Do you think it is wrong to baptize your children?

Question

All children go to heaven, so what excuse can a parrent give for choosing their childs religion,shouldnt it be the childs individual decision to make when they are at the age to fully understand and decide what their meaning of life is?

Answer 1

Yes, it's wrong and yes, it should be the child's decision.


VLR

Answer 2

No.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, "Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called."

Infant baptism is not a new thing. There are non-biblical documented sources starting in the second century telling of infant Baptism.

There are even several passages in the Bible where whole households were baptized. This would include everyone who lived there, men, women, children, and infants.

Acts 16:15, "After she and her household had been baptized"

Acts 16:33, "then he and all his family were baptized at once."

Acts 18:8, "came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized."

1 Corinthians 1:16, "I baptized the household of Stephanas"

St. Paul wrote that baptism has replaced circumcision (Col 2:11-12), and in Judaism circumcision was performed primarily on infants.

With love in Christ.

Answer 3

Do you really think that having a child baptized as a baby is going to keep that person from making the decision later in life whether or not to continue practicing the faith they were brought up in?

"Oh, well, I was baptized a Catholic when I was a baby, so I guess I have to be a practicing Catholic all of my life."

Yeah, right.

Baptism is only the first step in a faith journey. If the parents do not raise the child in the faith, the baptism will not help much.

Answer 4

I was baptized as an infant in the catholic religion. I suppose because my parents were brought up in that religion. But, I had no concept of asking forgiveness for my sins when i was a child. Now that I am an adult I have realized that baptism is an outward expression of what has happened inside me. So I have been baptized again to show others that I have asked God to forgive my sins through His son Jesus Christ.
Being baptized as a child does not serve any purpose other than tradition. It does not remove original sin. The child, like everyone else, is still a sinner. we all need to ask for forgiveness of our sins.

Answer 5

There is much confusion about baptism in the various Christian denominations. However, this is not a result of the Bible presenting a confusing message on baptism. The Bible is abundantly clear of what baptism is, who it is for, and what it accomplishes. In the Bible, only believers who had placed their faith in Christ were baptized - as a public testimony of their faith and identification with Him (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4). Water baptism by immersion is a step of obedience after faith in Christ. It is a proclamation of faith in Christ, a statement of submission to Him, and an identification with His death, burial, and resurrection.

With this in view, infant baptism is not a Biblical practice. An infant cannot place his or her faith in Christ. An infant cannot make a conscious decision to obey Christ. An infant cannot understand what water baptism symbolizes. The Bible does not record any infants being baptized. Infant baptism is the origin of the sprinkling and pouring methods of baptism - as it is unwise and unsafe to immerse an infant under water. Even the method of infant baptism fails to agree with the Bible. How does pouring or sprinkling illustrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ

Answer 6

Yes. At my church it's okay for parents to dedicate their children to the church. The congregation promises to help the parents raise the children in a christian environment. The parents do not baptize the children, they let the children (only if and when the children are ready to accept Christ be baptized.) Accepting Christ is something each individual must do on their own.

Answer 7

First you learn then you decide if you wish to be baptized. The truth is Jesus preached to the crowds and then they were baptized. They were old enough to understand what they were doing. Babies are not old enough to understand and their baptism is of no value in the sight of God.

As soon as someone hears and believes he wants an outward sign that he believes and wants to belong. It is an end to his old life when he goes under the water...and a beginning of his new life in dedication to the Almighty God when he arises from the water.
So it would have to be immersion and not just a sprinkling of drops of water on the forehead.

Parents should raise their children to honor God. The children will be saved or doomed according to what their parents do.

If you prove faithful till death God gives you the gift of everlasting life.

Not everyone saying to me lord will enter into the kingdom of the heavens only those doing the will of my father who is in the heavens will.

Your choice...obey or not..get life or not.

Even the Apostle Paul knew it was an ongoing process. He said those who endure to the end are the ones being saved.

So when your clergymen tell you.."once saved always saved" they are lying. Paul was a superfine Apostle and he said we can fall if we don't stay awake and watch how we walk.

And Baptism is only the beginning of a lifetime of service to God.

Answer 8

I think it is wrong. I have seen babies baptized, and when it happens, the parents answer questions for the child, who is obviously too young to answer themselves. I think it is wrong to speak for anyone in a situation like that. In my case, my parents were wrong. If they had waited until I grew up a little and had asked me if I wanted to join the church, I would have said no.

Baptizing a baby is making a decision for them, and indoctrinating your children into yoour religion is robbing them of the decision to decide the course of their own spiritual life or lack thereof.

When I have a kid, I will be in a fight with my mother because I refuse to baptise my child in the catholic church. When they grow up, they'll have the opportunity to adopt any religion they like, or have none at all. They will have the opportunity to read about different religions, and make their own decision about what they believe. I will do my best to teach them to think critically and question everything.

Answer 9

Does it really do any harm for parents that have a religious conviction to stand before their church and promise to guide and protect their child?
The congregation usually promises the same. It is a loving gesture to make to the child.
As for the child's decision, she/he will always make that when they come of age regardless of the baptism in infancy.

Answer 10

I was baptized as a child but when my parents baptized me it wasn't to save my soul. It was a ceremony to show that they wished to raise me in the church. Not all churches baptize their children because they think it will save their souls. I was raised in the German Lutheran Church and that Church I went to didn't think by baptizing your child saved its soul. I also do not believe being baptized as an adult save your soul either. God love all.

Answer 11

I believe in baptizing the infant! Regardless of the choices they may make as an adult, they have that and I believe it is important for their souls. Besides, for all the naysayers, it cannot hurt.