Baptism meeting with father

seven-day-weekend

arbroath_lass wrote: »

Perhaps it is because I actually respect what the baptism represents. It is not a meaningless thing to me. It is deeply spiritual, a commitment, it should be done only when a person can choose it for themselves.

I WAS forced into a baptism I did not and do not want. If, at some point in my life, I became Christian, I'd want baptised then. When it meant something.

I understand that. I agree that it should be in response to a commitment the person has made themselves. However I also think that those who believe in christening babies would say that the confirmation at about age 12 is when they do that.

I was christened as a baby, despite my parents being atheist, because it was a condition of my adoption. However, it never meant anything to me, I did not confirm it. When I became a Christian at age 30, I wanted to make my own public commitment and was baptised by full immersion.

If at any point you decided you wanted to be a Christian you could either get confirmed or have Believers' Baptism. It could still have meaning for you, like it did for me.

cazziebo

I belong to a church where everyone is welcomed. Baptism is a sign of welcoming children into the church family, and if that's the only interaction the parents and the child have with us, then we want to make it as good (and non judgemental!) as possible.

If the child no longer wants to continue in the church then that's up to them, or their parents to decide. However, how can children make up their mind "when they're older" if they have had no information or exposure or religion at all?

Both my children were baptised and attended regularly ( I was a Sunday School teacher, they had no choice!). The eldest still attends albeit not very regularly, the younger doesn't go at all. I don't think either have been traumatised by their church experiences - quite the opposite.

Hope your baptism goes splendidly, OP!

Billie-S

I am a practising Christian and think that EVERY baby should be baptised But I am biased of course.

Then of course, some atheists and some people who were dragged to Church every Sunday, don't want their children to be baptised, Ergo, they won't want to have them baptised.

I guess there is no right or wrong.

All that said, I agree with what some have said, that the OP has gotten some pretty negative and harsh responses.

Mojisola

Billie-S wrote: »

I am a practising Christian and think that EVERY baby should be baptised But I am biased of course.

Can you explain why? If the child isn't going to be brought to church services by the parents, why is baptism a good thing?

notanewuser

cazziebo wrote: »

If the child no longer wants to continue in the church then that's up to them, or their parents to decide. However, how can children make up their mind "when they're older" if they have had no information or exposure or religion at all?

So many issues with this. Firstly a 3 month old child can't make up their own mind.

Secondly, if the only time they ever visit church is for their baptism as a small baby (say) then they've still had no actual exposure, have they?!

Thirdly, the vast majority of children are (unnecessarily) exposed to christianity thanks to the (abomination that is the) Education Act 1944 which requires that they take part in a "daily act of christian worship" while at school. This is in addition to religious education, which forms part of the national curriculum.

Choosing to baptise a baby doesn't give them any additional choice of faith or not. There is no tangible advantage that I'm aware of.

I'm now wondering whether there's any way to formally remove myself from whatever register there is that records my own baptism.

Torry_Quine

Mojisola wrote: »

And I know people who have done the same and their faith is a major part of their lives.

What I can't understand is wanting to get married in a church if you don't have any belief in the faith or wanting to baptise your children if you haven't taken that step yourself.

I can understand parents whose faith teaches them that you can't go to heaven unless you're baptised having their children baptised - they wouldn't be doing their job as parents (as they see it) if they didn't "protect" their children's souls through the sacrament.

I have to agree that that being married in church or having your child christened when you don't believe seems a strange thing to do and some sections of the church are complicit is this.

I'm not aware that some people are still taught that you have a child baptised to ensure they would be accepted into heaven. My church (which doesn't christen children anyway) teaches that all children will go to heaven.

Billie-S wrote: »

I am a practising Christian and think that EVERY baby should be baptised But I am biased of course.

Then of course, some atheists and some people who were dragged to Church every Sunday, don't want their children to be baptised, Ergo, they won't want to have them baptised.

I guess there is no right or wrong.

All that said, I agree with what some have said, that the OP has gotten some pretty negative and harsh responses.

I am a Christian and disagree that all children should be christened. I think that no child should be christened but when they are old enough can make the decision themself.

notanewuser wrote: »

So many issues with this. Firstly a 3 month old child can't make up their own mind.

Secondly, if the only time they ever visit church is for their baptism as a small baby (say) then they've still had no actual exposure, have they?!

Thirdly, the vast majority of children are (unnecessarily) exposed to christianity thanks to the (abomination that is the) Education Act 1944 which requires that they take part in a "daily act of christian worship" while at school. This is in addition to religious education, which forms part of the national curriculum.

Choosing to baptise a baby doesn't give them any additional choice of faith or not. There is no tangible advantage that I'm aware of.

I'm now wondering whether there's any way to formally remove myself from whatever register there is that records my own baptism.

The register records what happened so you can't remove a name as it's saying it didn't happen. As you don't believe then it's just one of the things that happened in your childhood which your parent(s) did. It really shouldn't matter. Parents bring up children in the way they think best but that doesn't mean we will agree with all they did.

cazziebo

notanewuser wrote: »

So many issues with this. Firstly a 3 month old child can't make up their own mind.

Apologies if my post wasn't clear. I'm not saying that children make up their own mind. I don't see baptism as about that. It's about the church members welcoming new life.

Secondly, if the only time they ever visit church is for their baptism as a small baby (say) then they've still had no actual exposure, have they?!

They will have the link, and hopefully the family and guests will have had a good experience

Thirdly, the vast majority of children are (unnecessarily) exposed to christianity thanks to the (abomination that is the) Education Act 1944 which requires that they take part in a "daily act of christian worship" while at school. This is in addition to religious education, which forms part of the national curriculum.

I don't have an issue with this. You do. We're all different

Choosing to baptise a baby doesn't give them any additional choice of faith or not. There is no tangible advantage that I'm aware of.

I'm now wondering whether there's any way to formally remove myself from whatever register there is that records my own baptismWhy does it bother you so much? If you don't care, why does it matter?.

Responses in blue

arbroath_lass

cazziebo wrote: »

Responses in blue

Why is baptism so important to you that you believe your views are more important than mine?


No-one should have the right to take away MY right to choose for myself.

missbiggles1

notanewuser wrote: »

Another thought. Much is made of the census nowadays, and how much of the UK population defines themselves as "Christian" or otherwise. I'm convinced that many people that were baptised as babies or children would tick that box despite not actually having that faith, because they think that they've been officially registered as Christian, IYSWIM. Those figures inform some public policy, so there is a greater impact on the rest of us than there should be.

I doubt very much that anybody defines themselves as Christian just because they were baptised as babies! Your prejudice and lack of tolerance is affecting the way you see things, I'm afraid.

missbiggles1

arbroath_lass wrote: »

Why is baptism so important to you that you believe your views are more important than mine?


No-one should have the right to take away MY right to choose for myself.

Who has taken away your right to define yourself as pagan?