Would you get your kids baptised?

Question

My friend and I were discussing this subject because she said that she got her daughter baptised at 10 months and she is about to baptise her son that is only a month old. She says that it isn't a religios reason she had to do it so I am not bashing her beliefs or nothing, but what do you think? Would you have your kids baptised? Or even if you aren't a christian, would you force your child to believe like you do?

This is what I wrote to her:

i mean im baptist and i dont think a person should force their kids to be baptised, that should be their own decision otherwise it wouldn't mean anything. Or at least that is just my thinking. When you are baptised it means you are reborn and that you want god to forgive you for all your sins and that you turn your life over to him...but if u get them baptised they didnt make that choice, you made it for them... if anaya wants to be a muslim i cant stop her because that is just what she would believe in. I would still try and make sure I pray for her and try to get her to be baptist still but it would be her decision and I will take her to church, but if she chooses not to be baptist like myself or her daddy then that is on her. But i still think it should be their decision though.

Answer 1

I belive it should wait untill the child wants to be baptised. For all you know you are baptising a child to not even want anything to do with that religion.

Answer 2

People are going to raise their children with their own beliefs whether they're baptised or not. This is how religion survives. We teach our children God made the world in six days. And if you do this you'll go to heaven and if you do that, you'll go to hell. It's a form of brainwashing. Kids believe what they're told. Not whether or not they're a Christian because they were baptised one. I had my daughter baptised when she was 2 months old in the Catholic Church. It was my choice. Now, I don't go to church and I didn't then. As far as religion goes, I actually believe that 99% of organised religion is a pile of crap - for me. I do see why people feel they need religion in their lives and why they need the community that a church provides. I'll be honest though, if I had another child tomorrow, I would get them baptised. I know, it makes no sense. To me it is just something I have to do for my children. When they're older, they can decide what they believe. My 15 year old daughter does not have exactly the same beliefs as me. When she was little, she loved going to church with her granma. As she got older, she decided she didn't want to go anymore, and that's fine with me. I teach her that it's important to be a good person, not that she has to go to church.

Do I think it's made her a different person because she's been baptised? No. Why did I get it done and why would I do it again? Well, I do believe in God. I do believe in a higher power and to me getting my child baptised is sort of a blessing for that child. Do I think a priest has the "power" to give such a blessing? If I really think about it, any spiritual person could bless a child. The fact that I choose a priest from a church really is irrelevant. People have "naming ceremonies" for children but it's no different. Instead of a priest, you have a JP or the like "present the child with their name". I was asked at my daughters baptism if I would raise her with Christian values. Well the answer to that is yes. I just don't teach her that "the church" is the be all and end all.

On a Catholic note, baptism is performed to bless the child who doesn't have the voice to request that blessing. When the child has grown, they have the opportunity to receive confirmation. This is where the child states that they want to be part of the church. Traditionally, where we had a society where death in children was much higher than it is today, in Western society at least, it made sense to baptise a child. Various religions may have modified the practise over the years but the basis of the sacrements; baptism, holy communion, confession, confirmation, marriage/life in the church & annointing of the sick - were there for a reason. All of these sacrements were performed during Jesus' time on Earth. During the rise of the church, they were timed appropriately in someone life for the society that was around. Sure, nowadays in Western Society you could make a change. Remove baptism of infants and just allow them to make the choice themselves when they're older. Unfortunately that wouldn't work in developing countries due to high mortality rates in children.

I think a child should have a choice in their beliefs but I also think that a parent should be able to make a decision that sits well with them, for whatever reason, in relation to their own child. I can't see that a baby will be harmed from the act of baptising them in a church.

Answer 3

Well, I think you answered your own question. If the kids were baptized without their consent (say as a baby?) then what choice did they have in the matter? I was baptized as a baby, and I chose to get baptized as an adult. It was tremendously meaningful to me as an adult, at the time I was making a lot of positive changes and it was a physical symbol of a complete and total dedication to Christ. I don't think it is wrong to baptize twice - do you? I don't think God would mind that. After all, it's done out of a sincere desire of the heart. Ithink what people are doing when they baptize infants is a sort of "dedication" that is spoken of in the old testament to do. I think the rituals have been confused, but the meaning behind them is the same - dedicating the child to the Lord's work and the parents committment to raise him/her right... whether you call it baptism or baby dedication.

Answer 4

I believe that a baptism is suppose to follow a heart decision in which a person repents of their sins and trusts Christ. Babies cannot make that decision, and there fore should not be baptised. Baptism is also something that shouldn't be forced, because it deals with a heart issue, it should be allowed to happen when a person decides they want to follow the Lord. It is the public action to show the heart change!

Answer 5

i am a christian and my beliefs are similar to yours it just doesn't make any sense to baptize a small child. at that age u just don't know what u r committing too. my son is not baptized but i did have him blessed when he was an infant. he will start sunday school in 2 years and i will wait for him to say, "mom, i want to be baptized" and this will mean more than sprinkling a newborn with holy water. we believe in baptism by immersion.

your friend said it isn't a religious thing to her, so she may just be doing it out of tradition.

Answer 6

Well I am Methodist, and I baptized my kids, plan on doing the same when this one is born. However, my husbands disagrees with me because he is Baptist. But, he will not go to church and I do. When we baptize we are blessing the child and promising to raise them in the church. I know in your religion you have to be old enough to take responsibility for this decision. But we all have different beliefs.

Answer 7

Yes...my son is baptized and my next child will be too.

We are catholic and there are several things sacraments that we have. Baptism is one of them. When we have our children baptized it's our pledge to raise them in our belief....

I see many people saying, I wouldn't baptize them until they are old enough to choose it for themselves...not saying that's wrong..but in the catholic religion that's why we have confirmation.

In baptism our children are baptized in christ and we tell the church that with the help of the godparents we will raise them in the immage of christ and teach them all about him. When our kids are older, they go through confirmation...this is where they accept the same things, the parents and god parents accepted when they were baptized...

So in a sence, they are choosing for them selves at a later date.

Answer 8

No babies were baptized according to the Bibles recording of baptism. I personally believe that it is an individual's choice to be baptized and that is what makes it a special event. It makes it a personal relationship with God.

Answer 9

Baptizing a child is attempting to force them to believe in your religion. Just because they were born into your family does not mean they want to be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, whatever.