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cpklapper,
Catholic Popes, Bishops, Priests, and Theologians do not say anything different than Jesus. What they say is in complete agreement with Jesus. They teach us through His Holy Spirit. He gave them that power when He said, "Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church." "Go out and teach all nations." "Go forth and baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit."
Catholics do NOT believe that babies will go to hell if they die before they are baptized. Baptism gives them and all who are baptized sanctifying grace and releases us from original sin. When we are baptized, whether we are infants or adults, all sin is forgiven and it is as if we have never sinned in our lives. What a beautiful thing He gave us. We baptize at birth and we confirm our faith in the Sacrament of Confirmation when we are old enough to determine that in our own minds.
I understand that many Protestant churches Christen babies, which from what I understand is very much like baptism, and then baptize when they are older and can make that decision for themselves.
posted by
RAME
on March 19, 2007 at 12:37 PM
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I commented on your response and others in my blog
I am not trying to belittle your beliefs. It is just that given the choice between what the Bishops of Rome and Roman Catholic theologians, even Augustine, have said at various points and what Jesus said, I will always choose Jesus.
Carl Peter
"Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."
-- Christ Jesus
posted by
cpklapper
on March 7, 2007 at 4:47 PM
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Actually, the necessity of infant baptism in Catholicism is based on...
the concept of "Original Sin". Please see me blog entry about this.
Carl Peter
posted by
cpklapper
on March 7, 2007 at 7:42 AM
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Thanks, TAPS,
Actually it is part of the quote from Father Lukefar. Thanks for the comment.
posted by
RAME
on March 5, 2007 at 2:50 PM
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richinstore,
Yes, that is what we in the Catholic Church believe.
posted by
RAME
on March 5, 2007 at 2:48 PM
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Justi,
I see what you are saying and Catholics do that when they receive the Sacrament of Confirmation later in life.
posted by
RAME
on March 5, 2007 at 2:47 PM
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RAME
aren't babies supposed to be baptised?
posted by
richinstore
on March 3, 2007 at 5:36 AM
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RAME
What a beautiful thought is this part of your post:
"Christ wants to 'take into his arms' the little children of today, just as he embraced the children of his time......we don't have to do anything to earn God's love, which is freely bestowed even upon infants who are cherished by God simply because they are God's children."
posted by
TAPS.
on March 2, 2007 at 2:58 PM
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RAME
I would like to address this from another perspective. There is no place where in the Bible where it is anticipated that a child who dies before the age of reason will be damned. He, being Jesus, says that unless we become as little children we shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. If you read the conversation between Jesus and the rich young ruler you will know that he said to be 'reborn' was the necessity of salvation. The baptism of my children was between me and God, not them and God. I made a covenant with God to raise my children to the best of my knowledge as he God had instructed. It had really nothing to do with the child's salvation it was that he was promised to God by me. Also the Christian faith was more or less taken to believe as the Jewish faith does a Bar or Bat Mitzvah because they are then in the covenant agreement of God as coming of age and becoming heir to all that is Jewish. I believe one must be called of the Holy Spirit before they can be born again and an infant cannot understand that.
posted by
Justi
on March 2, 2007 at 2:48 PM
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