As we all know, baptism is done said days after birth. However, how can you swear loyalty to "god" (if there is any) and all his saints if you can not even speak or make up your mind ? Why do people lecture me if I say i do not wish to be part of said Church ? Isn't it better to respect the traditions of my old ancestors, rather than being a devout Christian and spit in my forebears' face ? If I could choose, one moment in Heaven with people I do not wish to associate with (i.e. Christians) and eternity in Hell (which seems to be the punishment hanging over my head) with my ancestors, I know what to choose.
2007-01-13 01:04:09 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
In my religion, children choose when they are 8 years old to be baptized or not. I believe it very important for people to have a choice of how they believe. Since all of my children had a desire to join the church...my job as a parent is to help them live those laws and keep the covenants that they made when they entered the waters of baptism.
Just a question for the "asker". How do you know that your ancestors are happy with their choice? How do you know that being a believer of Christ is like "spitting in your forebears' faces?"
2007-01-13 01:14:41 · answer #1 · answered by LouAnn 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
as we all SHOULD know, unless we're into sweeping generalization unsupported by actual facts, becoming a member of a church is a decision you make yourself...sprinkling some water on a baby's head has more to do with the parents than the baby...you can't baptize someone else into heaven, any more than you can pray someone else into heaven...in the final analysis, if you choose hell because you want to honor 'tradition', that's your decision...any church that drags you in as a member without your being old enough to understand and freely decide to join, is not a church but a cult-at least in my opinion-my 11 yr old daughter has been baptized and become a member of our church-because that is what SHE decided to do...our 5 yr old has expressed a desire, but she doesn't really understand yet, and is not ready to make that decision...
2007-01-13 09:15:46 · answer #2 · answered by spike missing debra m 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Please do not think Christianity and Christendom are the same thing.
Christendom baptizes babies ....and this is wrong.
You will note there is no example in the Bible about little children being baptized.
THAT is Christianity!
The Bible tells us to use our powers of reason, our thinking abilities ...a little baby cannot do that.
BTW another example showing how Christianity and christendom differ is regarding hell.
There is no fire in hell.
Hell is the grave, 6 feet under.
Even the soul dies .....Ezekial 18:4.
Christianity yes.
Christendom no.
2007-01-13 09:16:43 · answer #3 · answered by Uncle Thesis 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cigarette companies target children with their advertising because they _know_ that if someone doesn't start smoking before age 20, they'll never be a smoker. By 20, people are educated enough to know not to smoke.
Take a wild guess why cults are so insistent on indoctrinating kids (hint: it's not just so they can molest them).
.
2007-01-13 09:11:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Looks to me as if you do have a choice! You have the same choice as I had being brought up Prostestant. You're not bound by what your parents did or believe. Think about it, really look into the claims of Christ, and decide for yourself. As for me, I choose Christ, because I believe in Him, not because my parents did. God bless.
2007-01-13 09:16:48 · answer #5 · answered by edward_lmb 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hmmm....my church doesn't baptise till the child is of the 'age of understanding' which is eight years old. Should the child die before that age, it is believe that they weren't of the ability to 'understand' and are, therefore, blameless before God.
But, to each his own I suppose.
2007-01-13 09:14:06 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋