Pope Benedict XVI administers Baptism to a child inside the Sistene Chapel in the Vatican while the family of the child witnesses the event.
Crei Kido
My reply to the Born-again Christian Ann Carrey to the notion that CATHOLICS baptize INFANTS.
I presume this are the verses that you are referring to attack the Tradition of “Infant baptism”
(Acts 2:38)
38 Peter replied, “REPENT and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
(Mark1:15) New International Version
The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. REPENT and BELIEVE the good news!”
How can infants be baptized if “they cannot repent nor believe for themselves?”
1st of all: Oral tradition will ONLY contradict Written tradition if “it EXPLICITLY says so: ‘Thou shall not baptize infant e.g’ ” – In that case we cannot find that the scripture forbids the baptism of infants.
2nd: It is true that infants cannot REPENT or BELIEVE for themselves. But, is it their FAULT that they cannot REPENT nor BELIEVE for themselves? -If you say Yes then you are passing judgement among them, that it is their fault and they will be CONDEMNED for their “INCAPABILITY to do so.”
-How about the mentally retired?
They also cannot repent and believe as the NORMAL people do.
-Are the infants and the mentally challenged to be CONDEMNED to hell because of their incapability to REPENT AND BELIEVE?
*The answer is NO. Because that ruling and the verses refers and it demands solely to the PEOPLE WHO HAS THE CAPABILITY TO REPENT AND BELIEVE; because they have the FULL grasp of their FACULTY of senses and FREE-WILL.
3rd: Biblical support of Infant baptism
(Acts 16:15) New International Version
When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us. -take note,”…her HOUSEHOLD were baptized.”
It did not indicate such a thing that the infants were disregarded nor did the entire verse and chapter indicated that there were no INFANTS in her HOUSEHOLD.
WHY would be barred this beings to be baptize? Who are we to do so? Christ said when his disciples were hindering the children from going to him:
Matthew 19:14 New International Version
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”