Age of accountability

 I understand that for anyone not in the mormon faith I'm spouting off a lot of lingo that maybe not everyone understands and I'm sorry for that.  Maybe a lot of Googling is in your future, maybe I'll try and be more explanative in my writing.

In the faith it is expected that we have our children baptized at 8 years old.  It's referred to as the age of accountability.  So before 8 you've committed so many sins accidentally that you need to have them washed away via baptism and after 8 you're basically able to sin all the time knowingly.  Makes perfect sense...insert eyeroll again...

We also say a lot that our 8 year old children are CHOOSING to be baptized.  Ummm...no...just no!  My kids did not choose to be baptized.  There was so much pressure on me as a parent to have my kids baptized you can sure as heck count on the fact that I transferred that pressure to my 8 year old kids.  As soon as January 1st comes the year you are turning 8 the hype starts in our childrens organization, Primary.  There are parties (Great to be 8!!), lessons on Sundays, songs sung in primary, and don't forget the constant talk about it at home, all, year, long.  We buy special outfits for baptism day, maybe they get a new special towel to use when they leave the baptismal font, there are family gatherings and food and often times gifts.  No pressure (insert sarcasm) All your family is there and so excited about this big day it's no wonder kids "choose" to be baptized.  My older children have expressed to me that they didn't want to get baptized at 8 but they felt that even though I was calling it a choice they felt it really wasn't and to not be baptized they would be letting us down or even get into trouble.  I can honestly say that I don't know what I would have done if one of my kids had expressed that they didn't want to commit to the church at that age, odds are I would have doubled down on the indoctrination and maybe even forced them to be baptized.  As much as I don't like to admit that I was also indoctrinated  and thought I was doing the right thing.  

Not until my now 11 year old was turning 8 did I even take a pause and consider this whole thing to be ludicrous.  How can an 8 year old child be expected to make such a big and eternal commitment?  Sadly my pause still didn't stop me from having him baptized just before his 9th birthday.  Something I still regret. 

Now my youngest is turning 8 tomorrow and he will not be subjected to this ritual.  If he decides when he is older to join any religion it will be his own choice as a consenting adult with a full functioning brain!  

The church also teaches that those that are baptized and have made covenants with God are under greater responsibility to keep those covenants.  So 8 year olds are under more scrutiny from God because of their commitment to Him.  8 YEAR OLDS.  LDS doctrine also teaches that each male is required to serve a 2 year mission for the church when they are 18.  A mission that they pay for themselves and is very expensive.  They recently came out and said that you are required to serve (males only are required to serve) because you made the commitment when you were baptized, WHEN YOU WERE 8!!!!!!!!  I can't even commit to what I'm having for lunch today let alone commit to something 10 years into the future.  

As I'm typing this I'm cringing at the audacity of the mormon church to put that much pressure on families and tiny children.  

In order to join the church you literally just have to be 8, that is all.  In order to get out of the church you have to fill out forms and have them notarized and submit in writing and wait weeks for a response.  Seems totally fair.  Easy in hard to get out.  Sound like any other organization you've heard of Nexium, Jonestown, Branch Davidians, FLDS, Manson Family, Heavens Gate See where I'm going with this? Insert wide eye emoji and holy shit emoji! 

I really shouldn't fret about it too much since I honestly think the whole thing is made up and not true anyway.  Just now if we want to get out completely it's going to take some  money and a lot of time and research on my part.  Mormonism had it's hold on me for 42 years and I have a feeling it's going to take a lot more than a few months to shake it off.