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The Watchtower organization does not let its appointed officials baptize individuals unless they have first submitted to question-and-answer sessions addressing a range of doctrinal topics. But there is one detail not found anywhere in these sessions, and it is a detail with legal consequences in the United States.
Under Watchtower doctrine an individual has united themselves to the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses as a member at the moment of baptism. Under U.S. law at this moment the individual becomes legally bound to whatever internal governing is established by the Church.
This legal binding is not something Watchtower discloses to baptismal candidates. But after baptism when a person requests something like copies of correspondence about their person, then Watchtower has its lawyers explain the legal position the individual has placed themselves by baptism. Then Watchtower goes on to deny their request. Here is an example of such a notification[1]:
The Watchtower organization does not let its appointed officials baptize individuals unless they have first submitted to question-and-answer sessions addressing a range of doctrinal topics. But there is one detail not found anywhere in these sessions, and it is a detail with legal consequences in the United States.
Under Watchtower doctrine an individual has united themselves to the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses as a member at the moment of baptism. Under U.S. law at this moment the individual becomes legally bound to whatever internal governing is established by the Church.
This legal binding is not something Watchtower discloses to baptismal candidates. But after baptism when a person requests something like copies of correspondence about their person, then Watchtower has its lawyers explain the legal position the individual has placed themselves by baptism. Then Watchtower goes on to deny their request. Here is an example of such a notification[1]:
Marvin Shilmer
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References
1. Letter from Watchtower lawyer, dated February 16, 1996.
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