So our priest denied our daughter's baptism...

[IronWing]

God, if he exists, needs to pay the light bill just like anyone else. :|

Maybe he could sacrifice his other son to pay for all our electric bills...

 

[Cogman]

To be honest you didn't miss much. Once you get past the talking snake it's all downhill.

What? Mind you, SEVERAL chapters are very dry, but there are some good stories sprinkled throughout the bible.

For example. Elijah was walking home, some youth started teasing him for being bald, so he cursed them and 2 bears came out and massacred something like 40 people. How is that not awesome :awe:

As for the priest not baptizing the child, that is really interesting. I know of a lot of catholics that are catholic just because they were baptized that way at birth. For the longest time it used to be catholic doctrine that all that are not baptized go to hell (babies included. Though, in recent years they have lightened up on this doctrine. Now they go to purgatory or something). So, by his doctrine he is essentially sentencing your child to hell/or purgatory... Not very Christian.

 

[Fritzo]

Wow, a lot of intolerance in this thread. It makes me wonder how a lot of people were brought up, and it's no wonder there's so much hate in the world today.

I don't believe in Buddha or Shiva, but I would never go up to a Buddist or Hindu and say "YOU'RE AN IDIOT FOR BELIEVING IN THAT!!! I'M BETTER AND MORE INTELLIGENT THAN YOU BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE IN ANY GOD! HA!!!" I have respect for other cultures and traditions, and you can learn a lot from them.

There are no bible-thumpers on ATOT...in fact, those that practice a religion around here are very reserved. Yet, if anyone mentions anything about religion, it creates a hailstorm of insults. It makes the atheists around here are some of the most annoying people around. Just keep in mind that the belief in no God is still a belief, and it should be respected as much as people that do believe. Different points of view make for a diverse culture, which benefits everyone.

 

[Fritzo]

What? Mind you, SEVERAL chapters are very dry, but there are some good stories sprinkled throughout the bible.

For example. Elijah was walking home, some youth started teasing him for being bald, so he cursed them and 2 bears came out and massacred something like 40 people. How is that not awesome :awe:

As for the priest not baptizing the child, that is really interesting. I know of a lot of catholics that are catholic just because they were baptized that way at birth. For the longest time it used to be catholic doctrine that all that are not baptized go to hell (babies included. Though, in recent years they have lightened up on this doctrine. Now they go to purgatory or something). So, by his doctrine he is essentially sentencing your child to hell/or purgatory... Not very Christian.

One of my favorites:

Ezekiel 23:19-20

Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses.

 

[AnnonUSA]

Did you receive your first holy communion in a catholic church? I've never seen anyone try to do this in the ~10 years I attended a catholic church. Sounds like you were either not aware of the custom or trying to be different/difficult.

I left Catholic school AND the Catholic Church after 5th grade and never looked back. I completely rejected it.

However, what YOU did was ignorant and offensive. You, as I, can disagree with and dislike the church all you wish, but there is zero excuse for your behavior inside their house of worship.

Your apparent ignorance is no excuse. To that priest and to everyone who was in that church when you did what you did, accepting that wafer into your mouth while kneeling at the altar is the literal body of Christ.

Your waltzing away with it was fucking IGNORANT.

Furthermore, no one not in a state of grace, ie, no one who has NOT been to confession prior to accepting this SACRAMENT and who not sinned at all since that confession may take part in this holy SACRAMENT.

You going up and helping yourself was BEYOND IGNORANT.

It was akin to waltzing into a mosque with your shoes on.

You don't like or agree with Islam, fine, but there is no need to be an ass in their house.

Same with Catholics.

When you enter another's house, any civilized, non-boorish asshole abides by that owner's rules, requests, mores and customs. This goes double and triple for any house of worship.

You fucked up big time, and there is no excuse for your ignorance.

Grow up and admit this to yourself.

So you are saying I tried to Kidnap Christ?

LMAO.

And For anyone that believes the Absurdity of the bible and organized religion to the extent that you believe these voodoo rituals, to call me Ignorant is just plain funny.

But I guess that is just your religious tolerance showing.

 

[BudAshes]

This should show you it's time to move on. The Catholic church is the most evil oranization in the history of the world.

 

[2Xtreme21]

So you are saying I tried to Kidnap Christ?

LMAO.

And For anyone that believes the Absurdity of the bible and organized religion to the extent that you believe these voodoo rituals, to call me Ignorant is just plain funny.

But I guess that is just your religious tolerance showing.

I, like Perknose, abandoned the abomination that is the Catholic religion after 5th grade, and have been to mass a handful of times since, but I fully agree with him. It's not an issue of religious tolerance, but rather an issue of you being fucking ignorant in THEIR house. You chose to go mass in the first place, and that means you have to act with the dignity and respect that is required of you there.

It's a respect thing. Doing what you did shows nothing but immaturity and disrespect. You don't go to someone else's house and poop on their floor because you disagree with their political views, do you?

(This is coming from a 100% complete atheist, by the way).

 

[Malak]

As for the priest not baptizing the child, that is really interesting. I know of a lot of catholics that are catholic just because they were baptized that way at birth. For the longest time it used to be catholic doctrine that all that are not baptized go to hell (babies included. Though, in recent years they have lightened up on this doctrine. Now they go to purgatory or something). So, by his doctrine he is essentially sentencing your child to hell/or purgatory... Not very Christian.

None of it is Christian at all. Not their baptisms, not their purgatory, nor their doctrines or authority. Most of it is made up.

 

[Perknose]

So you are saying I tried to Kidnap Christ?

LMAO.

And For anyone that believes the Absurdity of the bible and organized religion to the extent that you believe these voodoo rituals, to call me Ignorant is just plain funny.

But I guess that is just your religious tolerance showing.

Reading comprehension: I'm not Catholic nor am I a member of any organized religion nor would I ever be nor do I personally believe in any of these rituals whatsoever . . . nor am I saying that I believe you kidnapped Christ in any way, shape or form.

But you DID act needlessly ignorantly in a Catholic Church with what they consider to be the consecrated body of Christ in their house of worship during what they consider perhaps their most sacred sacrament.

Hey, I guess you had no clue but WHY remain defiant and unrepentent and seemingly even annoyed the priest had the gall, the temerity to be a tad upset even now that you full well know the extent of your perhaps initially unintended ignorance.

Your attitude after the fact is what seals your complete asshole statu

Reductio ad absurdum, I guess I could waltz into your house and kick your dog until it is broken and bleeds, because hypothetically I'm a Muslim who believes that dogs are unclean and I don't subscribe to your particular beliefs or mores.

Would you be upset?

I guess that would be your cross-cultural intolerance showing.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Haven't read the entire thread, but here's a thought based on my personal experience:

I grew up across the street from a Methodist church. Went there all my life, until I moved away, and even then I was in the same town and still went occasionally.
My Grandma lived next door to us, and she went there for probably 60 years or more. Once she died in 2004, I haven't been back.

I do still talk to the preacher occasionally. I miss the church...he is great at taking current events and interpreting the teachings of the bible to keep the sermons fresh, and since it's Methodist, it's not "bible thumping" at all.

Anyway, I have young kids and inquired with him about having them baptized there. I live about 30min. away now, on the other side of town, and at that time hadn't gone to a local church yet. (still haven't)

His explanation of what baptism means was as follows (and he said he'd still do it if I wanted): It's basically not only affirming that the child will be brought up on Christian principles by the parents, but it also affirms that the church congregation as a whole will be a part of and help with the child's upbringing.

So if we weren't going to be able to come to the church regularly, he suggested we'd be better off having them baptized at a local church because of what it means...then we got into a discussion of which one, etc.
But the bottom line was, he still would have baptized my kids at my old church if I wanted him too.
Since OP is local and doesn't go to another church, I'd suggest talking to the priest in person about this. It does seem odd that he'd NOT want to try and bring a new, young soul into his congregation, even if it wasn't as often as he'd like.

 

[Skillet49]

So you are saying I tried to Kidnap Christ?

LMAO.

And For anyone that believes the Absurdity of the bible and organized religion to the extent that you believe these voodoo rituals, to call me Ignorant is just plain funny.

But I guess that is just your religious tolerance showing.

Why were you taking communion anyway? Unless I am misreading your post, it sounds like you don't believe in God, so it doesn't make sense to me why 1)you'd go to mass, and 2)you'd take communion, knowing fully well that Catholics believe 1)communion is the body and blood of Christ, and 2) that only those who have had their first communion in the Catholic Church are allowed to take communion there.

 

[jlee]

Why were you taking communion anyway? Unless I am misreading your post, it sounds like you don't believe in God, so it doesn't make sense to me why 1)you'd go to mass, and 2)you'd take communion, knowing fully well that Catholics believe 1)communion is the body and blood of Christ, and 2) that only those who have had their first communion in the Catholic Church are allowed to take communion there.

Maybe he's a troll IRL!

 

[Skillet49]

Maybe he's a troll IRL!

Like one of these? http://blog.jonasbandi.net/2008/05/web-framework-trolling.html

 

[thepd7]

If your daughter's baptism is truly is important to you:

1. go over his head, appeal to a higher authority

2. tell him if he refuses you'll take her to be baptized by the Baptists. He'll have lost her forever.

3. Go to the newspapers. They'll love this story and splash it across the paper. First the Catholic Church won't protect kids from molesting priests, now they won't baptize babies.

lol Baptist don't baptize babies.

 

[JEDIYoda]

I'm kind of annoyed. The wife and I are Roman Catholic, and the reasoning was that we don't visit every week. I'll admit, we are pretty lax, we go on major religious holidays, probably about 6 times a year.

We fully intended on our daughter getting her baptism and eventually confirmation and attending fairly regularly while she is growing up. Yet we are actually being denied, and she is being punished because of our lack of attendance. I was baptized, confirmed and married at this parish too.

What I don't understand is that churches keep complaining about lack of parishioners, yet they push you away if you aren't dedicated to a weekly commitment.

wtf.

Sorry, I had to write this here to get it out, I'm still trying to cool down a bit before I email the priest back.

/rant

If the priest believes that you and your spouse are either unable or unwilling to raise the child in the Catholic faith, he can defer baptism until a more appropriate time.....
Your words have stated basically that very thing...

PS-- There is no appealing that decision regardless what others may tell you!!
The Bishop never gets involved in the buisness of the Priest...unless the priest is doing something very wrong!

Also your daughter is NOT being punished!! She has no right to a baptism!!
It is NOT for your daughter anyways!!
It is symbolic so that you and your wife will raise your daughter as a catholic!!

Your attendance at mass says alot about whether being a Catholic means anything to you and your spouse!!

 

[Slapstick]

He pulled the "we cannot accommodate your request" bit. They had a merger between 2 churches, and church has been standing room only lately because of this, so I wonder if this has something to do with it.

Regarding the email, he was on vacation for the last month, so that was how he communicated with us.

On "vacation" or in treatment? Anyway, another child saved from a pedophile priest.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Seems like you are not religious. Why baptism?

 

[LumbergTech]

Wow, a lot of intolerance in this thread. It makes me wonder how a lot of people were brought up, and it's no wonder there's so much hate in the world today.

I don't believe in Buddha or Shiva, but I would never go up to a Buddist or Hindu and say "YOU'RE AN IDIOT FOR BELIEVING IN THAT!!! I'M BETTER AND MORE INTELLIGENT THAN YOU BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE IN ANY GOD! HA!!!" I have respect for other cultures and traditions, and you can learn a lot from them.

There are no bible-thumpers on ATOT...in fact, those that practice a religion around here are very reserved. Yet, if anyone mentions anything about religion, it creates a hailstorm of insults. It makes the atheists around here are some of the most annoying people around. Just keep in mind that the belief in no God is still a belief, and it should be respected as much as people that do believe. Different points of view make for a diverse culture, which benefits everyone.

no, lack of belief is not a belief it is a lack of belief

I agree that you can learn things from other cultures and traditions. I don't really feel that bad that christians don't get to dominate this discussion board. They have plenty of places to dominate the discussion.

 

[Orignal Earl]

Yes..Catholic doctrine has changed,
I sponsored a friend of mine into the Catholic church through something called RCIA.
During these meeting and such at least in our parish people were encouraged to bring a bible if they so chose.
Also they were given a Catholic Bible after they were added to the church!!

wth ??

Ok last week you were an Israeli/Polish Jew
This week your Catholic?

 

[xSauronx]

no, lack of belief is not a belief it is a lack of belief

agreed. lack of belief is a belief like lack of money means im in good financial standing.

/in college, has neither belief nor money

 

[PhineasJWhoopee]

wth ??

Ok last week you were an Israeli/Polish Jew
This week your Catholic?

Irish Catholic?

That's pretty cool if you can change religions and ethnicity.

 

[sygyzy]

I think the priest did the right thing. Let's face it, religion is dying and you and your wife's lack of dedication to your faith/church is evidence of it. You have some fantasy that your child will be raised Catholic and carry on the faith, when you are already departing from it? That's akin to immigrant families who's children and third or fourth generation American, hoping their kids will still learn to speak their native tongue.

I am not sure why you are so surprised by this. I think the priest's analogy to marrying for money is a good one.

FYI - I am Catholic, baptized and confirmed. And I have nothing against the church like many here on ATOT.

 

[Orignal Earl]

Irish Catholic?

That's pretty cool if you can change religions and ethnicity.

I am an Israeli/Polish Jew.
I believe that there should be two states. One Palestinian and one Israeli.

Yes..Catholic doctrine has changed,
I sponsored a friend of mine into the Catholic church through something called RCIA.

I started to notice something was up when he claimed he had served 7 years US .mil intelligence. That just didn't jive with 99% of his posts.

Perhaps he really thinks he's a Jedi too.

 

[Delta6Echo]

I'm kind of annoyed. The wife and I are Roman Catholic, and the reasoning was that we don't visit every week. I'll admit, we are pretty lax, we go on major religious holidays, probably about 6 times a year.

We fully intended on our daughter getting her baptism and eventually confirmation and attending fairly regularly while she is growing up. Yet we are actually being denied, and she is being punished because of our lack of attendance. I was baptized, confirmed and married at this parish too.

What I don't understand is that churches keep complaining about lack of parishioners, yet they push you away if you aren't dedicated to a weekly commitment.

wtf.

Sorry, I had to write this here to get it out, I'm still trying to cool down a bit before I email the priest back.

/rant

You're acting like its the end of the world. They won't baptize her...so what? How about you just raise your kid up to be a good person and not worry about the politics.

The fact that you want your child to lean on the church for guidance tells me you haven't considered the fact that your child doesn't need the church to be a model citizen.

There is more than one way to live life. I hope you have some REAL problems.

 

[lxskllr]

Perhaps he really thinks he's a Jedi too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GJOVPjhXMY