The Argument : Should Christian Be Baptised At Birth?

The baptism of baby is always a big event, relatives from everywhere come to celebrate and rejoice, and there are some who even think that the baptism is celebrated more than the child's birth itself, which in a few cases is true. But is baptising a child at a very young age a pointless or unfair act of faith? I have been asked to discuss my thoughts and feelings, along with valid facts on this subject. This particular topic often raises arguments and questions, more so now days than in the past. I feel this is because the church does not have as strong a hold on people's daily lives than what they once did in the past. Therefore people begin to wonder if it's even worth the time or the effort to baptise babies, some even believe that it's unfair. Personally I disagree with the statement "baptising babies is pointless" but I understand and accept that other people would have different views.

A few of the many reasons that people would agree with this statement is because they feel that when you baptise a child they will later in life recent you for not giving them a choice in their faith and that they are pushed into a religion that they will later dislike, this would mostly apply to teenagers as in this stage in a person's life you begin to question many things such as organised religion. We also have to remember that children at that young age, does not understand what the meaning of the sacrament of baptism is and what it stands for. This raises another reason to agree with the statement, in families you often find that to baptise a baby is a family tradition and in some cases even though the child has been baptised into the Christian faith the parents have no intention of even practising their faith and are only doing so to have a party or celebration. It gives me the impression that even the parents or family doesn't understand what baptism means, this lack of understanding also means that faith cannot be expressed "Unless you believe and understand you will not be saved". There are people who even feel that if we choose to be baptised at an older age we would be more committed and devoted to practise our faith, but children wouldn't as again they wouldn't understand the concept