Baptising children, right or wrong?

[Eilonnwy]

A parent has the right to teach their child their religion, but I don't believe it extends to making your child part of that religion. Baptism is more than a meaningless ritual, it initiates you. You shouldn't have to put in the effort to get yourself out of a religion later in life. It should be the other way around once the child is old enough to decide for his or herself.

As mentioned previously, churches get benefits for having more people on the roster. But there are other things too. When I was 16 I was in the hospital and my wristband said "Catholic" so I was visited by priest which made me very uncomfortable. I was an "agnostic" around that time but definitely not a Christian or a Catholic but because I was baptised I got listed that way.

Does the baptism harm the child? Not physically, no. But it in my mind it's a breach of the first ammendement to force them into a religion before they can consent to it. If I died before my parents they could give me a Catholic funeral and even though I'm dead so it would matter, it would be a breach of my wishes.