Up until last summer, Jennifer Gray of Columbus, Ohio, considered herself “a weak Christian” whose baptism at age 11 in a Kentucky church came to mean less and less to her as she gradually lost faith in God.
Then the 32-year-old medical transcriptionist took a decisive step, one that previously hadn’t been available. She got “de-baptized.”
In a type of mock ceremony that’s now been performed in at least four states, a robed “priest” used a hairdryer marked “reason” in an apparent bid to blow away the waters of baptism once and for all. Several dozen participants then fed on a “de-sacrament” (crackers with peanut butter) and received certificates assuring they had “freely renounced a previous mistake, and accepted Reason over Superstition….”
Within the past year, “de-baptism” ceremonies have attracted as many as 250 participants at atheist conventions in Ohio, Texas, Florida and Georgia. More have taken place on college campuses in recent years, according to Hemant Mehta, chair of the board of directors for the Secular Student Alliance, a group that promotes atheism among high school and college students….
In Christian theology, baptism can’t be undone. If a Southern Baptist renounces his or her baptism, then that person is usually presumed to have never received an authentic baptism in the first place, according to Nathan Finn, assistant professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Personally I like the Southern Baptist aesopian copout response best: Your first baptism was sour anyway. Har!
Thanks, K B
#28 Alfred1
That’s one rather narrow view of baptism. It really depends on which Judeo-Christian-Muslim sect you belong to.
And yup, all of them have views on baptism. Personally I kind of like whole submersion approach since it’s kind of the wet t-shirt contest of baptisms.
Alfredone needs to be baptised and held under.
Seems like more trouble then it is wore.
I do think the picture is quite appropriate! Good job, Eideard!
This whole tread seems to laugh in the face of the “live and let live, diversity is great” opinion.
It’s mostly fool hardy to proclaim “I know there is NO God” or “I know there is a GOD” and believe we know everything there is to know on the subject. It wasn’t that long ago the world’s finest scholars thought the world was flat, and electricity was voodoo magic.
#5 The ‘theology’ breaks down to ‘If you’re His, then you can’t get out (nothing can over turn it)…but if you ARE His…why would you want to?’
#21–Jag==I don’t know whether to thank you or not. Its going to take all night to view all those excellent videos. – – – – -Ok, “thanks.”
#27–Commodore==I hate ritualism/ceremony. I don’t think I engage in it. To me it is mass conformity to something invalid and a waste of time. It kills me to salute our flag that reason alone. I generally do it to avoid confrontation. What kind of seminars and theme parks do you go to?
#29–Clancy==I’ve lived/worked in too many “buckles of the bible belt.” Unlike the apologists posting here, its not enough to mind your own business/be non-commital. The religious communities on the buckles DEMAND you partake in their rituals. It is funny: most times having “any” religion is better than none. I’d think it would be just the opposite, but no. Anyway–I changed jobs once because I became “known” for being a non-believer. It really because worse when I donated time/money to a local charity rather than the one my boss was supporting. Tribalism!!!!
#32–Sister Mary==always excellent. Thanks for breaking away from prayers to join us.
I’m trying to figure out why you would want to do this?
If you are right, it causes no harm, If you are wrong, maybe it wasn’t a very good idea after all..
Right?
Thanks but no thanks!
#38 – bobbo
No problem. Enjoy! 🙂
#39 – bill – I’m trying to figure out why you would want to do this?
If you are right, it causes no harm, If you are wrong, maybe it wasn’t a very good idea after all..
Why do parents willfully harm their kids with religion? Do you really think that no kids are damaged by the fearing God thing?
If religion was classified as a drug (after all, it messes with your mind), it would be pulled from the market right away. Religion messes up some people to the degree where they’re willing to kill themselves and others.
Sister Mary Hand Grenade of Quiet Reflection
I apologize but whenever I see you name, and your invariantly candid comments, I always think of these guys.
Sounds like a disreputable financial adviser to me
#28, Commodore,
Well, atheism IS a religion; it’s not an organized one. Yet.
Wrong.
Atheism is a name devised by christians for someone not of their faith. The same as “Infidel” and “Gentile”. They are names I choose not to apply to myself. I prefer “Normal”.
Mind you, it doesn’t bother my butt if that is what you call me. You have as much right right to call me an atheist as I do to call you a fucked up religious wacko bible thumping holy roller jesus freak.
#45, Alphie,
Here, just for you,
Sarah Palin
Aahhh, maybe I should have warned to you get a towel first to wipe off your hand after. Did you get some on your belly too?
The Atheism is a religion argument is sound. As sound as stating that belonging to the VFW is a religion. They are both groups banding under a common name to express their views of something wimps cannot understand.
For the atheist who objects to the superstitious behavior in modern times carried over from the mythology of the middle ages, it’s like a club. One whose opinions dont exactly jive with the folks who like to jump up and down, wave their arms over their heads, roll in the dirt babbling like drunken sailors while shouting to see who can yell loudest or dunk their members in tubs of water or sprinkle them with magical potions while waving incense around to drive off demonic spirits.
Yes Atheism is indeed a like a religion.
#48, Don,
For the atheist who objects to the superstitious behavior in modern times carried over from the mythology of the middle ages, it’s like a club
To quote a well known DU droll troll, Patrick, LOL.
Where is this club? When are the meetings? What is the dress code?
By your definition, everyone that works in the Empire States Building also practice a religion. How about, everyone in our Congressional District is practicing the same religion?
By extension, is everyone that agrees the sky is blue in a club? How about everyone that has two eyes?
Atheism is great. No mumbo jumbo that Alfred spews (like baptism or his cult talk), no going to a building every Sunday where that building was never even mentioned in the book written by human power mongers.
Not having to sing to an imaginary being, not having to pray to an imaginary being. Like this imaginary being is listening….rigght.
Being an atheist has so many advantages to this archaic, demented view of life.
An atheist doesn’t have to ponder exactly where this being lives….1 mile up in the air…..1,000 miles in the air……in space somewhere? Alfred, where is this guy anyway? Forgot, you don’t answer logical questions but you always come back with woo hoo.
#50 – Alfred1 – You educated me.
We’re glad to help you. Tomorrow we’ll teach you more about hygiene.
I’ve always wanted to spit more.
If baptism has a range of various meanings, so does de-baptism.
Both are meaningless ceremonies, stroking the emotions, brains left on the shelf.
You needn’t “boomerang” so extremely from Christian faith to the other side of the spectrum, atheism. Mine is a slow progression from unthinking religious belief to something better. I need never go near atheism.
#45: Yes, the plot of Star Wars (and many other movies and westerns), and the Bible, and the Koran, and a bunch of other religious books and non-religious legends, can be traced back to the story of Gilgamesh (from Mesopotamia) and very similar legends from parts of the world that weren’t directly connected with Mesopotamia but have the same legends. If you’ll read Campbell’s book, you’ll find there’s nothing new under the Sun about these legends.
While I probably can’t be “debaptized,” I sure can give religion up for Lent. I did that 30 years ago, and haven’t regretted it since.
The only church I’ve been in that didn’t give me the creeps was a Unitarian church. I didn’t even join that one, but might if I ever have to take a job in the Bible Belt again.
#55–Rich==what is it that you are thinking that takes you away from unthinking but not to the other side of the spectrum?
If the spectrum is from not thinking to thinking, why do you cling to not thinking? Why would you not completely embrace thinking?
Are you using the right words/concepts – or still coasting on the images burned into your soul every Sunday Morning?
Rething, rephrase, – repost?-
Heh, heh.
#45 Alfred1 said: “I could go on..but I have life and must go.”
But you have no sense of humour, which is really the only unforgivable sin. But hardly an original sin…
“If you don’t believe something exists, then why go to so much trouble to get rid of it?”
Because when one examines the contents of one’s own cranium, one discovers that Gawd is so tightly wedged in there that one needs a crowbar to pry him out. Frickin’ bastid doesn’t want to leave. It takes years of dedicated thought & effort to evict the son-va-bitch. Only then can you call yourself an athiest. & then when you’re not payin’ attention, Bastid tries to climb back in.
Alfred1, I’ve finally realized you are doomed and that does not make me feel too good.
Please tell me you’ve heard of James Randi and heard at least a little of his wonderful take on the physical world.
#59,
Alfphie said, ” There’s a vacuum in the human brain that sucks in myth.”
And his personal experience shows up again. I would have just suggested Alphie has a vacuum between his ears. I’ll leave the sucking part to his sucking part and not discuss what he sucks.
🙂