Should we baptize our baby?

Question

My husband was raised in the catholic church and I am protestant and we attend a protestant church- which offers a blessing on the baby and the parents promise to raise the child as a Christian. My mother in law is pressuring us to have the baby baptized - specifically on the Catholic church. My understanding is that that entails vowing to raise you child in the Catholic church as a Catholic. That would mean we would be lying so I can't just do it to please her but she and my aunt won't lay off, saying the baby will go to hell otherwise........our church does not agree in this teaching. What do we tell these relatives?

In response to the person who said I should discuss it with my family and not on the internet:
This site is for asking other's opinions-why are you here? And I have discussed it with family, I wanted another outside opinion.

Thank you for all your answers. I felt bad saying no to relatives that do mean well and believe they are doing the right thing by insisting. I do not believe in making a promise on behalf of another person-one too young to know either way. Just for the record I am not anti-Catholic, but do not embrace all Catholic beliefs.

Answer 1

I do not think the baby should be baptized. Your child should be at the age where they can make a decision, because they will be responsible for their life. You are responsible until they get to this age of accountability. Train them in the way of the Lord and do promise with the blessing to raise your child as a Christian. You will not be sorry. I didn't put any pressure on my girls to get baptized, but when they did it was life changing. All this will be your choice, but go with your thoughts, because you will have to live with this for the rest of your life. God Bless You.

Answer 2

First, baptizing a baby isn't anything more than dedicating the baby to God. Many adults who were baptized as babies will get baptized again as an adult. Baptizing a baby is not hurting anyone or anything. It brings a measure of peace to the parents, too.

Parents who baptize babies have a special responsibility, tho. They are really the ones committing to something. They are committing that they will raise the child in the faith, teach the child about their faith, and take the child to church. Often Godparents will be part of this as well.

In your position, baptizing your baby would not be correct - if you do not want to raise your child in the Roman Catholic church. You will have to sit down with your family and explain your position. It will not be easy, but it is the only thing you can do.

Answer 3

I doubt the Catholic church would baptize the baby in this situation.

Catholic Exchange says:

"Too often, religiously indifferent parents ask for their child's baptism merely because they are being pressured by their own parents to have their child baptized. In some cultures, the celebration of an infant's baptism is an important social event, quite separate from its religious significance, and baptism is for this reason requested by parents who no longer practice their Catholic faith themselves. In such cases the spiritual importance of this sacrament is being lost.

The Church seeks to avoid situations in which a child is baptized a Catholic, but then, due to the negligence and indifference of his parents, is not raised to practice the Catholic faith. For this reason canon 868.1 n.2 notes that for a child to be baptized, there must be a realistic hope that he will be brought up in the Catholic religion. If such hope is lacking, the baptism is to be deferred — and if, at some point in the future, the parents can provide grounds for hope that their infant will in fact be raised as a Catholic, the priest may then proceed with the baptism.

This requirement routinely presents practical problems for pastors who are faced with non-practicing Catholic parents seeking baptism for their children. A priest is obliged by law to determine that there is reason to believe that somehow the child will in fact be raised Catholic, or else he must tell the parents that their baby may not be baptized."

Answer 4

They won't lay off because they assume they are doing God a service without it being God's will. In Catholic doctrine you must baptize the child to avoid Hell, but in Protestant Doctrine you promise to dedicate your child to God. But neither of these are even in the Bible and both churches believe the Bible so I would ask the concerned relatives to show you where in the Bible it says that a child goes to hell if not baptized and you will do it right away. Or where is even says to baptize a baby ever also because that is not in any pages of the Bible, it does not matter which Bible you use either, Catholic or Protestant.
To answer the question though, all children before reaching the age of accountablity, which in Jewish tradition not the Bible is 12 years old, if a baby dies it goes to Heaven with or without Baptism. Age of accountablity varies with each person but it is never a baby that cannot speak or communicate or do any sin so all babies go to Heaven it really does not matter what the Pope says about it.

Answer 5

Forget the relatives, and think about your child.

If your beliefs are correct, than in any case, baptism will cause no harm at all to your baby.

If your beliefs are wrong, and due to some unfortunate circumstance, your child doesn't survive long enough to be baptized, than you may be depriving your child of eternal salvation.

How certain are you of what you believe ... and could you live with the doubts and the guilt, should anything happen?

Mull this over for a while, and then you'll know what to do.

Answer 6

Sure. It's not difficult. You may as well cover your bases. You not only put your mother in law at ease... If the Christians are right, your child has a chance to make it to Heaven. If they are wrong, no harm done. What does it matter if YOU don't believe? The child still gets baptized. If it doesn't require the child's belief to be baptized, so it doesn't require yours either. Your Mother in law does believe (poor thing) Which means she's frightened that her grandchild's soul will not be saved if something should happen to him before he's baptized. She's aware you don't believe or she wouldn't be "pressuring" you. So there is no lie involved. Allow your mother-in-law to baptize the baby if it requires belief.

Answer 7

I believe that since you and your husband are attending a protestant church currently, that you should have the baby blessed by your church and raise the child as a christian.

Then again though you should be discussing this with your family, not the internet.

Answer 8

Your husband the Catholic is the one who would promise to raise the child Catholic,you would not have to.Baptize the child and share your expression of the Christian Faith with him as well as the Catholic expression. If you are a Trinitarian Christian you share some 80% of the same Christianity.
Contact your local priest and tell him your story. Maybe you can have a dedication ceremony in your church as well.

Answer 9

Only if you want a lot or presents. Otherwise, what's the point? Babies can't make that choice for themselves and it surely is not the parents' right to make it for him/her. Personally, I renounced my baptism when I was in my teens. Soon as I found out what it was about.

This is really none of your mother-in-law's business. If your husband is behind you on this, just tell her flat out it's not going to happen and be very firm with her, tell her that you want to hear no more of it. As for your aunt - why does she think she even has a right to comment on it? Don't compromise yourself to hypocrisy. Let the child choose for him/herself when he/she is much older.

Answer 10

Tell them that he is your child and he has already received blessings by God. Tell them God entrusted him to you and you feel God knows what he is doing and you have made the religious decision you think is best for your child and that to vow to raise your child in the Catholic faith would be a lie. This is really none of their business and it is not "Christian like" to try to force their beliefs on you.