Baptism for non religious reasons?

[Penguin2]

Has anyone out there had their children baptised for non religious reasons, eg to get them into a school or to provide them with a broader social life? Are you prepared to talk about it?

Well put hmb. Makes sense.

Well, I'm off for a bath and an early night.

Thanks for a great discussion , it was most educational

Good night, God bless.

hmb exactly what i was trying to say, in fact sait o DH here but couldn't put into words!!!

Getting back to the discussion on whether Christian schools would prevent children from learning about evolution or contraception. I think that hugely belittles the belief system of a Christian. I personally believe that biblical Christianity is more than capable of standing up to it's opponents and their arguments.

To use the example of a theology degree; if you study at a conventional university or liberal college then you are unlikely to be presented with anything other than liberal theology. However, study at a Christian university or Bible college and, such is the confidence in the truth of what is being taught, that all points of view are invariably taught - from the most liberal to the most extreme fundamentalism. The same should be applicable to schools I hope.

For Christians, their faith is not something that is learned or practised - it is first and foremost a work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, even the most "Christian" of educations will not ensure anything other than a knowledgeable pupil.

To suggest that excluding the children of non-believing parents from a Christian school means they are denied a sniff at salvation completely misunderstands the Christian message: "God is not willing for any of these little ones to be lost." A C of E education or whatever will not impede the work of God if he wants to make himself known to one of our children. Don't take God out of the equation

The only thing which divides us as faith that great thing whihc you either have or dont. In the end nothing can be proved about the existence of an afterlife or of God but it is about faith which is why I like the title faith schools. I do not have faith and do not believe as I wouold prefer to concentrate on doing good to fellow humans and being the best person I can now not in some vague hope of rewards later but because I prize them for what they are human beings. Nor do I do it because I am worried about being punished by an angry deity if I dont it is because I place a value on human life and on being good to others. I behave according to humanist principles and expect no other reward than to feel good myself. Each person is valuable to me in their own right not because they represent the face of someone else but because they are human beings.

Oh wow, a real get-stuck-in discussion! I managed to miss the early stages, but am going to add my 2p worth as a Catholic whose children go to a Catholic school.

In Catholic teaching, a sacrament like baptism is an outward sign of a spiritual grace. Following this reasoning, baptism is an inherently good thing and I would not in principle have a problem with someone who did not believe having their child baptised. Having said that, if their motive was a purely cynical one to obtain a particular secular advantage for their child, it would make me uncomfortable.

Most Catholic parishes take a similar view, and do require parents asking for baptism to explain their connection with the parish and to attend a preparation course.

In response to the comments about Catholics believing that unbaptised babies go to hell, I think you would nowadays have trouble finding a sane Catholic who would take that view. Having said that, since baptism is a source of grace for the baby and a way of welcoming it into the church, there's no reason not to do it.

I can see the reasoning of people who argue that baptism should be an adult choice for the individual one of dd2's godparents is an evangelical Christian who I'm sure takes that view but I think these differences stem from slightly different understandings of baptism. For Catholics that adult commitment is made at confirmation.

Thought this might be intersting in this thread: Here