17 Answers

If the child is old enought to except God and his rules only then should a child be batized. if a child not not understand how can that child realy agee with Gods way Jesus was 33 when John Babtized Him

Colleen

Because Jesus himself knew he was not perfect. He knew even he had sinned. The sin of rage and anger.

To avoid the ceremony of a Catholic baptism, don't go to a Catholic church.  You might just contact a pastor at a non-denominational church and ask if (s)he could perform a baptism privately.  
There IS a ritual that accompanies baptism.  Be specific about what is traditional, "mandatory", and optional.   

Infants have no need of baptism.1. Infant baptism had its origin in the correct understanding that baptism is essential for salvation.a. But it also has its origin in the incorrect view that all humans, including infants, are tainted by the sin of Adam.b. The Bible says that death spread to all, not because Adam sinned, but because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)c. Thus, spiritual death does not spread to infants because infants are not capable of sinning.

2. Infants have no need of baptism.a. A person does not die spiritually until that person sins. Baptism is a burial of a spiritually dead person so as to quicken that person to be raised to walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:1-4) Infants do not need to be baptized for the same reason that living people do not need to be buried.b. Children do not inherit the sins of their parents. (Ezekiel 18:20)c. Matthew 18:3 --- Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

3. Infants should not be baptized because baptism involves more than just getting wet, and all they are able to do is get wet.a. 1 Peter 3:21 tells us that baptism is an answer of a good conscience toward God.b. Acts 22:16 tells us that baptism involves calling on the name of the Lord.c. Acts 2:38 tells us that repentance must precede baptism.d. Mark 16:15-16 tells us that belief must precede baptism.e. If infants cannot answer or call or repent, then they should not be baptized.

4. What about household of Stephanas baptized by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:16? What about the family of the Jailor who were baptized in Acts 16:33?a. What about them? Where does it say that these groups included infants? Wouldn't one need to find such a reference to prove that infant baptism is part of God's plan?b. Also, there is often an implied infant exception in the Bible.1. Romans 3:23 -- All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.2. It is very possible that when the Bible mentions that a certain household was baptized, it expects the reader to understand that infants are excluded. We know that expectation exists elsewhere on other topics.

Thywordistruth.com

If you do not wish to involve religion there are naming ceremonies, off hand I think celebrants usually used for weddings etc perform these

According to the rules of the Catholic church, only a priest can perform the ceremony. If you are already Catholic, I fail to understand your need to go outside the protocol.

I was born Baptist but raise Presbyterian, I remember the holy water in the church for baptisms. You don't have to be Catholic...

I'm not going to read all this above-- As I remember in my Catholic upbringing, in some cases a child may be baptized by any active catholic, in the  unfortunate event of a child being born with only a short time to live, even still born.  Yes a practicing catholic can perform the ancient ritual.  This is what i remember. Sometimes a priest is not available.

Baptism is a religious ritual whose importance is as critical or as meaningless as YOU choose to believe it is. Decide accordingly.

There is nothing stopping you from blessing and or baptising your own baby...the Gods know everything anyway so go ahead if you are seeking permission...just do it. Intent is everything. Peace.

The question asks can you have a Catholic Baptism away from the Church.

The simple answer is that Baptism can be performed by anyone who professes it in the name of  theHoly Trinity.

While this counts theologically, it does not count formally in the church as each baptism is registered for the rest of that child's life. This does not preclude that the child will makae their own choices in later life and often Confirmation is identified as the conscious choice.

If you want your child to access formal Catholic education, get married in the church - then a record of this event is necessary.

The ritual is an outward sign of the spiritual aspiration of the community in welcoming and nurturing the child. It does not mean that children who have not had this - do without such support or spiritual aspiration - it simply acknowledges that the particular discipline of responding to God's invite to share in the support of people who are also trying to respond to God's challenge of living in his love is demonstrated.

It is not clear why you would wish to avoid the church ceremony - if you want your child to bear the blessing that Baptism is? 

Baptism is not simply a blessing it is a declaration that this child will be nurtured as a Christian by her or his parents and God Parents who are representing the wider Christian commmunity - if that is not going to happen - then you may wish to consider whether you are serious about the actual issue of Baptising your child?

Why not discuss it with your spouse and family as to how you want to bring up your child?

There is no baby baptism in the bible or the sprinkling of water on the forehead. When one comes to an accurate knowledge of truth then as jesus was although sinless was fully immersed in water as an adult not as a child. So infant baptism is not a bible teaching and our creator would never hurt our young children or burn them in hell (with burning fire- that is not correct either+

You choose what you want to do,.

oh and i1 more point. who gave the priest the power to make holy water. Jesus didnt - so who did.

There is no holy water today

If you read the Bible, children are not accountable of their sins until they are of age, usually 12-13 years of age.  When they are old enough to know good from evil, and know what sin is.  They need to be able to know that Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins and made it possible for us to be able to return to God when we pass from this earth.  It is all in the Holy Bible.  I'm sorry, I am not Catholic, I belong to the Church of Christ.  Our beliefs stem from the Holy Bible which was inspired by Jesus Christ.

Why would you do this thing?  Baptisms are the public sign of ones privately dedicating their lives to God's service.  Can your baby personally do that?  Is he of an age where he can understand and know exactly what that means?  Can he reason on matters to reach a sound decision about his own life course?  If he cannot do all these things, he has no use for baptism.  This is the Bible's viewpoint as well as Jesus'.

Don't worry about practices invented by priests.  They did it only to collect more money.  That is and always has been their primary purpose--to make more money anyway they can.  Usually by getting naive people to do what their backwards collars tell them to do.  It is God's standards we humans much seek and do.  No human priest can ever give us one more minute of life.  God can give us eternal life.

hi im rob can i sugestyou wait until ,your child can make that choice,for /him/her self JESUS, wants us 2 come freely 2 HIM,BLESSUNGS ROB,/BLUE WREN)

As a member of the Seventh Day Adventist, we believe in sola scritura, Holy Bible. Jesus said "if you love me keep my commandments". We obey the law of God written by his very own finger. We keep all his commandments not some, but ALL.  We do not agree with others where they compromised themselves by obeying "the traditions of men". Jesus was 30 years old when he got baptised. In our church most of the younger one are usually  15 to 16 years old. We believe that a baby does not know good from wrong. When babies die, if they are not baptised do not go anywhere. God in his infinite mercy and love is not cruel by throwing un-baptised babies to burn forever. The Bible says that 'The dead not know anything" all references to death is "sleep". Jesus when asked by the "good"  thief told him "verily I say unto you to-day, thou shalt be with me in paradise" Jesus was dead and buried for 3 days and did not ascent to heaven for several days later, so there is no way that Jesus could have gone to heaven and taken the "good" thieve with him. Having said all this, Mary and Joseph were Jesus parents and presented Jesus in the Synagogue as a child. You may present you child to God in church.

PEOPLE SHOULD ONLY BE BAPTIZED WHEN THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT BAPTISM IS

ABOUT.

BAPTIZING INFANTS AND ANY PERSON WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IT MEANS OUGHT NOT TO BE BAPTIZED.

 NOBODY CAN MAKE THAT DECISION FOR YOU BUT WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MEANING IS AND WHEN A PERSON DECIDES FOR BAPTISM THEN IT IS A HOLY EXPERIENCE..THERE IS NO EXAMPLE IN THE BIBLE  TELLS US  ABOUT INFANT BAPTISM.IT IS A FABRICATION OF THE R.C.CHURCH.HOW ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE IT IS(WAS) TO TELL PARENTS THAT SHOULD AN INFANT DIE, WITHOUT BEING BAPTIZED, AND OF COURSE MANY INFANTS DID DIE IN THE TIME BEFORE 1900, THAT CHILD WOULD GO TO HELL SO THE THEN CHURCH TOLD PEOPLE TO GET THOSE CHILDREN BAPTIZED..a IT BROUGHT MONEY INTO THE CHURCH AND b YOU WERE AUTOMATICALLY A MEMBER OF THE CLUB.FEAR MONGERING IS WHAT THAT INSTITUTION IS ALL ABOUT.

Being baptized catholic is all about formalities. But being baptized a baptist, all you need is a river.