Does anyone believe that baptism, and religious education should be restricted until old enough to understand?

Question

I believe that religious instruction and or baptism given to minors prior the ability to fully understand, is just the first step towards brainwashing. I can not understand how responsible people can condone this sort of activity. Is this not restricting an individuals right to freedom of choice?

Answer 1

Everyone should have a choice.

"Training up a child in the way he should go" includes giving them a choice. ... and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Answer 2

You are right. Let's think about Jesus. He wasn't baptized when he was a baby, but when he was a mature person. He's the perfect example for us.

To become a friend of God, you must obtain a good knowledge of Bible truth (1 Timothy 2:3, 4), put faith in the things you have learned (Hebrews 11:6), repent of your sins (Acts 17:30, 31), and turn around in your course of life. (Acts 3:19) Then your love for God should move you to dedicate yourself to him. This means that in a personal, private prayer you tell him that you are giving yourself to him to do his will.—Matthew 16:24; 22:37.

After you have made your dedication to God, you should be baptized. (Matthew 28:19, 20) Baptism lets everyone know that you have dedicated yourself to Jehovah. So baptism is only for those who are old enough to make a decision to serve God. When a person is baptized, his whole body should be put under the water momentarily.*—Mark 1:9, 10; Acts 8:36.

After you have made a dedication, Jehovah will expect you to live up to your promise. (Psalm 50:14; Ecclesiastes 5:4, 5) The Devil will try to stop you from serving Jehovah. (1 Peter 5:8) But draw close to God in prayer. (Philippians 4:6, 7) Study his Word each day. (Psalm 1:1-3) Stick close to the congregation. (Hebrews 13:17) By doing all of this, you will gain the strength to stay faithful to God. For all eternity you thus can do the things that God requires of you!

Answer 3

Roman Catholicism cannot unbiblically "infuse" the Holy Spirit into unbelieving babies through infant baptism.

The Bible teaches that to be saved a person must “BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST”.

No unclean person can enter God's kingdom! Do you think a priest can clean you with your sins?

Baptism is the means of spiritual renewal. How can a baby need a spiritual renewal?

Baptism is a public testimony to one's faith in Jesus Christ. How can a baby testify his faith in Jesus Christ? Can a baby talk?

These are my few Catholic Church questionable authority.

Try rescuing precious souls from the Bondage of Religion. When did these people stop being an independent Christian and place themselves under the discipline and protection of Bondage of Great Religion?

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" John 14:6.

Salvation is found only in the name of Jesus. Acts 4:12, Acts 2:38, Zec 14:9 No other name, No Church or Any Group can offer salvation.

"Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" Acts 4:12.

Answer 4

There is a Huge difference between Education or Instruction, & Brainwashing! Education uses reason, whereas Brainwashing distortes truth, deceives, & uses pressure.

Should You Believe Everything You Hear? :
- Propaganda Can Be Deadly
- The Manipulation of Information
- Do Not Be a Victim of Propaganda!
- Is the Work of Jehovah's Witnesses Propagandistic?
http://watchtower.org/e/20000622/article_01.htm

The baptism taught in the Bible is for those who have the ability to understand the responsibilities of a very serious relationship, & who truly appreciate them. This requires careful study beforehand.

How Can I Be Saved? :
- Have You Been Saved?
http://watchtower.org/e/19960201/article_01.htm
- What Must We Do to Be Saved?
http://watchtower.org/e/19960201/article_02.htm

Your Decision to Serve God
- What must you do to become a friend of God?
- How do you make your dedication to God?
- When should you be baptized?
- How can you gain the strength to stay faithful to God? http://watchtower.org/library/rq/index.htm?article=article_16.htm

I got my first Bible (6yo) while attending a Protestand church with my family. I trusted the Bible ahead of what any of the teachers taught us. When older, I sought out those who teach only what the Bible Actually teaches, without any man-made dogmas. I was about 10yo when I used to ignore the Sunday-school teacher's 'speeches' on unscriptural teachings. I took it upon myself to read the Bible. My family was not religious at all, other than their attendance at church & Sunday school. However, I am Very Glad that I had that early opportunity to become somewhat familiar with the Bible! It made my search so much easier!

Answer 5

I see where you are going with this, and I don't necessarily disagree. The problem I have with it is: Who is doing the restricting? The churches? (Yeah, right.) The state? Don't love that idea. The bottom line is that we are constitutionally afforded the freedom of religion. For what it's worth, that is interpreted to mean that religious parents get to bring up the children in the religion of THEIR choosing. Please let's not let the government get involved in something else. What happens when the State says that you are brainwashing your child NOT to believe in god or God? That's why we have to be vigilant about keeping religion OUT of public schools. So that kids of all religions can have a religious-neutral environment to learn about the world around them objectively. (OK, so that's the theory anyway. :) )

Answer 6

It makes more desirable biblical sense than once saved continually saved. i am going to enable some different person grant you with the scriptures, although the bible says one ought to listen, then believe, then repent, then be baptized, so it is organic and logical to assert that one must be previous sufficient to comprehend in the different case why the listen and believe area and prefer to be completely immersed in accordance to scripture all believers were completely immersed. the Eunuch even reported, see right here's way water what hinders me from being baptized? If it became only a sprinkling or pouring then why the go with for far water and also Philip and the eunuch went down into the water so why both get into water if no longer immersed? BB

Answer 7

I believe that ppl should not get babtised untill they have knowledge about the bible and its teachings. Jesus did not get babtised untill he was 33. and then he was fully emersed under water not a drisle of water on his head. It says in the bible Matt 28: 19 says to Go thereforth making disciples and babtising them. So this means to teach them then babtise them. A baby cannot learn from the bible before it is babtised. and nowhere in the bible ever was a BABY babtised. This is just another false teaching of some religions. Do not ppl ever pick up thier bibles and read what is in them.

Answer 8

Have you ever looked up the word "brainwashing"? Its a myth (look it up on wikipedia). Human beings cannot be 'brainwashed' in the popular sense. You are implying that religious ritual imposed on an individual before they are old enough to understand takes away their freedom of choice. Yet we see every day that this is not the case. Favorite foods, musical tastes, fashion choices, political parties... all of these are choices that manifest as people gain independence from their parents. There is no reason to assume that religion is any different.

Answer 9

Okay! Well if people want to keep their kids from being brainwashed, as you say, then perhaps not having a television would help, public schools would be banned, and all the children could be kept in a cave until they were old enough to make descisions based upon what THEY want. What age should we let them out of the cave?

Answer 10

No it does not brainwash your child. Read the scripture Proverbs about raising children. Do you teach your children to eat solid food instead of milk then you also brainwashing them.

Answer 11

If you believe that babies are not held accountable for sin, then you're absolutely correct, the babies don't even need to be in church until the age of reason.

I don't believe this, because children need a savior too. Why would Jesus say to suffer the little children to come unto him? Should the parents have said, "no thanks, Jesus, we're good, kids don't need you"?