Baptism just to get into a better school? Hypocritical?

Question

I find it annoying that people get their babies baptised just so they can get them into "better" schools once they are old enough. Don't you think it's hypocritical?

steve-bob, i looked it up and i think you are mistaken

–noun 1. a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, esp. a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.

Answer 1

I am of a Pentecostal bent and don't agree with infant baptism to start with. A baby cannot make the decision to follow Christ from that moment on and the Bible says 'believe and be baptised'. The Belief comes before the baptism.

My parents (who were not born again and disagreed with the concept) found it a constant puzzle why I would thank them for not insisting I was Christened - the closest church was a pentecostal church and they dedicated children to God, a simple prayer, no water involved. I went blithely on with my life, going to a Bethesda Sunday School but generally not thinking about salvation until I was 17 and started going to a pentecostal church. I made a decision to follow the path of faith and then and only then was I baptised, it was my choice, after I'd started to believe which is the way it should be.

Baptism is not meant as a way of getting your bairns off on the right career foot. Parents who do this are cynics and shouldn't be entertained by the vicar or priest involved.

You know, I've been reading back over these answers and according to a lot of people just because I hold a belief, I'm automatically a hypocrite and I haven't got the intelligence to recognise a scam when I see one. Yesterday, a colleague told me that all religions are corrupt. I'm quite offended at this. I'm actually quite intellectual and logical with an IQ of close to 140 and I try to live up to what I believe are very moral beliefs. There will always be corrupt people and yes, religion does attract those who want to rip people off but so does business, so does show business, so does politics. Please don't assume that because I believe in God I am a gullible moron.

Answer 2

Huh?

This is the first time I ever heard of this. I think it is probably baptising the child for the wrong reason---but if the child is raised in that religion and attends a religious school, then the child could ultimately benefit from the decision.

Perhaps the decision will help the parents renew their committment to this religion and help them find a source of peace and encouragement in this increasingly stressful world.

While I agree with your sentiment that it is deceptive to baptize a child for entrance to a school when they ordinarily would not have been baptized, perhaps this could mean something good for the family.

May I ask what denomination this is? Is it evangelical?

The "better" schools (depending on their doctrine) may actually be happy about this because they may see it as saving the child's soul and perhaps the parents' as well.

Keep in mind that many small schools are supported by the local church/parish. I can understand having a fee system for people who do not attend the local church and another for non-churchgoers, or even allowing local parishoners the first chance to register for school.

Our Catholic diocese has collections to support the schools and so do the local churches to help keep the costs down, so it only makes sense that if you have been helping in these efforts all along that you should have a lower tuition than someone who hasn't been helping.

Our old parish had a school building that really needed some work and I think it is only fair that the people who helped put the new roof on, install a new boiler, put in new floors and subsidize the tuition for the kids there now should receive some benefit.

So if these folks are baptisizing a baby Catholic to get into Catholic Schools when he/she gets older, they should probably know that they will need to be registered in a parish, attending church and contributing if they want to see a discount! LOL

Answer 3

No. this is basically some "attractive" element fake christianity does. No the place in Scripture is a newborn baptized for any reason. there's a temple dedication interior the previous testomony...i think of Samuel who replaced into committed to God as a dedication yet not a baptism. i could desire to declare that i don't care what catholics or lutherns think of or the different "christian" company who does this. It is going against the Bible. Now granted catholics could be smarter... yet is that interior the strategies of the international or the Bible? Being baptized to get right into a particular college preverts this is God meant purposes and distorts the right doctrine of baptism. it somewhat is a mockery, heresy, and slap interior the face to God. this is motives like this that persons chortle at Christianity!

Answer 4

No I don't think it's hyprocritical. Go and look the word 'hypocritical' in the dictionary. It means to say one thing and do another, e.g. to preach that breaking any law is wrong, and then drive at 80mph on the motorway.

I do, however, think that baptising your child to get them into a better school is ridiculous. I place the blame at the feet of the school though, as it is being exclusive for a stupid reason. Trying to get your child into the best school possible is just natural parenting.

Answer 5

Does a school, even a private one, have the right to demand that children be baptized? Isn't that unconstitutional? Or are you talking about institutions outside the United States and Canada?
Sure, it's hypocritical. But in the grander scheme of things, I think it's far worse to indoctrinate your child in a particular religion.

Answer 6

Not at all, any means to a better education .The ethos of a church school may suit the parents and the individual child.

Answer 7

Don't blame the parents blame the goverment to get kids in to good schools you have to join the mummy mafia since having kids I've networked my butt off to get them into good schools even though i live in the catchment area its who you know not what you know

Answer 8

Religion per se is all about being hypocritical - it's a trend that has to be followed for education. I wouldn't do it though.

Answer 9

Baptism gets anyone into heaven, however wicked the individual so why not into school.

Answer 10

Nope just practical parenting (unfortunately)