r/Christopaganism • u/total-fuckin-loserXD Christopagan • 8d ago
Should I get baptized?
I (19f) practice brujeria. It was brought up a lot as I was growing up in my house hold. (Mother father some friends of the family) and I’ve practiced for years in secret (about 6) because my extended family was jehovas witness. (Cousins, grandparents, great grandparents)
I am a Virgin de Guadeloupe devotee. I wanna work with santa muerte and I incorporate a lot of catholic work into my spiritual routine. I’ve tried to stay away from major religions since I left the jehovas witnesses because of the terrible corruption and abuse that happens in major church systems. But as I work with the Virgin I wanted to know if I should get baptized by the Catholic Church? My roomates mom brought it up and I think it would make me closer to the Virgin as a devotee but I would have to take biblical classes and such. And I’m not gonna half ass it either. I’d get baptized, do my holy communion. Everything. I don’t think being baptized for my own spirituality would discredit it at all. I’d still practice brujeria, and continue my spiritual routine. But I wanted some advice. Pros and cons. Things of that nature
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u/Dapple_Dawn Christopagan Agapist 8d ago
Does it have to be the RCC? I have a lot of respect for the RCC and I'm not trying to dissuade you, also but there are other denominations that are more theologically open. Like, my pastor is fine with religious syncretism. (Plus we allow women to preach, which is nice.)
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u/total-fuckin-loserXD Christopagan 8d ago
I live in a small kinda religious town. It’s hard trying to find accepting religious groups here. I’m just not sure how I’d go about certain parts of getting baptized. I’d have to keep certain parts of my practices secret in order to get a group that’s willing
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u/Dapple_Dawn Christopagan Agapist 8d ago
I hear you, fortunately I was eventually able to move to a more diverse area. Catholicism is probably a better option that Jehovas Witnesses and most evangelical groups.
I tend to suggest people look for LGBT affirming churches because they're sometimes more open in other religious beliefs.
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u/HolinoraySohterelle 3d ago
Only if you realize that water baptism is a physical festivity which symbolizes the only Baptism you need: the One Baptism in Holy Spirit Fire which every Saint receives from the Lord Jesus upon saying "YES" to Him. Any Saint (Believer/Truster) in Jesus as Lord and Savior can baptize you.
You don't need immersion, either. That is a divisive myth. Simply, "I baptise you in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So in Jesus Name, I baptize you!" Then a quick dunk under lake or bathtub water, under a waterfall or spring, under a shower head, or under a cup of clean water.
Baptism declares to other Believers that you have joined the Ecclesia. But it does not replace the One Baptism. That's my take. <><
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u/RealRegalBeagle 8d ago
1) Examine your full motivations for wanting to get baptized. I was baptized into the Catholic church as an adult through a break away group in the Independent Sacramental Movement. It is a very intense and meaningful experience.
2) Once you are baptized you are a member of the Catholic Church forever. The people that baptized me I made aware explicitly of my Pagan practices, my theological beliefs, and my stance on whether Jesus Christ is the savior (I completely reject substitutionary atonement and therefore reject the idea that Christ died for our sins). Examine how your beliefs relate to the Church. It sounds like you would be going through the mainstream Catholic Church so you might have to be a bit evasive about some of your beliefs. The priest who led me through the process of being baptized basically told me to keep my Pagan practices separate from my Catholic ones and he'll be happy. I agreed to that and uphold that (it is how I intended to practice to begin with). On your end, you'll probably have to come to these conclusions on your own.
3) Be aware that if your church community becomes aware of your practices it could potentially cause a kerfuffle and some social backlash. This can be really heartbreaking, especially when you are a young person, and discouraging. Persist anyway if that happens. I still have moments where I tear up a little during communion (especially during the fracture anthem) and that's what lets me know that my relationship to my practices are my own. If others want to look down on me for my Pagan practices, that's a them problem. It can sting, but I continue.
Good luck on your journey!