Baptismal water vs cola

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Emo82

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So, I have heard on Catholic Answers that the water used for baptism must be water and not, for example, alcohol or cola etc. My question is, at what point does the church differentiate and say that one solution is okay and another is not? For example, water almost always has other substances dissolved in it e.g. ions and other molecules. Cola is water with a number of other substanced dissolved in it. Alcoholic drinks are too. Is there a cut off point at which the solution is too contaminated with other molecules to be used for baptism? How is this decided? Is it purely based on how we perceive the liquid or is there an objective cut off point? Would sea water be ok? I’m not trying to be facetious, the thought popped into my head and got me wondering.
 
There are some good practical reasons to avoid using liquids other than water, coke would cause problems for example.

Apparently a long time ago salt was mixed with fresh water in addition to blessing it. These days and for a very long time water has been blessed alone as far as I am aware. The purity of the water is also symbolic.

There is a formula for the allowed mixture of blessed and in blessed water content, I think it must be a minimum of fifty one percent blessed.

I’m not sure if sea water could be used but it sounds unlikely because it is supposed to be pure. As for contaminants I don’t know, but I’m sure someone else will know far more on this subject.
 
Lee1 said:
I’m not sure if sea water could be used but it sounds unlikely because it is supposed to be pure.
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People have been validly baptized in rivers and lakes and oceans (remember, in earlier times and different places, they did not have fancy baptismal pools or fonts).

If you are where someone is in danger of death and you need to baptize them, God will be okay if you open a bottle of Dasini, grab the neighbor’s garden hose or haul water up from a pond.
 
Emo82 said:
How is this decided? Is it purely based on how we perceive the liquid or is there an objective cut off point?
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We can use common sense. With the cola for example, would common sense say the cola is water? It’s a matter not meant for overthinking it.
 
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The water of baptism is supposed to be for cleansing of sin, so it makes sense that it should be as pure as possible, which is why river water is preferred.
 
Let me ask you this. Were the early Christians baptized in Coca-Cola? I don’t think so!
 
From what I can understand from my Sacraments of Initiation class in Seminary, water is deemed as such as it is naturally occurring and is readily identifiable as water. Dissolved material is fine, if it readily occurs in nature. Brackish, muddy, or salt water also occurs naturally, and thus is allowable, although clarity of the water is always preferred to emphasize the symbolism of the purification which is enacted. Added salt is allowed because salt water is naturally occurring. It was also originally a practical addition for two reasons. First, it discouraged bacterial growth and let standing pools of water last longer before becoming putrid. In cases of the early Church’s full immersion Baptism, this was a valid concern. Secondly, salt water froze at a lower temperature. Thus in northern churches, they could still have Baptism on Easter, even if it was cold that year and normal water would have frozen.

Cola, wine, and other liquids (even pure alcohol for all it looks like water) are not both naturally occurring and readily identified as water, so they are not allowed.
 
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In wartime Iraq a person was emergency baptised after a horrific accident with what leaked from the radiator before he died. Ecclesia suplet!!!
 
Hi ! A Water a symbol of purity , You can not use Other liquids to Baptist.You can chat with me at my Facebook Account , please search for me: 告尤金 Thank you!
 
The man was dying= there was nothing else around…trust in the grace of God where church supplies what Man denies.
 
Back in the day, the Norse had trouble in the winter getting enough meltwater to baptize, so a few folks started baptizing in beer, mead, and wine. The Vatican had to tell them that wasn’t valid, and they had to go back to water.
 
Loooks like we will have to go and dig up the dead guy…wait no, only Mormons baptize the dead, so I will ask them. Thanks…
 
Lol. Smells like anti Catholic garbage to me. Where was this study done?

Most of the Holy Water I know of comes from a facet and then is blessed. Does it supernaturally end up contaminated? lol!

Quick somebody warn the Pope about the E-Coli!

Does Holy Salt pose a risk too?
 
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MiserereMei25 said:
Lol. Smells like anti Catholic garbage to me. Where was this study done?

Most of the Holy Water I know of comes from a facet and then is blessed. Does it supernaturally end up contaminated? lol!

Quick somebody warn the Pope about the E-Coli!

Does Holy Salt pose a risk too?
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Journal of Water and Health (peer-review journal from the WHO

I am assuming the water “sits out” for long periods of time.

 
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Yeah. I think there is a very particular reason why the secular scientists want to encourage us to stay away from Holy Water.
 
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