Baptism is for conscious believers, not for infants being sprinkled by some guy in fancy garb. It is a result of a person seeking God on his own, after the realization that he/she needs to die to the old nature. It is not by dedication into a cult by some brainwashed parent.
Nice try, but no banana!
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What Does Baptism Mean
by Dr. Ray Pritchard
If the meaning of baptism could be boiled down to one word, that word would be identification. Baptism speaks primarily of a personal, public identification with Jesus Christ. I
n Romans 6:3-4 the Apostle Paul puts the matter this way:
Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Notice the strength of the expressions—"baptized into Christ" and "baptized into his death" and "buried with him in baptism." Someone may suggest that the primary reference here is to Spirit baptism. That's true, but at the very least, water baptism is in the background of this passage.
How important is your baptism? It is your personal identification with the greatest act of human history—the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism doesn't save you—salvation comes by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Your guilt before God is removed the moment you trust in Christ. But baptism is your personal testimony to, and the inward assurance of, your passage from the old life to the new life....
When you are baptized, you are in fact visually preaching the gospel. As you stand in the water waiting to be baptized, A, you symbolize Jesus dying on the cross. As you are lowered into the water, B, you symbolize Jesus buried in the tomb. As you are raised from the water, C, you symbolize Jesus rising from the dead.
And since you personally are being baptized, you are also saying, "I died with Jesus Christ, I was buried with him and now I am raised with Christ to brand-new life."
In short, in your baptism you are preaching a sermon without using any words at all. And your sermon in your baptism will be more effective with your friends than any sermon the pastor preaches on Sunday morning—more effective because it comes directly from you.
(Excerpted from "Taking the Plunge" from Keep Believing Ministries )
So, converts to the Catholic faith who are baptized as adults, their baptisms ARE valid?
We have this thing called confirmation. Takes care of the birth, baptism thing. Maybe you have heard of it? Come back when you have a clue what you are talking about.
In other words, you have to earn it by your own merits.
Thanks for playing; you're clearly enamored of the same "works righteousness" you condemn.