Posted on 02/14/2013 12:14:09 PM PST by Weiss White
Q: Some Jewish people in my city complained to the local Catholic hospital, saying they were afraid to bring their sick children to the emergency room, because the hospital staff might baptize them. The hospital staff publicly agreed never to do this.
I had always assumed that you can’t baptize a baby without at least one parent’s consent, so I thought the hospital would simply say, “Don’t worry, we’re not allowed to do that anyway!” But the wording of the hospital administrators’ response seemed to suggest that they really could baptize a sick baby if they wanted to. Can a baby be baptized Catholic, even if the parents aren’t Catholic and don’t want the baptism? –Greg
(Excerpt) Read more at canonlawmadeeasy.com ...
You and I might believe it’s restricted, but Catholics and many Protestants don’t agree ~
They used to baptize them then take the child! Sort of how the Muslims in Egypt claim a young woman converted so now they can take her from her family.
Who is “they” and where would they take them? A source for this claim would be nice, too.
Take it for what it is; an act of love. I would not object to a prayer for the dying being said by a Rabbi (or any faithful Jew) over myself or any relative.
“Neither Jews’ children nor Catholics’ children nor atheists’ children can be baptized into Christ before they’re of an age to believe in Him.”
Of course they can, at least in the Catholic faith... However the Catholic Church also has Confirmation once the child is of the age of reason.
Interesting legal question. Probably no statutes on the point since it is, well, weird. Can they? Probably. Should they? Absolutely not. It should be the parents call.
An adult baptized by the Catholic Church will often be given a Conditional Baptism. Basically acknowledging that the subject may have been baptized, but if he or she wasn’t... They are now.
It really doens’t matter if you baptize a baby WITH or WITHOUT parental consent.
Nothing spiritual happens. You just end up with a wet baby.
(Catholics are now free to flame away)
Right?
Sorry folks, the universe was not created by an infinitely evil boogie man.
Clearly, it matters to these parents. Don't you think it should be their call?
It is just a bath in your mind set. As long as it physically nor mentally invasive (I doubt babies could be affected emotionally) then who cares.
So you wouldn't object to hospital staff performing a non-invasive Muslim purification ceremony for your infant?
The better question might be — why in the world would anyone baptize a child without the parents’ consent?
See the link in post #17 of this thread. Short version: as late as the 19th century, the governments of some Italian states would confiscate Jewish children from their parents if someone (typically a servant) claimed to have baptized the child.
It is their call. Go to another facility.
Yes I would, see second sentence above.
If the baby was in danger of dying and you wanted to save the soul.
Are you, like, in Junior High?
Baptism is a conscious choice. You cannot be baptized against your will, anymore than I can force you to believe in unicorn’s, fairies, or leprechaun’s. You can consecrate a baby, or a young child, to be an instrument of God, but unless they have an understanding, it just isn’t a baptism.
Excuse me, but with all due respect for whatever religion one might be, here is the kicker. We ALL SAY we believe that G-d is omnipotent, then refuse to acknowledge that claim while waging religious warfare amongst factions. G-d is justice. The first, last, and final justice. NOTHING man does will change that. Nothing.
I wouldn't, assuming they didn't disrupt treatment somehow and that they didn't charge me for the service.
Yes, a venerable Jewish practice to indicate the intent to be restored ritually clean (to be able to enter the Temple, etc) . But it had nothing to do with any remission of sin (ritual impurity is and was never the same thing as sin, indeed it often resulted from perfectly natural processes like menstruation or involuntary emissions, or from complying with God’s commands like His first one about being fruitful and multiplying— no sin involved and thus no remission of sin needed). And of course Jews don’t require baptism to become People of God because they’re born with that status. The Christian baptism therefore resounds in Jewish religious practice but as a Christian sacrament it serves quite different purpses. (Interestingly, there are a couple of verses in the Dead Sea scrolls indicating that that sectarian Jewish community did see baptism as inclusive of sin recissionary import. This is one of several DSS sect distinctives of special interest, but of course they had their dissimilarities also). At any event, Christian baptism came from rge Church’s Jewish roots but has a substantially different theological significance. If we just look at the visible aspect of the water ritual, yes quite the same. But much different meanings so it is best not to confuse the two.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.