Is it a mortal sin to baptise someone without their consent?

Status
Not open for further replies.
N

Nelka

New member
I am referring to an adult that has the capacity of a toddler/child, one who would not even know what you are asking. If these adults were never baptised by their parents then surely they cannot enter Heaven as Jesus said me cannot if we haven’t been baptised.

Please answer this twice, once in an emergency (dying) and one not in an emergency.

Thanks.
 
Nelka said:
I am referring to an adult that has the capacity of a toddler/child, one who would not even know what you are asking. If these adults were never baptised by their parents then surely they cannot enter Heaven as Jesus said me cannot if we haven’t been baptised.

Please answer this twice, once in an emergency (dying) and one not in an emergency.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I think you will need to ask a priest for this one…

@FrDavid96
 
@FrDavid96
@edward_george1
@(name removed by moderator)
 
Last edited:
The better question is not whether it’s a mortal sin to do this, but whether or not it’s the right thing to do.

Is this someone you know of that you’re thinking about baptizing against the wishes of their parents/guardians?
 
Danger of death, obviously if they are bleeding profusely or something but what if they are just dying over the weeks?
 
You didn’t answer my question. Are you planning on baptizing someone without their consent or the consent of their legal guardian?
 
I agree inappropriate but would it be grave matter and I assume the baptism would be valid but I’d like it confirmed.
 
I wasn’t planning but just enquiring.

I work in care and have seen people die, they have very low mental capacity and I wondered if they would all be lost without it and what we could do if anything.
 
I also doubt it’s as simple as “no baptism=no heaven.” You might be starting from a faulty assumption.
 
John 3:5 Jesus replied: In all truth I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born through water and the Spirit.
 
I mean, technically yeah, but God doesn’t deal in technicalities. He’s not going to deny His children Heaven based on something that’s completely out of their control.
 
Nelka said:
John 3:5 Jesus replied: In all truth I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born through water and the Spirit.
Click to expand...
And the Spirit.

God is omnipotent. His power is not actually dependent on the sacramentals themselves.
 
Last edited:
Thats not so much a “better” question as just a different question.
 
It’s a better question, because “is it a mortal sin to do X?” tends to represent a “how much can I do and get away with it?” mentality, whereas asking if something is the right thing to do puts the focus where it ought to be, on the virtue of an act. Christian morality isn’t about not doing bad things and not breaking rules so much as it is about doing what is good and what unites us to the Lord. To avoid evil comes about as a result of that, but that should be our primary focus.
 
Ok, but what is the material gravity of the act? Is it a form of sacrilege (ie: grave matter), or of a lesser degree? Unless I missed it, no poster, or this article has answered that question yet.
Thanks
 
That is a subjective judgement based on what you think the asker’s disposition might be. The question in itself is not superior. I like to learn more about my faith, and understanding the difference between grave and not grave matter in specific instances is a pretty significant component of that.
 
It’s funny, but you’ve just done what you accuse me of–your assessment is a subjective judgment based on what you think my disposition might be. My disposition is an objective one of analyzing the words used to ask the question, and proposing what might be a better way to get a more effective answer. We’re not talking about an abstract issue here, but a concrete situation where real people and real actions are involved, as we’ve discovered in the course of finding out more details.

But I’m not having this discussion here, as it’s off topic. What’s important is that baptizing someone secretly without their consent or that of those who have responsibility for making decisions for them is not the right thing to do in the given situation.
 
Last edited:
I’ll be disconnected from the internet until Sunday/Monday. I’ll answer when I have the time.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top