Kids christened or baptized

To all with kids, are they christened/baptized and if you're w/o kids, if you ever have any would you?

I would not because I don't believe that it has any merit. A person must be able to speak for themselves and make their own decision on if they want to be or not, and a child cannot, and since a child has no concept of what all of that is, I do not believe God is going to damn a child who dies because they weren't baptized before they could speak for themselves.

Of course I would.

I might.

Supernova wrote:I would not because I don't believe that it has any merit. A person must be able to speak for themselves and make their own decision on if they want to be or not, and a child cannot, and since a child has no concept of what all of that is, I do not believe God is going to damn a child who dies because they weren't baptized before they could speak for themselves.

Supernova wrote:I would not because I don't believe that it has any merit. A person must be able to speak for themselves and make their own decision on if they want to be or not, and a child cannot, and since a child has no concept of what all of that is, I do not believe God is going to damn a child who dies because they weren't baptized before they could speak for themselves.

Basically. My kids were, but that was due to their mothers insisting....I wasn't adamantly for/against it at the time, but if I ever have any more, nope...they won't be.

JB wrote:To all with kids, are they christened/baptized and if you're w/o kids, if you ever have any would you?

I don't have kids but if/when I do they will not be baptized at birth (I don't believe in "christening"). As far as I am concerned, an infant (who is innocent) has no concept of sin or salvation and no need to be baptized. It is merely a symbolic ritual for the parents and family, nothing more. It has no importance on the child's salvation meaning its pointless in the spiritual sense. To me, baptism is a personal choice and commitment to oneself and to God. This should be done at the age when one has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior. Having said this, most of my friends and/or extended family has either baptized or "christened" (whatever that is) their baby's out of tradition (even though very few of them are what I would consider "religious" in any sense).

I'm indifferent to the whole thing really. Alot of people who are baptized or christened don't keep their ear on the faith or even go to church. I think baptisms only matter as much as you want them too. If I had a kid, I wouldn't be bent on them being baptized but if their mother was, I may along with it for "TRADITION" sake. . . but I would make it clear that we weren't gonna raise it to be drowning in religious indoctrination.

If I had kids, yes they would be baptized. Whatever they do later on in life as far as their religious beliefs would be their business.