From: Rick_Granberry@pts.mot.com (Rick Granberry)
Subject: Re: Baptism requires Faith
Reply-To: Rick_Granberry@pts.mot.com (Rick Granberry)
Organization: Motorola Paging and Telepoint Systems Group
Lines: 26

In article  jhpb@sarto.budd-lake.nj.us (Joseph H. Buehler) writes:

> Catholics view the effects of Baptism slightly differently, and that's 
> one primary reason why they baptize babies.  They believe that Baptism 
> produces a change in the soul of the baby, quite independently of any 
> volitional act on the part of the baby.  This change in the baby's soul 
> gives the infant certain capabilities that he would not have 
> without Baptism.  Since the infant does not have the use of his 
> intellect and will yet, these new faculties are dormant.  But as the 
> child gets older, the gifts of Baptism come more and more into play. 

   I guess I would react rather strongly to this line of thinking carried 
out!  When you think "your army" is stronger than "mine", you would 
"righteously" take my children and baptize them, doing what you know is 
really "best" for them.
   You cannot possibly put this kind of action, nor the crusades into the 
context of the teachings of Jesus/God.  I think he advocated a different 
approach that was *by design* made to be appealing, to those called by him, 
not chosen by a church practice.
   It seems to me you have the cause and effect switched, the change comes 
and then you get baptized.


| "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him." |
| "Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit."  |
| (proverbs 26:4&5)
