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Was I properly baptised?

Jonathan Bailey

Jonathan Bailey

Well-Known Member
At age 17, I was allegedly baptised in church by a minister. The minister dipped his fingers in (holy water??) and then placed his wet fingers upon the top of my head.

The term for this method was called something that begins with a T if my memory is correct.

I'm not sure if the Catholic church would recognize this method as valid but I do have my written certificate of baptism stating that I had received a "Christian baptism".

My research has revealed that baptism is done by immersion, affusion or aspersion.
 
Last edited:
9-10ths_Penguin

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Jonathan Bailey said:
At age 17, I was allegedly baptised in church by a minister. The minister dipped his fingers in holy water?? and then place his wet fingers upon the top of my head.

The term for this method was called something that begins with a T if my memory is correct.

I'm not sure if the Catholic church would recognize this method as valid but I do have my written certificate of baptism stating that I had received a "Christian baptism".

My research has revealed that baptism is done by immersion, submersion or aspersion.
Click to expand...
Valid according to the Catholic Church?

The other major things for the Catholics:

- it has to have been done with the intent to baptize.
- it has to have been in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (some other denominations only baptize in the name of Jesus).

If there's any question of whether your baptism was valid, you would probably receive a conditional baptism if you became Catholic:

Conditional baptism - Wikipedia
 
David1967

David1967

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
9-10ths_Penguin said:
This is more false than true: it's false for the denominations that represent the majority of Christians.
Click to expand...

It's not false, just different. However, if looking only at biblical accounts, baptism was by immersion and by choice of the individual. I'm aware that there are many diverse views concerning baptism among different denominations.
 
David1967

David1967

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
9-10ths_Penguin said:
No, "[baptism is] always at an age when the person could make a conscious decision to accept Christ" is just false.
Click to expand...

OK, I'm not beyond learning something new. Can you provide scripture that supports your view? If so I will readily concede. Church traditions don't count in this context. I'm talking strictly about biblical accounts of baptism.
 
L

lostwanderingsoul

Well-Known Member
The question is not how much water was used but did you repent of your sins. The Bible teaches that a person must repent before baptism. That is way infant baptism is of no use. A baby cannot repent. No baptism is valid to God unless you repent and ask for your sins to be forgiven before the baptism. Sorry, this is not my idea or the big churches idea, it is God's way.
 
Katzpur

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
Jonathan Bailey said:
At age 17, I was allegedly baptised in church by a minister. The minister dipped his fingers in (holy water??) and then placed his wet fingers upon the top of my head.

The term for this method was called something that begins with a T if my memory is correct.

I'm not sure if the Catholic church would recognize this method as valid but I do have my written certificate of baptism stating that I had received a "Christian baptism".

My research has revealed that baptism is done by immersion, affusion or aspersion.
Click to expand...
It all depends on whose opinion matters to you. If you're specifically concerned that the Catholic Church would consider it valid, asking a priest might be your best option for getting an accurate answer. Personally, my church not only requires baptism by immersion but requires that the person performing the baptism hold the proper authority. Obviously, while I wouldn't consider your baptism to be valid, my opinion really shouldn't matter to you -- nor should anyone else's on this forum, when it gets right down to it.
 
sooda

sooda

Veteran Member
Jonathan Bailey said:
At age 17, I was allegedly baptised in church by a minister. The minister dipped his fingers in (holy water??) and then placed his wet fingers upon the top of my head.

The term for this method was called something that begins with a T if my memory is correct.

I'm not sure if the Catholic church would recognize this method as valid but I do have my written certificate of baptism stating that I had received a "Christian baptism".

My research has revealed that baptism is done by immersion, affusion or aspersion.
Click to expand...

Hogwash.. You were baptized. Immersion is OK so it the Catholic and Episcopalian way.

But, if you have decided to go the way of fundamentalists and evangelicals, you probably need to be dunked since they are antagonistic towards Christians who aren't dunked.
 
sooda

sooda

Veteran Member
lostwanderingsoul said:
The question is not how much water was used but did you repent of your sins. The Bible teaches that a person must repent before baptism. That is way infant baptism is of no use. A baby cannot repent. No baptism is valid to God unless you repent and ask for your sins to be forgiven before the baptism. Sorry, this is not my idea or the big churches idea, it is God's way.
Click to expand...

Infant baptism isn't about repenting for sins.. Its about naming and pledging that the child will be educated in the church. Its also about welcoming the infant into the congregation.
 
Ellen Brown

Ellen Brown

Well-Known Member
Jonathan Bailey said:
At age 17, I was allegedly baptised in church by a minister. The minister dipped his fingers in (holy water??) and then placed his wet fingers upon the top of my head.

The term for this method was called something that begins with a T if my memory is correct.

I'm not sure if the Catholic church would recognize this method as valid but I do have my written certificate of baptism stating that I had received a "Christian baptism".

My research has revealed that baptism is done by immersion, affusion or aspersion.
Click to expand...

If you feel your Baptism did not take, get it done again. It took me six times to finally wash the filth of my existence away.
 
L

lostwanderingsoul

Well-Known Member
sooda said:
Infant baptism isn't about repenting for sins.. Its about naming and pledging that the child will be educated in the church. Its also about welcoming the infant into the congregation.
Click to expand...
Well then they need to give it a different name. Baptism is a rite created by God to bestow His spirit upon those who repent of their sins. Has nothing to do with naming or welcoming a child into a church.
 
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