AIBU to not want to baptise my babies?

I never had mine done and now they are old enough to do It themselves they aren't interested.

Their father and I are different faiths. And while mine isn't strong, it was strong enough for me to feel uncomfortable with having my dc in a different faith.

Infant baptism was the norm because they didn't want a baby to die after birth unbaptised. So often you don't see a birth record but a baptismal record instead because child mortality was so high.

If neither actually go to church or practice anymore then don't get them baptised. Baptism is for those with faith.

Really?
What was John the Baptist doing?

@StripyHorse

What I mean is that pre mas immigration from eastern Europe the time a child was baptised did not enter in to the equation.

I wasn't taught religion as a fact. Did you go to a faith school?

The upside is that they can get easier entry to OP’s preferred school and it’s less hassle if they want to do it when older.

I am a middle child and the only one who is not christened. I don’t care as I think it is all nonsense but I do occasionally like to pretend that I am hard done by as my parents forgot to get me christened.

Hardly my point .

Hardly my point .

It feels like you did it partly for the first one because both sets of grandparents felt it the right thing. Obviously you enjoyed your childhood under that faith but if you're not actively practicing the religion it would be pointless to do so really.

If you decide you want to be more involved in the church, traditions and faith then by all means do it. But as it stands it seems like you're not deeply religious. Nothing wrong with that of course.

Why not just allow your kids to choose their own spiritual path when they feel they are ready?

My kids aren't baptised. I'm not sure I know any that are actually. I don't know anyone who attends church at all.

What do you mean relating to children with ESOL? I know plenty of Eastern European children who have been baptised in the UK as babies, and both the parish church and the local RC school are very welcoming to families from different ethnicities and backgrounds.

Well you are taught religion as a fact, in a Catholic school, (regardless of whether or not you personally believe) at the expense of the UK taxpayer. In 2024, the public purse should not be funding such schools.

If it will helpful for getting them all in to catholic school then I would do all 4 together

If there's one thing the presence of Catholic schools in England doesn't say, it's 1624...

No real upside either and it can never be undone, even if you change religion or follwo none you will always have been baptised into Christianity and thats not a decision I think people should make for their children

My parents didn’t baptise me as a child because they wanted me to be able to make my own choice. Well I wish they had baptised me because it’s much more of a hassle as an adult and being baptised doesn’t mean you have to grow up to be Christian as an adult - there’s no downside to the child for being baptised.

Meh. I went to a Catholic school (I'm not a Catholic) and it was not really any different to any other kind of school. I can't get worked up about this.

Yes, it is really wrong. And we have government funded Catholic schools, paid for by our taxes, and yet, if not a practicing Catholic, you wouldn’t be able to get your child in. You would think it’s 1624 and not 2024, when you really think about the religious presence, in our everyday legislature and education.

She said separation of church and state, which still hasn’t entirely happened in the UK. There are 26 bishops that still sit in the upper house of government, the House of Lords, to this day. Moreover, Catholic schools are subsidised by you and me, the tax payer. Time to get all religion out of all social institutions, like education and governance.

Let the children decide for themselves when they are old enough to understand what it's all about. I'm not in favour of signing chidlren up to things while they are babies and have no choice.
And don't heed the doom-mongers with their 'what ifs...'

Huh? Does god refuse entry to non baptised children? Honestly, it’s nonsense like this that stops me going to church.

what??

@Sheri99

No one knows the time and place of disaster. The last thing you want to do is have a funeral of a child and realize you didn't make time for the most important thing in this world.

Do unbaptised children not go to heaven if they pass away then, in your belief system?

Your God is pretty cruel if that's the case, aren't they? I feel very sorry for you if you worship an entity who could be so cruel.

I didn't christened my children even though I was brought up Catholic. My late husband was an atheist but said if I really wanted to he was fine with it but would not stand in the church and say something he didn't believe in. And frankly I thought it would be hypocritical to christened them, which is introducing them to the church, and say I will bring them up in the Catholic faith, as I knew I would not.
My mum went to mass every day. She didn't say anything about it at all.