To all Christians...please answer this question truthfully...?

Question

Here is a situation that made me really question my beliefs about Christianity. I was raised Catholic and never missed a Sunday mass in 18 years. However, my attendance stopped after this particular event. A few years ago, my best friend's son died, he was only 3 months old. A catholic mass was held for his funeral service and our priest ACTUALLY said...."Thank God that this child was baptized before his death or he would not be with our Lord." You tell me, what could this innocent little baby have done to not deserve a place in heaven had he not been "baptized"?? Would he be in hell? This made me sick to my stomach and I never stepped foot in a church again, nor did my best friend. My question is, how can I still believe that there is a God? Especially the God that I've been taught to believe in? If it is true that her son would have gone to "hell" with baptism, then I don't want to believe in God. Tell me what you all think.

Answer 1

I'm not Christian.

However, I was. And one of the things that started my exit from the chuch was when a childhood friend of mine was killed in a helicopter crash two weeks before Christmas (he was a Marine). The pastor actually lectured the funeral attendants sternly and harshly in his sermon, telling us we were not to question God, for he had a plan and it was not our place to question why my friend would have been taken at the age of 24 and leave behind a young wife, who literally was his high school sweetheart (they'd only been married two or three years).

There are other paths to the Divine than just the Abrahamic traditions. If the Christian God isn't one you can accept any more, try looking for the Divine in other places.

)O(

Answer 2

Well, perhaps you found out the hard way what the Catholic faith is as far as baptism is concerned. They believe that it washes away original sin, and once this is performed, since babies do not have a sin nature until an age of reason, it's "covered" until that time. Therefore, if the child was not baptized, it would not have been saved because of original sin remaining with that child.

You are looking at this the way Baptists and other Arminian faiths will look at this situation, as babies being too innocent to merit an unsaved status. While I take an entirely different view of baptism myself, I'm not you and perhaps you may want to talk to clergy that is more in line with your beliefs.

A quick chart can be found at http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/charts/denominations_beliefs.htm
if you're still interested in serving God in a non-Catholic venue.

Answer 3

We have to remember that priests are human and can make mistakes just as we do. I do not know where he got his information, but if you will look in the Bible and read Matthew 19:14 it may help you. Jesus Himself declared, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." Do not let the words that he said during the funeral get you down. Baptism alone does not save a person. Children, especially under the age of 13, usually don't know how to make such choices. God is loving, and I truly believe that the second we are made that He already knows whether we are going to Heaven or not. I hope that you will research into this. A good web site is www.gotquestions.org

Answer 4

Ok, first of all, there is a merciful God there that is waiting for both you and your first friend to return to Him. I can totally understand why you would be upset about what that Priest said. NO THAT BABY would not have gone to hell if he had not been baptized. That precious 3 month old died long before he could be held accountable to where he would spend eternity. The Bible says that Baptism, does not save you, it is just an outward expression of an inward faith in Christ. A baby cannot make the decision of he/her wants to follow Christ. Christ did come to earth to die on the cross to save us from our sins, and whoever believes on Him will be saved. Obviously a baby cannot make that decision. So your friend's baby is with Jesus. Probably sitting on His lap. Please email me if you want to talk about this more, Satan wants you to believe what that priest said, so that your faith will be destroyed. GOD LOVES YOU, and YOUR FRIEND and her baby. I really do not know what age God holds us accountable at but I can tell you it is not 3 months.

Answer 5

The Catholic priest was biblically wrong. Read the story of King David and his illegitimate child in 2 Samuel 12:16-23.

You will see that the fate of the "innocents" is in God's presence, and not hell.

Answer 6

Baptism does not provide salvation. That baby was an innocent child and will go to Heaven. That was a mean thing to say. In our church, people are baptized after they have accepted Christ [no certain age]. You get baptized because you are saved. You are not saved because you are baptized. I'm sorry for your pain, and your friend's loss.

Answer 7

being a catholic doesn't mean being a christian
a lot of people just following traditions than follwoing God

i have been raised in an orthodox family, i believed in what my family believes but i have never been in a relation with God. i even baptized when i was a baby
before 10 years, i met jesus the christ, he shows me his love, then i asked him to be my lord and saviour and from that time my life change. then because of believing in him i decide to baptized infront of the church and declare my believes. (according to the bible we need to believe then to baptize)

knowing God is different than knowing about him

If u r honest to know the truth of God, ask him to show u himself, read the bible and wait. He won't let u down.

Answer 8

ok... first of all.... your priest is to blame for the wording of the statement that he gave... as for the belief... you probably already know... you are born into sin, even when you are first born you have a sin on your soul, so therefore you must be baptized to forgive the sin that you are born with..?? that was probably the logic behind what the priest said... no guarantee's tho..? as for the actual beleif , i think it is up to you... like you i am Catholic by title.... but usually attend baptist services with my better half... and i think that churches are there for general guidlines but are never the definetive authority on the absolute way to live... they are all based on the same belief that you should be living your life according to a higher power and not your own... but i think that it is up to you to define your relationship with GOD.... i dunno... that's my take on it... hope it helps in some small way..?? good luck..!!!

Answer 9

Hell=Grave

12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

This is from The 2 Book of Esdras..77: For you have a treasure of works laid up with the Most High; but it will not be shown to you until the last times.
78: Now, concerning death, the teaching is: When the decisive decree has gone forth from the Most High that a man shall die, as the spirit leaves the body to return again to him who gave it, first of all it adores the glory of the Most High.

BTW..this book was removed, because it was hard to believe that everybody went to Heaven when they died. So it was removed.

Answer 10

Doctrine regarding infant baptism has commonly been misunderstood and incorrectly taught and practiced among many faiths. An ancient prophet spoke regarding such practice. I believe you'll find comfort in his words:

"I speak unto you concerning that which grieveth me exceedingly; for it grieveth me that there should disputations rise among you. For, if I have learned the truth, there have been disputations among you concerning the baptism of your little children."

"I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children. Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach—repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children. And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins. But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism!

Behold I say unto you, that he that supposeth that little children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity... For awful is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth one child because of baptism, and the other must perish because he hath no baptism." (Mor 8:5, 9-15)

What you understand by reason is exactly in accordance with Christ's doctrine - that is that little children need no baptism. Do not allow the false teachings of an individual or a church to jeopardize your faith in God or Christ.

Hope that helps.