Looking to be "de-baptized"? Here's the problem:

It can't happen, no matter how trendy the movement is. Dr. Ed Peters explains:

Once you are baptized, you are baptized. It's not just a "church rule" that one can't cancel a baptism, it's divine law. I can no more cancel my baptism than I can cancel having been born in Missouri. Admittedly, folks who deny there is a God will also deny that 'divine law' makes impossible de-baptism, but that's a problem for apologetics, not canon law.

Read his entire post.

In the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation. 83 Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated. (par 1272)

Of course, if you don't believe it, you don't believe it. In which case, why bother? Infantile rebellion? Superstition? Need to assert one's autonomy in a cold, meaningless world devoid of purpose? Desperate desire to impress atheist women? Trying to make a deep political statement that doesn't require time, learning, or effort?

"John Hunt," reports an article on the subject, "a 58-year-old from London and one of the first to try to be 'de-baptised,' held that he was too young to make any decision when he was christened at five months old." Well, then, how about being "de-birthed" or "de-nursed" or "de-diapered" or "de-clothed" or "de-napped"? Did he have a say in any of those things?

Comments

[Kanakaberaka]

I find it odd that the three men in the article were in their 50's and 60's. I would expect such rebelious behaviour from college kids. But I can't understand such public proclamations from "mature" adults.