Infant Dedication vs Infant Baptism

[Teeliumtrozzle]

I strongly disagree with infant baptism.THATS why wehave so many bad Christians around.Babies get baptized, grow up, have no interest in the faith, never go to church, regard religion as a joke, and commit sin.It would be much, MUCH better if these people had not been baptized as infants, because in fact, they are not Christian.They have nothing to do with the church, and their faith means nothing to them.It would be better if they’d been allowed to grow up and choose their own religion, instead of alleging to be Christian but not actually being Christian at all.I have seen this happen, in dozens of cases, and I think it makes no sense at all to baptize a child who knows nothing.The child is not choosing to be Christian, and it could grow up and want to be a Buddhist, and I really dont think its fair- to either Jesus or the child- to baptize little children.God WOULD NOT send a child to hell, weather it was baptized or not, and besides, salvation is NOT the point- serving Jesus is.I was baptized as an infant, and now wish I hadn’t been, because I lived in ignorance and sin for more then twelve years.Luckily, however, I realized how good God is, and how unfair sin is, and having studied other religions, decided that I really did want to be Catholic, and if I had been born into another faith, I would have converted by now.But what if I had wanted to be something else?Or what if I had just continued to live in sin?Infants should never, ever be baptized, it’s there decision, not ours, and the baptism of infants is why there are so many blasphemous, indifferent Christians.

 

[frnate]

Can any one answer this? I have two Protestant friends that have had their infants “dedicated” at their respective churches vs baptised. This really bothers me due in part to origional sin. What happens to these souls if they never formally decide to get baptised or worse yet an accident kills them or whatever before they decide? I am having a difficulty justifying this. Infant baptism makes much more sence.
Thanks
Eric

As a former Baptist I now see how foolish it is to perform what is essentially a dry baptism, only to have the dedication basically voided when the child reaches the “age of accountability” (whatever THAT is), The folks who do that are unwittingly giving their kids mixed messages:

• You’re a Christian…*
• oops you turned 5 (or 7 or 10 or whatever) you’re no longer a Christian…*
• Now you gotta become a Christian again by saying the magic prayer and getting “saved”…*
• And that gives you a “salvation” that you can never lose (anymore)…*
• No need to work to keep your salvation, but you gotta work TWICE as hard to stay sure you actually GOT saved…:hypno:*

I thank God that most of my children have never had to experience that situation. It was one of the reasons I gave up on “the religion thing” in my late teens. What I didn’t realize is that while I thot I was running away from God, I was actually running to Him, and my Mother, whom I finally met in my 30’s.

Blessed Mary, Ever-Virgin, please pray for me now and at the hour of my death.

WOW, talk about freedom!!!

I’ll stop rambling.

Peace,
+N

 

[MariaG]

I strongly disagree with infant baptism.THATS why wehave so many bad Christians around.Babies get baptized, grow up, have no interest in the faith, never go to church, regard religion as a joke, and commit sin.It would be much, MUCH better if these people had not been baptized as infants, because in fact, they are not Christian.They have nothing to do with the church, and their faith means nothing to them.It would be better if they’d been allowed to grow up and choose their own religion, instead of alleging to be Christian but not actually being Christian at all.I have seen this happen, in dozens of cases, and I think it makes no sense at all to baptize a child who knows nothing.The child is not choosing to be Christian, and it could grow up and want to be a Buddhist, and I really dont think its fair- to either Jesus or the child- to baptize little children.God WOULD NOT send a child to hell, weather it was baptized or not, and besides, salvation is NOT the point- serving Jesus is.I was baptized as an infant, and now wish I hadn’t been, because I lived in ignorance and sin for more then twelve years.Luckily, however, I realized how good God is, and how unfair sin is, and having studied other religions, decided that I really did want to be Catholic, and if I had been born into another faith, I would have converted by now.But what if I had wanted to be something else?Or what if I had just continued to live in sin?Infants should never, ever be baptized, it’s there decision, not ours, and the baptism of infants is why there are so many blasphemous, indifferent Christians.

If all baptism were was a symbol of the decision to follow Christ, your reasoning makes sense. It is true that many Catholic parents, priests and teachers did a poor job in the last fifty years of helping the love of Christ to grow in children’s hearts.

However, it is clear that the Early Church just as the Church today disagrees. Baptism is a miracle of God, not a decision.

:bible1: John 3:5"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."

Born Again in Baptism

A miracle that washes away original sin and any personal sin. We then must decide to walk in that grace given. That is where the decision comes in.

As well as not allowing infants and children to be baptized, contradicts scripture which tells us that baptism is the circumcision of the heart. In the past, men circumcized infants and men. But in baptism, God circumcizes our hearts. Scripture compares baptism to the circumcision made without hands. Try reading some of the articles at CA library

Infant Baptism

God Bless,
Maria