Ah, thank you, Annie 
Recalled for a further appointment after a routine mammogram
My brother in law died last night.
A truly evil man.
Before my mum passed away she told me that he would have to stand before the Almighty and answer for all the things he had
done.
Things so terrible I can't say them.
I believe in a loving and forgiving God, so I'm having some trouble with what she said.
Any advice would be welcome please
Ah, thank you, Annie 
Miss Adventure it’s the same thing in the Anglican Church,
baptised as a baby and confirmed when older,
The Baptist Church baptises adults.
Is baptism the same as being christened?
I'm not being facetious, I don't know.
I have watched a video of someone (adult) being ducked underwater to be baptised.
Anyone who has been baptised can perform a baptism
Isn't that why a holy person would be called to a poorly baby in hospital, so that they didn't die without God's blessing?
I was asked when I had my daughter very prematurely if I wanted the vicar to come.
Galaxy
I also laugh at the idea that people think we want to go to this mythical heaven. If it anything like some of the views described on this thread I dont want to be within a country mile of it.
Heaven is where God is.
Anniebach
GSM I transcribed BMD’s for a county , never saw unbaptised
in church records, and I speak of the early 18th century.
Those who committed suicide were buried in unconsecrated ground and quite usual for a dead baby to be placed in a coffin
of a neighbour who had died at the same time because the baby’s parents couldn’t afford a coffin, those babies were buried
in concentrated ground.
An unbaptised body was not allowed in church though.
I have seen ‘unbaptised’ written in burial registers a good many times when researching my family history in Essex (back to the 1500s).
I also laugh at the idea that people think we want to go to this mythical heaven. If it anything like some of the views described on this thread I dont want to be within a country mile of it.
Galaxy
Yes I have never been baptised because my parents wanted me to make that choice myself. Its good to know I am going to hell. Although it sounds preferable anyway.
I don’t know where your going, at the minute, but it certainly isn’t preferable to go to hell. FYI the party is in heaven! Never to late to become a Christian.
Germanshepherdsmum
Don’t you think that anyone who follows another faith than Christianity can go to heaven DD? Jews, Moslems? Do you think God denies them everlasting life? I’m a Christian but I don’t think along those lines.
The Jews were ‘chosen’ in that God promised He would bless them and protect them in this life if they kept His Law. That is the promise of the Old Testament. They didn’t and were duly punished. Really the OT was to show none of us live up to God’s standards. We are all corrupt, all sinners
Certainly, agree with DiscoDancer, and Smileless2012. I am not a theologian but think the Bible tells us this:
We are all corrupted through Adam and Eve - we are all sinners (all 'truly evil' if you like). As such we are separated from God. Originally, before Jesus, when people died our Spirit/Soul goes to a place in the spiritual domain that is still outside the presence of God (‘hell’). However, God isn't going to allow this sinful creation to go on forever and is preparing a new Heaven and Earth. When this is ready everyone will be resurrected and face judgement by God…
Part of God’s plan was making His Son, Jesus. Jesus is free from sin so when He was unjustly punished by being put to death on the cross, He could take this as a ‘positive’ to offset against our ‘negative’ (our sin). As such, those that believe / accept /receive Jesus are freed from sin and can enter into the presence of God. The Bible talks about Christians being ‘born-again’ of the Holy Spirit and are ‘new creations’ (i.e. part of God’s plan of salvation). Now when Christians die they go into the presence of God in the spiritual domain (‘heaven’) and wait there for Judgement Day. At the resurrection, Christians are assured eternal life as their sins won’t be counted against them. Christians will be judged and rewarded for the good they have done.
So, yes, an ‘exclusive’ club BUT one that anyone can join! The Bible says it is God’s desire that all should repent and Jesus sacrifice did pay for ALL sin. It is not in my place to say who will / won’t go to heaven when they die – but live in the knowledge that I will through my faith in Jesus Christ.
At the present time we are fortunate that the Bible is freely available – so don’t take my word for it. Please have a read yourselves.
GSM I transcribed BMD’s for a county , never saw unbaptised
in church records, and I speak of the early 18th century.
Those who committed suicide were buried in unconsecrated ground and quite usual for a dead baby to be placed in a coffin
of a neighbour who had died at the same time because the baby’s parents couldn’t afford a coffin, those babies were buried
in concentrated ground.
An unbaptised body was not allowed in church though.
There are historical burial sites in Ireland, known as a cillin where unbaptised (usually still born) babies were buried, together with the mentally disabled, suicides, convicted criminals and shipwreck victims. Just one example of a man made 'law' justified by religion.
Your post @ 10.43 IMO is very good DiscoDancer. Faith is such a difficult thing to talk about and explain because it's all about our personal relationship with God.
I don't agree that what DiscoDancer has said is her "version of Christianity" GSM; it is Christianity.
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me" John 14:6. It is our acceptance of Jesus as our Saviour that underpins our Christianity.
"This is why we haven't been for ten years"
. This is why I hadn't been for more than 20 years DiscoDancer only returning 5 years ago when we moved.
I'm no theologian, my faith is my relationship with God. I suppose it's quite a simple faith really which doesn't need bible study and regular church attendance to sustain it. TBH I find too much 'study' confuses me
.
Galaxy
Yes I have never been baptised because my parents wanted me to make that choice myself. Its good to know I am going to hell. Although it sounds preferable anyway.
Same here. My dad stood his ground, despite my granny's protestations and refused to have me christened. His view was that, when I was old enough, I could choose for myself. His one concession, however, was to allow my granny to take me to Sunday School every week.
That worked well - even from a very young age I realised that you were not supposed to ask questions, just to 'believe', and I think words were had with my granny and I was allowed to stop going. The benefits of an inquiring mind!
Germanshepherdsmum
Jesus was a Jew. I’m pretty sure your version of Christianity would exclude Jews, Moslems, Hindus and followers of all other faiths from eternal life. It’s not my version and never will be.
Jesus came through the Jewish nation, as His mother was a Jew. His father is God! No one went to heaven before Jesus, as He hadn’t come yet.
It’s not my or your version, it’s God’s! Anyone from another faith can change. The invitation is for all
One thing Jesus did say, was not to keep on. I’ve said all I can. Hope you enjoy the rest of your day.
Jesus was a Jew. I’m pretty sure your version of Christianity would exclude Jews, Moslems, Hindus and followers of all other faiths from eternal life. It’s not my version and never will be.
This is why we haven’t been for ten years.
GSM ‘ mainstream Christianity’, so Cof E, Catholic, Methodist etc, although having many born again Christians in them I’m sure, all answer to the ‘laws’ of the church.
Jesus is Head of the Church, and no one else.
People have their children Christened all the time. We did before we were Christians ourselves. I had a vague belief that God existed, and that if I was ‘good’, He’d sort it out at my death.
It has nothing to do with ‘ good and nice’, which is only our interpretation anyway. One person’s good is another’s evil.
Jesus has sent us an invite....but we have to accept it. I’m sure you all love your husbands, and they love you. Would you rather they actually chose to love you....or just be there by default?
God has chosen for us to choose Him. He wants us to want Him if that makes sense. If we just all go to Heaven anyway, there would be no point in Jesus going through all that He did.
He has asked us to choose. The invitation is open to everyone on the planet. I’m not sure what happens to non believers, I just know the basis of Christianity is, if you believe in, and love Jesus, you will be saved.
Anniebach
GSM before which century are you speaking of when you say babies who had not been baptised were buried in
unconsecrated ground ?
I can’t be precise Annie but it was usual practice up to at least the eighteenth century. Absolutely heartless. And recorded as ‘unbaptised’ in the registers.
Galaxy
Yes I have never been baptised because my parents wanted me to make that choice myself. Its good to know I am going to hell. Although it sounds preferable anyway.
Same here. My children and grandchildren haven’t been baptised either.
A friend of mine who never went to church and wasn’t interested in religion did have her children baptised. When I asked why, there was a long pause and then she said “Just in case there’s something in it,”
GSM before which century are you speaking of when you say babies who had not been baptised were buried in
unconsecrated ground ?
It seems to me that folk of any religion pick and choose what they want to believe, which by definition makes a mockery of religion.
We have people posting here who believe that any non-Christian will go to hell, and others who believe that you just need to be a good person to have eternal life.
How's about people just be kind to one another and leave the writings of people from thousands of years ago on one side?
Perhaps you are interpreting what you read too narrowly and exclusively DD? I don’t believe that God denies eternal life to a good person of, for instance, the Jewish faith. God’s chosen people I seem to recall?
Germanshepherdsmum
What about babies who die before they are baptised into the Christian faith DiscoDancer? Or young children whose parents haven’t bothered for whatever reason to have them baptised? Do you believe that they have no place in heaven because they don’t yet know what Christianity is? Years ago they were buried in an unconsecrated part of the churchyard. Your Christian faith seems to deny eternal life to all who don’t ‘follow Jesus’. It’s not the same Christian faith as mine. I wonder if perhaps you are not an Anglican, Catholic or Methodist but a member of some other ’sect’, for want of a better word because the way you write and what you say doesn’t chime with mainstream Christianity.
Please don’t shoot me...I’m just the messenger! It’s what Jesus has said...not me. I’ve already said, the Bible says children are Holy, which means they’re safe until they become of an age where they understand what Jesus said and can make a choice.
I’m not a member of anything. I’m just a Christian. I don’t even go to church, and haven’t for 10 years.
I’m not denying anyone eternal life. Please read what Jesus says about this. There is only one Christian faith, and that is for those who receive Him and believe in His name John 1:12
Everything else is religion.
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