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When good parents go bad! They want to baptize me!

M

Martin

Lifer
I never though I'd have to deal with this. <sigh>
As some of you may know, I'm on the athiest side of all YARTs, and I really do hate religion. I've never been baptized and I want it to stay that way. But now that my sister's getting married, my mom wants us to get baptized. <shakes head>


I don't think I ever told them what I believe in the first place (my family is very very unreligious, no ones been to a church in years) and I'm hoping they simply won't care, otherwise it'll be a nasty showdown.


Anyone ever had to go through something like this?
 
I was baptized when I was an infant before I knew any better. :| Pretty mean if you ask me.

But as for your situation, just refuse. Your parents should respect your choice... and if not then they've got problems of their own to deal with apparently. 🙁

dc
 
Why cant you just do it?

I mean...if you dont believe in it, then you havent lost anything (except for a few minutes of dryness) and your parents have gained the comfort from their thoughts. Plus, you have (potentially) avoided an argument that could ruin your relationship with your parents. Really, what harm is there in just taking a dunk, especially when you dont believe that it changes you at all?
 


<< I was baptized when I was an infant before I knew any better. :| Pretty mean if you ask me. >>


heheh, me too. i dont think its mean, just pretty dumb. i really don't care. so some priest sprinkled water on me and etc etc..who cares

anyways, tell your parents no. its that simple.
 


<< I was baptized when I was an infant before I knew any better. Pretty mean if you ask me. >>



Mean? I guess you've suffered greatly from something you cannot even remember? Poor baby.

Russ, NCNE

 


<<

<< I was baptized when I was an infant before I knew any better. Pretty mean if you ask me. >>



Mean? I guess you've suffered greatly from something you cannot even remember? Poor baby.

Russ, NCNE >>



You rule, Russ. 😀

I was baptised as a child as well (without my consent! :Q
rolleye.gif
). I'm sure there are worse things that can happen to someone.
Here's a funny (but true) story. On his deathbed, W.C. Fields was found reading the Bible. "But you're an atheist! What are you doing?" he was asked.
Fields replied quietly, "Looking for loopholes."
 
i wouldn't 'just do it' if you don't want to. i'd have to disagree with anyone that says to do it. i mean yeah it may only take a little bit of water but it is the principal of the thing. would you rather lie to your parents and in front of everyone that goes to that church? or just tell them the truth and work it out. i hope you choose to tell them your beliefs and not do it, lying to them will only end up catching up to you in the long run...
 
According to the Bible baptism should be purely voluntary and 'after the age of accountability.' Infant baptism never took place in the New Testament and Jesus himself waited until he war around 30 years of age before he was baptized.

If it is not done with a total commitment to Christ and accepting his teachings it has zero meaning imho. It is not to make parents feel good.
 
Well you can just embarass your parents. When the priest or minister (depending on your denomination) asks you if you accept the Holy Spirit into your life as your eternal saviour, just say NO!!!! It's what I did, and they haven't tried to baptize me since.
 


<< According to the Bible baptism should be purely voluntary and 'after the age of accountability.' Infant baptism never took place in the New Testament and Jesus himself waited until he war around 30 years of age before he was baptized.

If it is not done with a total commitment to Christ and accepting his teachings it has zero meaning imho. It is not to make parents feel good. >>


Well said.
 


<< I was baptized when I was an infant before I knew any better. :| Pretty mean if you ask me. >>



That's nothing! Guess what my parents did to ME before I had a chance to say no. 🙁 🙁 🙁
 


<< Don't worry, it doesn't hurt. (Unless, maybe you're afraid of water?)

Russ, NCNE >>



Its a matter of principles.
I know you wouldn't want to take part in Rosie's Million Mom March (unless you happen to be a closet liberal 😉), and I have no interest in taking part in this.




Well, I'll tell them that I dont want to do it nicely, and if they don't like that, too bad.
I still do not relish having to do it though.
 


<< I know you wouldn't want to take part in Rosie's Million Mom March >>



No, I wouldn't. You might also take note of the fact that I never said you should go through with the Baptism; only that it doesn't hurt.

Russ, NCNE
 
<<But as for your situation, just refuse. Your parents should respect your choice... and if not then they've got problems of their own to deal with apparently. >>

Reminds me of what happened in bootcamp. For the final graduation we were supposed to all be at parade rest and they were going to say a prayer. The day before the company commander said this:

"If you are not religious, when they ask you to bow your head and pray, consider it an order"

LMAO
 


<<

<< I know you wouldn't want to take part in Rosie's Million Mom March >>



No, I wouldn't. You might also take note of the fact that I never said you should go through with the Baptism; only that it doesn't hurt.

Russ, NCNE >>





Not physically. But no one likes betraying what their principles just to please other people.
 
I'm sure your sis can get married in a non-denominational church...a "christian-type" ceremony but hell you aren't your sis. If anyone should be getting baptized, it should be her. She should find a priest first to tell her what the options are. i.e, can she get married without a baptism. As for you, perhaps it is a nice gesture on your parents' behalf...but if you don't want to, don't do it.


BTW, congrats to your sis and your entire family 🙂
 
This is your mother. Is it going to kill you to make your mother happy? Are you afraid that if you get baptised, it might 'cause' you to start being a bible-thumping Holy Roller? It might 'convert' you or something? It's not as though your 'religion' prohibits undesired baptisms. Are you going to make me remind you off all the times she changed your smelly poopy diapers, stayed-up with you when you're sick, etc?

C'mon, make your mom happy, she's your mother.

If you can't see your way through your personal objections to please your mom, then remind them that you are atheist and that you don't believe in God. Reluctantly allowing a minister to dabble some water on your forehead can't possibly 'undo' that. Its not like you get some 'free pass' to heaven because you jump through some ritual hoop. If you don't BELIEVE in baptism, if you have no FAITH in the ritual, it is entirely a waste of water.

Besides, no reputable Bible scholar still reads the baptism as being some ritual with water.
 
I've never been, and I consider myself Christian.

A far from perfect one, but I try, I fail alot, but I still try.

I never got baptized because the pri*ckwad youth leader of our church told me that my reason for wanting to get baptized wasn't good enough.

I told him I didn't think it was his place and from there on out I did not respect him. He eventually got in trouble for being a little too rough with one of us youth.

Looking back on it, I don't really have any regrets about not being baptized.
Screw church....church isn't what I care about, God is, the way churches are going I find it hard to have faith in anything BUT God....why would you trust a bunch of humans to never lie, never cheat, never steal....

The whole thing has left me very disenchanted....but not athiest....

In short, I believe in God, not churches....

Tell your parents that you do not want to be baptized, they can't force you.
 
I'm agnostic...and I still haven't had the guts to tell my parents that I'm not a christian. I've avoided going to church as much as possible, but the few times they made me go, I went. They're under the impression that I'm a christian who doesn't like church.
I know if I told my mom it would be a royal pain in the ass and she'd be preaching at me all the time.
Congrats on having the courage to dell your mom how you really feel.
 
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