16 to get a learners permit, 17 to get a license, 18 to buy cigarettes and lottery tickets, 18 to go to the army, 21 to buy alcoholic beverages. All these things have age restrictions. Why is it, then, that the church has no problem baptizing a feeble-minded 13, 14, or 15 year old kid, who could be doing it for the wrong reasons? No bible quotes please, just opinions.
2006-08-12 08:51:38 · 27 answers · asked by Federico 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think so, mainly because of the teenager years and peer pressure.
Jesus wasn't baptized until he is thirty.
2006-08-12 08:58:14 · answer #1 · answered by rangedog 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
yes and no...
yes but not that high of age. Definitely not have baby baptism since it's not even mentioned in the Bible.
no because I've been a Christian since I was 8. I was told when I was 12 that I was 12 turning on 21 because I was so mature. It should be up to the individual's church. I know 10 year olds that are deeper in their faith than some 20 year olds that I know. It should depend on you spiritual maturity and not your age. You could be 40 and get baptized for the wrong reasons. That's why I saw it should be up to the individual churches. The people there will know the spirituality of the individual that wants to be baptized. If the person's heart is in the right place, then they should be batized, no matter how old.
2006-08-12 08:54:57 · answer #2 · answered by Meg 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Who says they are feeble minded? Some kids are more mature than some adults will ever be. If the person being baptized, regardless of age, understands exactly what is happening and why they are being baptized, then it doesn't matter how old they are. I was ten and I fully understood what it was for. It's a personal thing, not a requirement to get into heaven. Just a public declaration of what you believe.
2006-08-12 08:59:12 · answer #3 · answered by Lil' Dog 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
back in the biblical days and still today in some countries at age twelve you are considered a man or woman and are groomed to be ready to take on "manly" or "womanly":(if that is a word) responsibilities. So up until age twelve these boys and girls are prepped and trained with the" rights and wrongs" of manhood/womanhood and aren't held accountable for their actions. I think that goes the same for being baptized your covered under the blood until you become accountable and you are supposed to have the word of God imparted in you from birth so that you will know right from wrong and are able to make the choice of which way you will decide to go. I mean as for the age restrictions and laws if they were not imposed we would have 9 years old drinking and driving and smoking cigarettes.
2006-08-12 09:08:02 · answer #4 · answered by divine diva 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Can I ask you how it could be used for the wrong reasons? Most people don't even know the reason they get baptized. That must mean pretty much every young teen is weak minded. I know quite a few that are more mature than adults. I also know a few adults that act like twelve year olds. Heck I'm probably more mature than you are for asking such a "feeble" question. How do you like my son's answer and he is one of the ages mentioned by you? I think he is very intelligent.
2006-08-12 09:46:52 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Religions should be free to give the sacrament of Baptism to whoever they want without interferance from the government. Different religions baptize at various ages because of the different beliefs. Catholics and Orthadox baptize infants. Why? Maybe because you have to be baptized (born again of the water) in order to get into heaven according to some Christian beliefs. If the child dies before they are baptized at an older age does the child get into heaven? What does the Bible say? My opinion is to let each religion make its own rules and if you're not that religion, stay out of it and worry about your own religion and change their rules if they bother you.
2006-08-12 09:07:11 · answer #6 · answered by Pop D 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Do you eben know what baptisim is? Its a religous practice to show others that you are a christian and that you are submiting to God`s ways. If you put an age restriction baptisim, thats like putting an age restriction on BEING a Christian! I was 3 when I first came to know the Lord as my Savior. I was 4 when I was Baptized and I am proud of it! As long as you understand thouroghly what it means, and you are a Christian, then you should be Baptized. And no, being Baptized twice will not make you cleaner spiritually.
2006-08-12 09:05:33 · answer #7 · answered by Zippidee-doo-dah 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I say yes due to the fact that babies are. They don't have a choice.
Although, I think 13 on up and sometimes younger is fine.
Example: my daughter who is 8 kept being pressured by our church to be baptized on Easter. That would be nice but she said she wasn't ready for that. I thought that was very mature and brave of her. She's saved and believes that Christ died for her sins, she just wants to wait till she can comprehend fully what a baptism is. She doesn't want to do it half hearted or because someone else wants her to. She's a great little girl and God teaches me a lot through her.
2006-08-12 09:00:17 · answer #8 · answered by Carey 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Someone asked this before,and I'll give the same answer. Once your at the age of reasoning and you understand what god has done and you want to become a disciple then you can be baptized.Thats why baptizing babies isnt right because their not at the age of reasoning.
2006-08-12 08:58:00 · answer #9 · answered by ReliableLogic 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Our church has the age of 8 as the age of accountability. This is the age when you should understand the basic right from wrong issues. Some people wait till they are on their death bed thinking they will then be fully clensed just before they die. This is far from the truth. You still have to account for your sins and attempt to fix whatever you can. How can you think back over 70 or 80 years of your life and remember everything you haven;t been forgiven for?
And then theres the ones that babtize infants. It's almost as if they want to nab them as part of their religion before they can make up their own mind.
2006-08-12 09:03:39 · answer #10 · answered by nooodle_ninja 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Children can truly have a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ no matter what age they are.
This reminds me of when the disciples were trying to keep the little children from coming to Jesus and Jesus told them to let the little children come to him.
Driving is hazardous. Cigarettes and gambling are hazardous. The army is hazardous. Baptism is not hazardous. So no. There's no need for an age restriction on baptism.
2006-08-12 08:57:17 · answer #11 · answered by bachlava_9 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋