I have never really understood baptism, even though I do remember my high school friends being terribly worried that I hadn't been 'saved,' because my mother didn't hold with baptizing babies. She felt this was a decision that had to be made consciously. As a little kid being teased by my cousins, I was actually rather glad not to have been semi-drowned in water and then in fire, because that was what the Bible said baptism was...

My daughter-in-law put me straight a few days ago, however. She is a Bible scholar in at least two languages, and her explanation made sense of the ritual for the first time! That sent me to the Bahá'í writings to see what they had to say about it, and here's the latest article from the Baha'i site at BellaOnline.com.

The Spirit of Baptism
The rite of baptism is not practiced in the Bahá'í Faith, but there is an understanding of and respect for the symbolism.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art181674.asp

Meanwhile, do visit bahai.bellaonline.com for more about the Baha'i Faith and what it's like to live a Bahá'í life -- at least, what it's like for me...

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I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback

Cheryll Schuette, Baha'i Editor
http://bahai.bellaonline.com


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