Sometimes being a parent sucks. No one tells you when they hand you the cute little baby that your life with this small being will be hard, and difficult and challenging. No one tells you about the heartache, and the headaches and the arguments and hormones and all that other kind of crap that life hands you down the road. It's probably a good thing, because no one would ever do it again.Just when I think I've made it over the latest hurdle, and things have settled down... another bomb drops into my lap and blindsides me. My son, is a remarkable young man. He is smart, and clever, and witty and all around he's a good kid. He plays in the the band, goes to jazz band rehearsal, is in the National Jr. Honor Society, and attends church and youth group with his best friend weekly.
This last thing is where we are having our latest battle. Mr. Man is Catholic. As is such, we had him baptized when he was a baby and have raised him in our faith. I will be the first to confess that I don't agree with my own religion 100%, but that's all par for the course. His best friend, is protestant. I have no problems with that. I don't mind that he goes to a church of a different faith, or youth group or what not. He could be doing worse things, and I'm happy that he feels comfortable there and wants to be involved.
The thing of it is, he wants to be Baptized. He wants to profess his faith as a follower of God. He wants to stand before his friends and community and say YES, I am a believer. That's fine and dandy, except that... he can't. He has already been baptized, and the Catholic faith teaches "One Baptism..". I have explained this to him. I have explained to him that the next step for him to profess his desire to be part of the church, and say , YES I am a believer.. is Confirmation. He gets that.. but it's not Baptism, and that is what he wants.
He has printed off information. He has given me bible verses to read. He even stooped so low as to email my mother the nun. He failed to tell my mother that he wanted to be Baptized again in another church. I emailed them both, and explained myself again... and now my mother is involved. I have a headache just thinking about where this is going to go next. I am proud of him for sticking to his guns.. and I understand what he wants to do and why.. I just can't let him. I don't know how to make him understand this... and keep our relationship in tact. *sigh*
3 comments:
Certainly don't allow me to overstep any bounds here, but have you talked to him about why he wants to join a different church. Perhaps he is really unhappy with Catholicism.
For the most part, the act of Baptism is the profession of membership to a "branch" of Christianity. I'm guessing you've tried explaining that. I'm no expert on Catholics, but I believe if he "left" the church by joining another faith he wouldn't be let back in. This would mean no good Catholic wives and we all know those Catholic school girls are the craziest... ok.. maybe leave out that last part.
Since he sounds pretty intent on wanting this, maybe ask him to explain why he'd rather be a Protestant without basing it on his friend. Tell him to be completely honest without fear of repercussion and see what he comes up with.
See, that's the thing. He doesn't want to become a Protestant, which I'd be OK with also, if that was what he really wanted... (after he went through confirmation classes and declined, as is the way to go to get out of being a Catholic)... he just wants to be baptized.
Does he want to be LDS?
That is what we teach, about being baptized.
I am just curious that's all.
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