Stephen T-B

Please tell me what the doctrine of Original Sin means for babies who die without being babtised.
Thank you

slh

This is a subject that I've noticed tends to divide the theologies of Xtianity. Nobody wants to appear to be the boogeyman and affirm that newborns that die go to hell.

Scotty

I always wondered about babies in heaven.
Do angels breast feed?
Are we given instant knowledge of everything, thus destroying our individuality?
Thus, is everything boring?

-Scott

Kevin Dorner

Thirty percent or so of fertilized ova fail to implant on the uterine wall and are expelled.

According to Christian doctrine, they are humans at conception. Further according, they are unbaptized as they died right after conception. Therefore, Christian doctrine predicts a tiny subsection of hell with microscopic demons roasting those billions of zygotes over tiny flames and jabbing them with microscopic pitchforks for eternity, as punishment for their Original Sin.

And they wonder why we don't take Christianity seriously...

wildernesse

As a Christian who is part of a denom that doesn't baptize babies, I never have understood what "protection" from hell this affords. I don't think that most Christians would say that baptism saves your soul--it's a public symbol of your new life. So why does baptism alone protect babies from hellfire?

Personally, I don't think that we are born with a black mark beside our name. As part of our human nature, we just choose things that are wrong--the eventual choices are sin, not the ability to make the choice.

I think that Christian doctrine might be a little more varied that you're assuming.

--tiba

HelenM

Baptism is irrelevant as far as 'salvation' is concerned, to most conservative Christians (except Church of Christ - David M's denomination)

Many conservative Christians believe God somehow is able to make Jesus' death for sins covers babies and people who are mentally incapable of understanding the gospel.

Not all believe that; but many do.

Those who do base this on the verse where David is sure he's going to see his child again, who died a few days after birth (how, unless the child is going to be in heaven?) and Jesus' attitude to children and words about them in the gospels i.e. "Their angels see the face of their Father in heaven" "let the little children come to me" and "no-one will by any means enter heaven unless he/she changes and becomes like a little child".

The Bible doesn't say a whole lot about the eternal destiny of babies who die

love
Helen

Zack

When I was a little kid going to Catholic school, we were told that when an unbaptized baby died that they went to a palce called Limbo. (where they would remain until the end of the world, then off to heaven) Sometime in the mid-sixties the Vatican decided that Limbo no longer existed. I don't know what ever happened to all of the souls who resided there. But I think that limbo became a dance craze.

Novowels

Since in most Christian denominations getting to 'heaven' is the main point; one would want to find a way to get as much of one's family as possible into heaven. No matter what.

Since babies get a free ride, then logically...... Well, luckily most xtians don't use logic anyways.

Anyways, the Baptism thing seems to nip this one in the bud. Somehow.

Tristan Scott

There is some early Church literature and tradition that deals with this subject. According to some Apochalyptic writings attributed to St. Peter children who die before they are saved are sent to hell under the protection of an angel Temlakos, or caretaking angel.

Pitshade

Off you go...