Do youthink kids should have a saying in this?

Question

I haven't been baptized because i have choosen not to. but my girlfriend and i have been talking about baptizing our baby in the future (she's catholic) but i told her that it should be the child's decision. What do you think?

Ok well let's put some other things into acount. What if you were put into a religion that you never considered and you have interests in another?


AND

Getting Baptized at and early age, what are it's advantages?

Answer 1

I feel at birth it's the parents decision then later in life when it's time to renew it when the child has become an adult it's the child's decision.best wishes and good luck

Answer 2

It is the decision of the parents. Do you think it is the decision of the child to get immunized, go to school, put a coat on when it is cold outside, or any number of things that a parent does for the benefit of the child?

Baptism, unites the person with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, makes the person a son or daughter of God, and is a necessary part of salvation (John 3:5). The person also receives the gifts of teh Holy Spirit in his or her life. There is so much grace the person receives, why would you withhold that from a child.

Just because a person is baptized as an infant does not mean that person is bound body and soul to the faith. Unfortunately, there are many many baptized Catholics who have strayed from the Catholic faith. The decision to remain a Christian is not something that is sealed in just one day. it is something that a person decides every day of his or her life.

Answer 3

The bible says "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved." Belief should come before baptism, otherwise all that is happening is that the baby gets wet! Many Christian religions prefer to dedicate the child to the Lord as a baby or young child. Then later when the child knows he/she wants to join the church and it's doctrine, he/she should get baptized.
If the parents are not BOTH planning to raise the child as a practicing catholic, definitely don't baptize the baby as one.

Answer 4

If she's Catholic and wants to raise the baby as Catholic, then baptism is an extremelly important sacrament that you should go through with her and your child. It's harder in that church to step up and do it later because most Catholics had it done when they were infants. Plus Catholic children are confirmed later, when they are old enough to attend classes, study about what they're doing, and make the conscious decision to join the church in that way. So your child will still be making that decision for him/herself. Choosing to be baptised is done later in life and is important in other Christian churches that don't have confirmation rituals. Each church emphasizes the importance of consciously choosing your religious path, though.

Even if you're not necessarily raising the child in church, it's a nice (and harmless) ritual to go through, especially if it's important to your wife.

Whether or not your child is religious or spiritual will be up to him/her anyway. It doesn't matter whether or not you have him/her baptised. But if he does choose to be religious and/or and active Catholic, he might appreciate having gone through that sacrament when and how it's traditionally performed.

Answer 5

I don't think baptizing an infant child hurts them one way or the other. It is more for the peace of mind of the parent(s).

Should your child at a later time want to explore other faiths and get baptized again will then be their own choice.

I was baptized Lutheran...but never did go to a Lutheran church growing up. The one I went to was non-denominational.

Answer 6

I (as a baptized teenager) wish that my parents had let me decide, because I would have chosen not too. But at the same time, it's important that if you plan to raise your child with these catholic values that she or he be baptized. It's really your choice as the parents on how much say your child gets in it, and how exposed she or he will be to the Catholic religion.

Answer 7

Baptize the child now as a sign of you and your mate's desire to connect the child with the Holy Spirit. Then, when the child is older, if they want to strengthen that bond they can choose to do so, or reject it and go on with life.

However, religion is something that couples must come to an agreement about because its one of those stumbling blocks that could destroy your relationship, especially once it involves children.

Answer 8

okay, let me get one thing clear: baptism is only for those who realize that they are sinners and want to be free of that sin. Like you chose not to, it is a thing of free will, and shouldn't be chosen for you. Plus, she is a baby and is too young to understand sin, much less anything else.

I was baptised at 11, and it was me who chose it. The preacher of my church sat me down and asked me all sorts of questions to make sure i wasn't doing it for the wrong reason.

It is the child's decision, when they are much, much older. Also, don't press your child to do it. I have friends who didn't get baptised until they were 20.

It's such a hard question, because whatever you do, it will change the baby's life whether good or bad.

Answer 9

Nope. Kids don't get to say how they are raised.
I'm the mom, hubby's the dad. We are Catholic, our kids were baptized, have received First Communion, and will be Confirmed.
They can have ALL the "say" they want when they are out of my home. Until then, they'll live the way I choose.

Too many people are leaving important decisions up to the kids and the kids don't KNOW what to do. Be an adult, take charge. If the kids don't like it, remind them that they can do what they want when they move out.

Answer 10

Here's what the Church has to say:

All Catholic parents must baptise their children in the first few weeks after birth. Children in danger of death must be baptised without delay.

Parents who delay their child's baptism UNREASONABLY (Im assuming that you are being reasonable as of now) for a long time commit a mortal sin.

It is the duty of the parents to train their children in the faith, they have the duty to bring them up to keep God's commandments as Christ taught us, love God with all your heart and love your neighbors too with all your heart.

Now about your child making the decision (My personal perspective):

Now all Catholic parents must know that every child who is born in this world is born with original sin.
As you can conclude from the statement, the child already has original sin as a result of what Adam and Eve did.
Now Baptism is necessary for the salvation of human beings bec. Christ himself said Unless a person is born thru water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven.

Now to sum up that, it means that your child will have a harder time entering heaven unless his/her original sins have been cleansed. I am sure that as Catholic parents, you want the best for your child and want him/her to enter heaven right, where the child can be with you for all eternity where the child will love you and you will love the child WAY more than here on Earth right?
If you love your child a lot and would like to spend eternity with them, then you may want them baptised immediately.

However, if you choose to let your child decide, assuming he/she chooses another religion, your child has either of 2 known options to choose as an unbaptized person:

Baptism of Blood
Baptism of Desire

Of course, these 2 are very difficult to do as the first involves death for God and the second involves extreme love for God.

*However, What you consider love for God depends on a person's heart even if he may or may not know God.

Please note that you must be DEDICATED to your child's spirituality. If you are dedicated to his morality as well he/she will grow very fond of her faith and fight (no. i do not mean with a machine gun or fist fight) for it as well. I was baptized right away and by growing up in a moral environment, I love my religion and might even die for it. Encourage character as well because ANY baptism is void if it is not received worthily. Baptism leaves a certain degree of character on the soul. You must also awaken this character in your child.

:)