I have a situation that you may be able to help me with.

[CrystalBrooke]

I was born and raised baptist and until I was 16 years old, it was all I knew. My now husband and I started dating when I was 15, he started going to a Catholic church when I was 16 so at that point I started asking him things about it and got interested because it was all so foreign to me. Well now we're married and I go to mass with him now and haven't been to a baptist church in quite awhile and my parents know this. They're very...I don't know how to say this, they're not understanding, they don't try to understand, they don't want to and that's fine I guess. But my husband and I have a daughter who is almost a year old who my parents just love to pieces of course (she's the first grand baby) and we're having her baptised April 7th. My husband and I both feel like I should tell my parents, possibly invited them (even tho I know they'd never go) despite the fact that they think that infant baptism is so wrong. And eventho it's not importnant to them, it's important to my husband and I and is a huge thing for Emily (our daughter) and I feel that it should at least mean something to my parents since it means so much to us.

My question is, how should I tell them? Should I just wait and kinda let them find out on their own (like when they come to my house and look at the calendar or see the pictures), should I let them know that they're welcome to come knowing that they won't?

What would you do if you were in this situation?



**Please this isn't about if infant baptism is right, my family is baptist and I'm hoping to get some good insight as to how to handle this with them from other baptists:)

[Joykins]

I would invite them. But I would also either say or write on the invitation, "we know you dont' believe in infant baptism and we respect your beliefs but we love you and want you to have the opportunity to be there for Emily. It would mean a lot to us if you can come" or something like that.

[PrincetonGuy]

I believe that it would be rude to not invite them. What they do about the invitation is up to them. I also believe that you should share with your parents the Biblical and theological defense of infant baptism from both the Roman Catholic position and the several Protestant positions and why it is important to you that your daughter be baptized.

[CrystalBrooke]

yeah, I'm leaving the explaination of infant baptism to my husband, I can't explain it and he can:)

I guess my biggest fear is what my parents will think of me, my mom already tells me that I shouldn't go to mass with Ben because "it's not what I believe", so I'm really worried about how she'll react and how I'll be able to handle it!

Thank you for your imput, I think I'll try to bring it up casually..if you can do such a thing lol:)

[JPPT1974]

Ever heard of the saying that "It is ok to agree to disagree?"

[aReformedPatriot]

I was born and raised baptist and until I was 16 years old, it was all I knew. My now husband and I started dating when I was 15, he started going to a Catholic church when I was 16 so at that point I started asking him things about it and got interested because it was all so foreign to me. Well now we're married and I go to mass with him now and haven't been to a baptist church in quite awhile and my parents know this. They're very...I don't know how to say this, they're not understanding, they don't try to understand, they don't want to and that's fine I guess. But my husband and I have a daughter who is almost a year old who my parents just love to pieces of course (she's the first grand baby) and we're having her baptised April 7th. My husband and I both feel like I should tell my parents, possibly invited them (even tho I know they'd never go) despite the fact that they think that infant baptism is so wrong. And eventho it's not importnant to them, it's important to my husband and I and is a huge thing for Emily (our daughter) and I feel that it should at least mean something to my parents since it means so much to us.

My question is, how should I tell them? Should I just wait and kinda let them find out on their own (like when they come to my house and look at the calendar or see the pictures), should I let them know that they're welcome to come knowing that they won't?

What would you do if you were in this situation?



**Please this isn't about if infant baptism is right, my family is baptist and I'm hoping to get some good insight as to how to handle this with them from other baptists:)

What would I do? If I had any sense of strong doctrine, I would not baptize the Baby Roman Catholic. Their doctrine is heresy. And I would tell your parents. Why hide issues of faith?

[edb19]

I was born and raised baptist and until I was 16 years old, it was all I knew. My now husband and I started dating when I was 15, he started going to a Catholic church when I was 16 so at that point I started asking him things about it and got interested because it was all so foreign to me. Well now we're married and I go to mass with him now and haven't been to a baptist church in quite awhile and my parents know this. They're very...I don't know how to say this, they're not understanding, they don't try to understand, they don't want to and that's fine I guess. But my husband and I have a daughter who is almost a year old who my parents just love to pieces of course (she's the first grand baby) and we're having her baptised April 7th. My husband and I both feel like I should tell my parents, possibly invited them (even tho I know they'd never go) despite the fact that they think that infant baptism is so wrong. And eventho it's not importnant to them, it's important to my husband and I and is a huge thing for Emily (our daughter) and I feel that it should at least mean something to my parents since it means so much to us.

My question is, how should I tell them? Should I just wait and kinda let them find out on their own (like when they come to my house and look at the calendar or see the pictures), should I let them know that they're welcome to come knowing that they won't?

What would you do if you were in this situation?



**Please this isn't about if infant baptism is right, my family is baptist and I'm hoping to get some good insight as to how to handle this with them from other baptists:)

I've dealt with this situation with my son. While I haven't always been baptist, I have been a credo-baptist. My children were raised with that doctrine - and both have stated they agree with it.

My son married @ 19 years of age and became a father shortly after. My daughter-in-law was raised Roman Catholic although she often stated that she wasn't a practicing Catholic. Throughout the pregnancy and when my grandson was first born my son often stated that they wouldn't be baptizing him as an infant, again reiterating his belief in credo-baptism.

Probably 6 months or so later I was told by my son and daughter-in-law that they were going to baptize my grandson in the Roman Catholic church. Their reason was mostly out of respect for my daughter-in-law's mother who had been pressuring them to have their son baptized (needless to say that felt like a major slap in the face). Both my pastor and I talked with them at length about the meaning of baptism and emphasized that baptism is not salvific.

They did invite me to the baptism even though they knew that I was fundamentally opposed to it. I'll be honest, it was difficult for me to attend (I cried and not because I was moved by the service), but I did. I couldn't see putting that rift between us.

A couple of things - my grandson is in kindergarten now and attends a private Catholic school (due to the quality of education) and my daughter-in-law has been attending the church. When we talk about faith/religion mattters I point out to her that she's more protestant than Roman Catholic in many of her beliefs. She agrees, but states that she attends a Catholic church because that's what she knows. They also let my grandson attend church with me - which he does at least once a month. He asks a lot of questions about God and he gets answers from the Bible (even if they don't match Roman Catholic doctrine). To date, that hasn't been an issue with his mom and dad.

[Taylor43]

I hope your parents will respect your choice. Invite them to your church and things. The truth will set you free be honest, sometimes it hurts but in the end it is the right thing to do. I am keeping you in my prayers and you can pm me anytime.

[CrystalBrooke]

Emily does go with my parents to church too and will still be allowed to attend after she's baptised...my husband actually likes the idea of her visiting different churches as she gets older. I can see how your situation really hurt you edb, since they did it for her mother and didn't really consider you...my mother in law doesn't go to church so this certainly isn't for any other family member besides my husband and myself. Thank you all for the advice...well not all of you, but most of you:hug: