I was baptized and raised Catholic. Most of the biblical stuff I didn’t really buy like the ceremonies, the sacraments, and going to church every weekend, but the concept of a personal loving God who looks out for you, makes life meaningful, and going to heaven after you die has been hard to shake. I related a lot to what Jaco Gericke had to say.
Mid-Atlantic, I don’t know why get so upset about a ceremony where they splash some water on you. Now, a ceremony where they cut off part of your unit, that’s something to get upset about!
Traveler, I’d never heard of an unbaptism before. I don’t know how that’s done. Is there an uncircumcision ceremony? I’m also unsure how that’s done.
You don’t know what’s in that water; the priest could be washing his arse in it for all we know. I’m glad I don’t remember it.
I’m pretty sure I was baptized by my grandfather who was a Methodist minister. They’re really pretty mellow on the religious stuff, IMO. Regardless, it doesn’t bother me because it has no meaning to me (or reality for that matter).
Whether or not you are baptized as a baby is based upon the denomination you are in. For example, United Methodists baptize their babies as a sign of the covenant that they have made with God, that they will raise their child under godly influence, with the intention that the child will one day grow up to give his/her life to Jesus. Most Baptists, on the other hand, believe that baptism is a statement that one makes to the world AFTER they repent of their sins and turn to Jesus. They staunchly disagree with the Methodists on this issue. However, like the Methodists, they don’t believe that baptism, in any way, saves you. Its a statement.
Then there is the Church of Christ. Their belief is similar to the Baptist belief, however, they place a much more important role on baptism than the Baptists. The Church of Christ believe that if you have not been baptized, you are not saved. They are one of the few denominations to hold to this belief. its kind of silly too, because it raises all types of funny questions like, “What if the person dies right after baptism?” There are various answers to these types of questions, depending on who you ask.
Just another examples of how conflicted the “church” is on what they really believe.
Just another examples of how conflicted the “church” is on what they really believe.
Yeah, don’t get me started! You just touched on a few of the controversies. Another biggie is the method of baptism. The Baptists and a few others are all about immersion, while Methodists and most mainline denominations simply sprinkle. To a Baptist, if you weren’t dunked, you weren’t baptized.
So many communities and families get torn apart by such silly differences. It would be pretty funny if it weren’t so tragic.
Just another examples of how conflicted the “church” is on what they really believe.
Yeah, don’t get me started! You just touched on a few of the controversies. Another biggie is the method of baptism. The Baptists and a few others are all about immersion, while Methodists and most mainline denominations simply sprinkle. To a Baptist, if you weren’t dunked, you weren’t baptized.
So many communities and families get torn apart by such silly differences. It would be pretty funny if it weren’t so tragic.
Oh yeah, I forgot about the “sprinkle/dunk” controversy. Perhaps this poll should be modified to reflect that question? lol
Reminds of an old story I head a few years ago. Two men meet along the road and realize they are both Christians.
Man 1: “Praise God! You are a brother in Christ! Are you Catholic or Protestant like me?”
Man 2: “I am a Protestant, same as you, Praise Jesus! You’re not by any chance a fellow Baptist, are you?”
Man 1: “Yes I am, praise God! We are both fellow Baptists! I only hope that you are, like me, a part of the Southern Baptist Convention?”
Man 2: “Well praise His Holy Name! Yes! I too attend a SBC church! But unlike most SBC churches, our worship style is contemporary, with a band and modern music rather than an organ and old hymns.”
Man 1: “Wow, this is amazing! Our church is contemporary as well! Praise God!! And we use the NIV version of the Bible, rather then the King James. How about you?”
Man 2: “Yes, thank God! We also use the NIV! Maybe you could come and visit our church someday. It’s quite beautiful. We just re-carpeted our sanctuary in the most beautiful shade of red you ever saw and…”
Man 1: “Wait a minute… red carpet in the sanctuary! That’s blasphemy! You heathen! I would never set foot in your damnable so-called church!”
Whether or not you are baptized as a baby is based upon the denomination you are in.
Thanks to good ole Constantine. Not a Christian at the time, but considering it, he said, “If I am saved from my sins by baptism, what is to become of my sins which I may commit after I am baptized?” He united with the Christians but postponed his baptism until just before his death.
Traveler, I want to hear more about your un-baptism!
OK, looking at my certificate, I guess it’s actually called a DeBaptism. It reads…
I, [my name] having been subjected to a Christian baptism before reaching the age of consent, or having submitted to baptism before embracing freethought and reason, hereby officially renounce that primitive rite and the Church that imposed it. I categorically reject the creeds, dogmas, and superstitions of my former religion, particularly the pernicious doctrines of ‘Original Sin’ and damnation.
I further denounce as an affront and defamation to humanity the false and demeaning belief that any baby is born with ‘Original Sin’ and must be cleansed of it by baptism. From this day forward, I wish to be excluded from any claims of religious affiliation or membership based on baptismal records.
The cert is signed, dated, and witnessed. It also has a quote from Robert Ingersoll on it: “With soap, baptism is a good thing.”
The presenter blow-dried my rather bald head as a symbolic gesture to remove the holy water. Oh, and the date is in the year of No Lord.
Hell yes I’ve been baptized. My baptism I don’t remember at all, I was an infant, both my parents insisted that it happened. But don’t worry Humanists, I’m sure I must have cried about it at the time, very very loudly. That communal holy water had better be blessed with all that stuff that must be growing in it!
Actually, you’ve all been baptized, or soon will be. I hear that’s why the Mormon’s are so involved with genealogy, they research everyone’s past so that they can baptize them all, live or dead, into their church. Isn’t that nice, sarcastically speaking?
Oooh unbaptized? Good idea, I wonder if Corliss Lamont ever wrote a ceremony like that?
According to the Catholics, infant baptism is only the first part of unity with Christ, confirmation is what seals the deal. Lucky for me I was never confirmed, so that essentially means that my baptism has faded into oblivion in the eyes of the church. That makes me happy!
Well, I didn’t want to bring up Confirmation, but since you got the thread started on it. You lucky damned heretic, how’d you manage to avoid Confirmation?
I was confirmed , they smeared that oil on my forehead. I remember how at twelve years old I kept asking everyone “What does confirmed mean?? What does it mean??” Again and again I asked everyone I could find, I never got an answer. I didn’t want to get too deep into any contracts when I didn’t understand my end of the deal, you know. They confirmed me just before high school, then I choose a public high school because I was less enthusiastic about religion after that, although I still believed.
In truth, it was the start of the fall. That Baptismal can’t affect a child the way that a Confirmation can!
Well, I didn’t want to bring up Confirmation, but since you got the thread started on it. You lucky damned heretic, how’d you manage to avoid Confirmation?
I was confirmed , they smeared that oil on my forehead. I remember how at twelve years old I kept asking everyone “What does confirmed mean?? What does it mean??” Again and again I asked everyone I could find, I never got an answer. I didn’t want to get too deep into any contracts when I didn’t understand my end of the deal, you know. They confirmed me just before high school, then I choose a public high school because I was less enthusiastic about religion after that, although I still believed.
In truth, it was the start of the fall. That Baptismal can’t affect a child the way that a Confirmation can!
That’s not suprising, that no one could give you an answer; was your family only doing it for appereances? I think that was the only reason I was baptized! My parents were non practicing, so I dodged alot of that stuff.
That communal holy water had better be blessed with all that stuff that must be growing in it!
Isn’t that nice, sarcastically speaking?
, they smeared that oil on my forehead. 
I remember how at twelve years old I kept asking everyone “What does confirmed mean?? What does it mean??” Again and again I asked everyone I could find, I never got an answer. I didn’t want to get too deep into any contracts when I didn’t understand my end of the deal, you know. They confirmed me just before high school, then I choose a public high school because I was less enthusiastic about religion after that, although I still believed. 
