousin, as it she had been seen wearing trousers. Incidentally, they were not honest enough to give her this reason – she was told that she was too young, although they baptised other children of the same age. In my opinion, these two cases highlight how nonsensical it is for workers to apply their judgement to such issues.
Best regards
Robert
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Post by puzzled on Jun 21, 2006 2:57:52 GMT -5
If they didn't give the reason for refusing to baptise your cousin (trousers), how did you know? Or is it your guess that this was the reason?
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Post by rjkee on Jun 21, 2006 6:38:45 GMT -5
Hi,
We heard on the grapevine. Other 2x2 families that were 'close' to the workers were told.
Best regards
Robert
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Post by I remember on Jun 21, 2006 7:27:28 GMT -5
I remember people wanting me to make sure baptism was what I wanted as if I didnt know my own mind..surely more importantly would have been whether to profess or not. Maybe it was because I was so willful and worldy looking. Boisterous and prone to much laughter.
Shushy
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Post by puzzled on Jun 21, 2006 9:16:51 GMT -5
"heard on the grapevine".
Dont doubt the truth of that, but it makes me wonder how much is "heard on the grapevine", and what the reliability of the info is.
Much on this board is effectively "heard on the grapevine" (an electronic one), and I doubt much of its validity.
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Post by Begging on Jun 21, 2006 9:21:11 GMT -5
It makes no sense at all. If you are of sound mind enough to make the decision to profess to serve the Lord then I would have thought it appropriate to be baptised at the earliest convenience (i.e. the next convention, typically). This type of reasoning could be seen as petitio principii!
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Post by lilwolfmisty on Jun 21, 2006 11:34:59 GMT -5
Hi Shushy glad to see you here I agree with you that more emphasis should have been put on the decsion to profess in the first place such as a young peoples meeting about what professing meant etc... However I do remember attending a high pressure baptism sales type meeting for those who were making that step. It was more of a "if you don't buy into this you are going to hell meeting" Sure wish that I would have felt comfortable asking more questions.
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Post by Westsask on Jun 21, 2006 12:13:47 GMT -5
I was refused baptism by Dale Shultz because I had bought my fiance a diamond ring. He suggested that I should sell it and buy her a dishwasher instead!!( I am not making this up)
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Post by did u on Jun 21, 2006 12:21:04 GMT -5
I was refused baptism by Dale Shultz because I had bought my fiance a diamond ring. He suggested that I should sell it and buy her a dishwasher instead!!( I am not making this up) So did you, or is she still washing dishes by hand? ;D
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Post by Westsask on Jun 21, 2006 12:23:10 GMT -5
My wife was pressured into baptism at age 16, because there was an old lady who wanted to be baptised,(and conventions were over),and they needed more than one so she would not feel so alone!
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Post by Westsask on Jun 21, 2006 12:29:10 GMT -5
I was refused baptism by Dale Shultz because I had bought my fiance a diamond ring. He suggested that I should sell it and buy her a dishwasher instead!!( I am not making this up) So did you, or is she still washing dishes by hand? ;D No, but my wife did'nt wear it for 23 years, when we exited the 2x2 fellowship.
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Post by junia on Jun 21, 2006 12:35:43 GMT -5
I too remember the no diamond rule and the silly engagement watch 2x2 tradition. (At least in western Canada) I wish we'd have been gutsy enough at the time to go with an engagement ring instead of the traditional watch. Some workers used to refuse to attend a wedding if there were diamonds in the wedding ring! We bucked the trend on that one and had 3 diamonds in both of our rings. We even had worker approval wedding attendance. Now my wife likes to wear big flashy rings, and I always wear a ring on my right hand with a nice diamond too. In your face! ;D
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Post by lilwolfmisty on Jun 21, 2006 17:45:17 GMT -5
LOL Junia! I remember my grandma telling me that she only wore a single gold band, because that is the way the workers said. They were not to be flashy. Since my mom left she wears 3 rings, but still no pierceings, I don't pierce my ears, but I do wear necklaces, and 2 rings. I always thought it was silly, because I saw some professing women wear HUGE pins on their jackets and HUGE barrets in their hair! What is the difference in that and a nice cross haning from your neck? Anyway I think the dress requirements are very silly especially, because God looks at the inside. It is not and should not be about what we choose to wear. or how long we choose to grow our hair or not grow it!
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Post by BJ unlogged on Jun 21, 2006 19:45:22 GMT -5
Lol-- I got an engagement watch also==
still dont have my nice diamond ring-- too many other expenses with kids
as far as the dishwasher and the diamond ring-- take the ring and buy a dang dishwasher!! lol
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