THE BAPTISM VOW SINCE 1985 From 1985 onward the Watchtower Society over Jehovah's Witnesses ordered its appointed Elders to no longer tell the baptized person that s/he was baptized "in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit," but rather that s/he was being baptized in the name of Jehovah, Christ and Jehovah's "Spirit-directed organization."  In other words they have changed the words of baptism that are given in the scriptures. The words "Spirit-directed organization" are clearly out of line with what the scripture says just as also is the Watchtower dropping the use of "Father" to instead use the formal name Jehovah.  The way the baptism is worded puts more emphasis since 1985 on members' switching from obedience to their own conscience, Christ or His Father, to having to show obedience to the Watchtower organization.  Another point is that Watchtower condemns child baptism by other religious groups, and yet Watchtower baptises Jehovah's Witness children.  In fact, due to declining memberships in the English-speaking congregations in the United States, they greatly encourage (some would say pressure) young people to get baptized.  Once baptized it is much tougher for a person to later extracate him/herself due to the rigid, harsh shunning (called disfellowshipping) that Watchtower applies. Now please click the link below to learn from what the following video presents.  It was written by one or more persons who are still active JWs, meaning they are underground or "of the conscience class." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l8ELIQEdZE&feature=related

DOCUMENTS SHOWING WHY WATCHTOWER RE-WORDED ITS BAPTISM VOW IN 1985 Marvin Shilmer has supplied the following three items along with an enlightening explanation, namely this: “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.” Shilmer does not explain any further ramifications but here is another point.  Namely, from 1985 on any person who became baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness made him/herself subject to anything that Watchtower has legally proclaimed to be its perogative.  Watchtower basically owns that person, even to the extent that s/he gave up the right to privacy since Watchtower has stated and routinely asserts its right to police its Jehovah’s Witness members.  A baptized Jehovah’s Witness can argument in court if s/he wants that s/he never had such intention, but then Watchtower can argument that the person definitely did. If for example one of Watchtower’s Governing Body members has some of the Elders on the Internet Technology staff to spy on what is inside the Facebook and MySpace accounts of baptized Jehovah’s Witnesses, then Watchtower can make the claim that in its policies it states that the person by becoming a Jehovah’s Witness the persons gave up their right to privacy. Does this sound “weird” and “just too incredible”?  Of course it does, but that’s how cults are.  No normal person or organization would even dare to try such a stunt, but remember that Watchtower is an organization that shelters and hides within it so-called “repentant” pedophiles, murderers, thieves, etc.  If you remember that pedophile protection goes on and Watchtower wants its image protected above all, then you can far more easily believe it. Marvin Shilmer’s website: http://marvinshilmer.blogspot.com/2011/08/watchtower-lawyer-fills-in-baptism.html

EXHIBIT 1.A. Notice the underlined parts in Watchtower's letter back to a person wanting to see the file Watchtower keeps on him/her as well as all Jehovah's Witnesses.--Again, these items are courtesy of Marvin Shilmer.

EXHIBIT 2.A.