A freaky discovery and a discussion of children being baptized

[aimeeandbeatles]

This kind of freaks me out. A week or two ago I was cleaning up and amongst some other papers, I found a baptism certificate, saying that I'm actually Catholic. Nobody ever told me about it.

Has this ever happened to anyone else, and should people be told if they were baptized or not? And should children be baptized by their parents before they're old enough to make their own decisions?

 

[RedRalph]

No, they shouldnt be. My family suspects one of my nephews may have been baptised behind our backs by his Catholic grand parents, but we cant know for sure

 

[LordRahl]

1. And should children be baptized by their parents before they're old enough to make their own decisions?

Yes - because you don't want to end up in Limbo if you died before you reached the appropriate age. The Sacrament of Confirmation, is when you reaffirm your faith as a teen.

 

[Miles Teg]

Child baptism is a touchy issue. In general, since it's a non-binding compact, I tend to think people should live and let live about the issue. With that said, I've got quite a few Southern Baptists in the family, who insist that you should wait until the child is old enough to make a decision. In some cases, "old enough", is "while in kindergarten". That strikes me as hypocritical.

 

[Red Door]

Are people insulted when they found out they were baptized as a child?

I could care less, regardless of religious preferences.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I'm not insulted, just freaked out.

 

[Shekwan]

I don't think its a big deal. Its just an excuse for the extended family to have a party, not much religion involved in the whole thing.

Confirmation is the more important part. Its only then you become a member of the Church. I'm baptised but not confirmed.

 

[Phlegmak]

Here's a discovery for you: that baptismal water might be very dirty!

 

[Defiant47]

You have nothing to lose:
If you believe in that religion and you were baptized, all's good.
If you do not believe in the religion (i.e. atheist), then it's just a harmless and pointless ritual that achieves nothing and affects no-one.

I was baptized and I really don't care. I am what my beliefs are (i.e. atheist), not what rituals were committed upon me when I was a child.

 

[Gooblah]

I would find it weird if I was baptized and noone told me, yes, but I'm not sure it would be THAT big a deal. For most Catholics I know, the baptism of their kid was just an excuse to have a party, while confirmation was a much bigger deal.

Also, you'd better hope that cardinal washed his hands before blessing the holy water .

 

[El_Machinae]

Baptising them early raises the possibility of them becoming apostate as adults. There are many places in the world that you don't want to be apostate.

 

[Speedo]

What child baptism means depends on the denomination. IIRC catholics believe it's necessary so that the child doesn't get stuck in purgatory if it dies, or something like that. In the Methodist church children are typically baptised but it's more of a commitment by the people of the church to the kid and doesn't make them a church member or imply salvation or anything.

I've got quite a few Southern Baptists in the family, who insist that you should wait until the child is old enough to make a decision. In some cases, "old enough", is "while in kindergarten". That strikes me as hypocritical.

I had a sunday school teacher when I was in high school that would go on and on (and on) about how much her little kid loved Jesus so much that "accepted Jesus" when he was 4 years old. I really just wanted to slap her.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Baptising them early raises the possibility of them becoming apostate as adults. There are many places in the world that you don't want to be apostate.

Well, depends on the religion from which you are apostate. But yeah, that is a potential concern.

 

[woody60707]

Why do you care? It's not even real.

 

[Earthling]

Yeah, the only situation I can see where this would be a problem would be if you later converted to a quite different faith (say, Islam) and believed that your baptism as a child in a different faith was somehow detrimental to your new faith. After all, if you believe it's all mumbo-jumbo, it shouldn't really matter. What I imagine could piss someone off helluva lot more would be being circumcised as a child rather than by choice, though I suppose that's a separate thread...Incidentally, a lot of the Christians I know are of the Baptist type and so weren't baptised as young children; I have no personal comments on the latter.

 

[emzie]

Why do you care? It's not even real.

More or less this. I was baptized Presbyterian. If that some how made me an apostate, *shrug*

 

[Flying Pig]

1. And should children be baptized by their parents before they're old enough to make their own decisions?

Yes - because you don't want to end up in Limbo if you died before you reached the appropriate age. The Sacrament of Confirmation, is when you reaffirm your faith as a teen.

This is serious? If your parents aren't holy enough you get damned?

 

[Earthling]

That's not what he was saying... but yes, I believe that is pretty much the correct/historical theology, at least for Catholics and other groups - an "innocent" baby is still stained with original sin and everything, so while it's the parents/family's "fault" for not getting it baptized, it still suffers in the afterlife.

 

[LordRahl]

This is serious? If your parents aren't holy enough you get damned?

Pretty much the story of Christianity. Look up the Original Sin...

I was born and raised a Catholic - including Babtism, and Confirmation, and whatever else goes in between, including a Catholic High School. It was around that time that I finally saw the light, and became an Atheist...

 

[Flying Pig]

I don't believe in giving kids a religion. Let them decide when they're old enough.