digitalmonkey 929 Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 My belief is that religion is a very personal thing. I was baptized as a Roman Catholic but I feel that having them baptized is forcing something upon them. My intention (along with my wife) is to teach our children about different religions and answer questions they may have, but ultimately the choice will be theirs as to what, if any, religion they choose. I'm interested in hearing opinions on this. Link to post Share on other sites
pokerfriendly 0 Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Good call ! sensible decision, but info coming from idol worshipers who mix politics and religeon hmm i don't know ???lol j/k Link to post Share on other sites
theresa113 0 Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 My belief is that religion is a very personal thing. I was baptized as a Roman Catholic but I feel that having them baptized is forcing something upon them. My intention (along with my wife) is to teach our children about different religions and answer questions they may have, but ultimately the choice will be theirs as to what, if any, religion they choose. I'm interested in hearing opinions on this.Well, I did exactly as you. I was baptized Roman Catholic. I raised my son with little religion but stressed to him that it was important for him to find and discover a personal relationship with God. I taught him about morality and how to be civil minded and act with a good heart.Good News: My son is an extremely law abiding and moral young man who acts more like what religion teaches than what most religious people act.Sad News (In my perspective): My son says he does not believe in God. I feel he is missing out on something. Link to post Share on other sites
jmkiser 0 Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Well, I did exactly as you. I was baptized Roman Catholic. I raised my son with little religion but stressed to him that it was important for him to find and discover a personal relationship with God. I taught him about morality and how to be civil minded and act with a good heart.Good News: My son is an extremely law abiding and moral young man who acts more like what religion teaches than what most religious people act.Sad News (In my perspective): My son says he does not believe in God. I feel he is missing out on something.Be proud that your son is an extremely law abiding citizen and moral young man with his life in order. You could only be so lucky and I'm happy for both of you!Very interesting point in that you feel he is missing out in something. Maybe you both could teach each other something about what's important to each of you. I'm sure there is something that he feels you are missing out on that is extremely important in his life (an activity, a devotion, a passion, etc.) and at the same time you can show him your own passions. Good times to bond between mother and son Link to post Share on other sites
mrdannyg 274 Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 i hope they have a nice time burning for all eternity.serge Link to post Share on other sites
jmkiser 0 Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 i hope they have a nice time burning for all eternity.sergesee!? see?!Christian God = terroristI was right!lulz Link to post Share on other sites
mrdannyg 274 Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 see!? see?!Christian God = American IdolI was right!lulz FYP Link to post Share on other sites
jmkiser 0 Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 FYPlol nice Link to post Share on other sites
Zeatrix 0 Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 To OP: Excellent choice. I wish I wasn't baptized. Still my parents never told me to believe in a God, they just kept it to teaching me what's moral or not, and I'm glad.I will not baptize my children. I will not teach them about any religion, school takes care of that here in Sweden. Actually, I will stress to them that religion is just a tool created by leaders to control their subjects.You know the funny part is, I only became a hard core atheist after I lived in a Christian family in Canada for a year (as an exchange student). What I saw in their lives and their church scared me more than anything I've heard about religion. They even showed a video "debunking" the theory of the earth being older than four thousand years once. Man, was that scary TV. Link to post Share on other sites
Loismustdie 0 Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 No reason to. Kids have no sin. Link to post Share on other sites
brvheart 1,752 Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 My children haven't been baptized either. The decision is theirs. Link to post Share on other sites
brvheart 1,752 Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 No reason to. Kids have no sin.I have kids... and so I have proof that this is a false claim.King James VersionRoman 3:23 For all, but kids, have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Link to post Share on other sites
Loismustdie 0 Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 I have kids... and so I have proof that this is a false claim.King James VersionRoman 3:23 For all, but kids, have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. All have sinned and fallen short of the God. Very good. What is sin? The breaking of God's law. Can a child sin? Does a child have any clue what he is doing? Has he even had time to develop any kind of moral standard to where any choice he makes has ramification? No. If a baby picked up a gun, fired it and killed you, nobody would prosecute the baby. Why? Because the baby has no idea what he is doing. 3 year old?. No. 5 year old? No. 7 year old? No. 10 year old- possibly. There have been cases with some pretty hard core 10 year old,who most definitely could be capable of sin, but that is up to God. I know that you are not being serious, but to anybody who actually thinks this way, anyone who believes whatever child baptism they had meant anything, it didn't. No more than you can make a choice to get married at 5 can you make a choice to A, identify sin and B, repent from it. You are a child. Somebody stated earlier that they wished there parents had not baptized them. Why? You got dunked in water, and it didn't mean anything, so, relax. They were misled and now you can make whatever choice you want, as it should be. This topic is the epitome of why I can't stand religion. Link to post Share on other sites
Zeatrix 0 Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 I wish my parents hadn't baptised me since in Sweden, baptism means that you automatically become a member of the Swedish church.Now it was a big hazle to send a letter to the church to state that I no longer wished to be a member of the church. No baptism would have saved me 5 Swedish crowns of postage! Link to post Share on other sites
H_Factor73 2 Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 My belief is that religion is a very personal thing. I was baptized as a Roman Catholic but I feel that having them baptized is forcing something upon them. My intention (along with my wife) is to teach our children about different religions and answer questions they may have, but ultimately the choice will be theirs as to what, if any, religion they choose. I'm interested in hearing opinions on this.In Catholicism, the whole intention of baptism soon after birth is to rid your child of original sin (a gift from Adam and Eve). The sacrament of Confirmation is available for the child later in life to announce their intention of dedicating their lives to God -- a personal act. In the end, baptism is more of an announcement by the parents that they are choosing to bring the child up in the church. Protestants morphed this to a dedication where they present the baby before the congregation (usually without the symbolic use of water). Later in life the child can choose to get dunked in the water for their own personal act.My question is, what does it matter? That is unless you believe a child still has the stigma of original sin. Even if you don't, who does it hurt if you sprinkle some water on the kid's head and say a prayer and perhaps make the sign of the cross? Is it going to affect the child later in life when hopefully he/she will make an informed decision on his belief or non-belief in God? Does the child getting baptised a second time somehow get negated by the fact it was done when they were two-months old?Regardless the child will someday make a choice on religion. Baptism/Dedication is all for the parents. Link to post Share on other sites
digitalmonkey 929 Posted April 17, 2007 Author Share Posted April 17, 2007 In Catholicism, the whole intention of baptism soon after birth is to rid your child of original sin (a gift from Adam and Eve). The sacrament of Confirmation is available for the child later in life to announce their intention of dedicating their lives to God -- a personal act. In the end, baptism is more of an announcement by the parents that they are choosing to bring the child up in the church. Protestants morphed this to a dedication where they present the baby before the congregation (usually without the symbolic use of water). Later in life the child can choose to get dunked in the water for their own personal act.My question is, what does it matter? That is unless you believe a child still has the stigma of original sin. Even if you don't, who does it hurt if you sprinkle some water on the kid's head and say a prayer and perhaps make the sign of the cross? Is it going to affect the child later in life when hopefully he/she will make an informed decision on his belief or non-belief in God? Does the child getting baptised a second time somehow get negated by the fact it was done when they were two-months old?Regardless the child will someday make a choice on religion. Baptism/Dedication is all for the parents.So what you are saying is that baptism is pointless. Link to post Share on other sites
Loismustdie 0 Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 So what you are saying is that baptism is pointless. It shouldn't be,but it is reduced to that by various religions, absolutely. Link to post Share on other sites
LongLiveYorke 38 Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Just don't baptize him and hope that it turns out that one of the factions of Christianity that doesn't require baptism is the correct faction as seen by God, the creator of the universe. I mean, he designed the eyeball and painted the cosmos, but he really cares about oil being poured over a baby or not. Link to post Share on other sites
KramitDaToad 0 Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Sad News (In my perspective): My son says he does not believe in God. I feel he is missing out on something.I hope you didn't react like this... Just kidding Link to post Share on other sites
LongLiveYorke 38 Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Sad News (In my perspective): My son says he does not believe in God. I feel he is missing out on something.Well, what matters is that you gave him a legitimate chance to decide on his own. You didn't force anything onto him. You showed him the things that you believe in and took him to church, but in the end only he can decide for himself. He'll be much happier and much more thankful of you if you don't force things upon him. People like independence and people like the freedom to make their own choices, and the fact that you respect his choices will make him very happy. Link to post Share on other sites
the shank 0 Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 ill sprinkle some holy water on them for the low low price of 9.99then theyll go to a magic happy place when they die Link to post Share on other sites
brvheart 1,752 Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 So what you are saying is that baptism is pointless.For infants? absolutely.Just don't baptize him and hope that it turns out that one of the factions of Christianity that doesn't require baptism is the correct faction as seen by God, the creator of the universe. I mean, he designed the eyeball and painted the cosmos, but he really cares about oil being poured over a baby or not.1. That would be the Bible based 'faction'.2. God, of course, doesn't care about it at all, or he probably would have mentioned it in the Bible. Baby baptism is a man-made creation to make parents less fearful. It is never mentioned in the Bible even once, and is COMPLETELY pointless. Link to post Share on other sites
barrec 0 Posted April 29, 2007 Share Posted April 29, 2007 My belief is that religion is a very personal thing. I was baptized as a Roman Catholic but I feel that having them baptized is forcing something upon them. My intention (along with my wife) is to teach our children about different religions and answer questions they may have, but ultimately the choice will be theirs as to what, if any, religion they choose. I'm interested in hearing opinions on this.agreed! absolutely fantastic - let each person choose what feels best for them. but it can be a thin line to walk (i imagine, as i am far from a parent) from letting a child choose and being supportive. if one is truly unbiased in their child's chosen religious beliefs, a parent should be supportive of any possibilities - or at least, not unsupportive of any possibility. but being absolute in this position, i imagine, may be difficult.Well, I did exactly as you. I was baptized Roman Catholic. I raised my son with little religion but stressed to him that it was important for him to find and discover a personal relationship with God. I taught him about morality and how to be civil minded and act with a good heart.Good News: My son is an extremely law abiding and moral young man who acts more like what religion teaches than what most religious people act.Sad News (In my perspective): My son says he does not believe in God. I feel he is missing out on something.i am glad you allowed your son the opportunity to learn about, consider, and ponder religion on his own. i also agree it's an incredibly personal decision. but if you feel that it's a bad thing that he's an atheist, it seems as though you assumed he would find a relationship with god. i imagine this is so because in your life you were able to find a relationship with god, and felt that your life was bettered because of it. but you have to trust that your son is making the best decision for hiimself because he's allowed the freedom to do so. and just because you, or any parent, doesn't understand the decision, that doesn't mean it's bad, or that s/he's missing out on something. but it in fact means that you've raised an independantly thinking human being - someone we need more of. Link to post Share on other sites
theresa113 0 Posted April 29, 2007 Share Posted April 29, 2007 Sad News (In my perspective): My son says he does not believe in God. I feel he is missing out on something.Let me just clarify a couple of things. I was raised catholic but I have only attended Catholic service once as an adult and I took my son. He was around 8 at the time. For about a year, we went to Christ Unity Church. It was OK but still a little too structured for me.My personal belief is that God is the energy that binds us together and that energy is best described as love. My beliefs may appear simplistic but to me they are deep and rooted in everything I do.Based on a lot of experiences we have had as a family, I always thought he would see there is something more than we live and then die since scientifically, matter is neither created or destroyed, it just changes... but I do not have the eloquence to be able to put this all into words. Trust me, the disappointment is slight. I am extremely proud of my son for who he is and for the choices he makes. I hope you didn't react like this... Just kidding How did you find that video of me? Link to post Share on other sites
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