SPECIAL FEATURES:
Email
Anti-church sentiment rises in Europe as more people seek 'de-baptism'
Websites offering informal 'de-baptism' certificates have ballooned to accommodate the increasing number of people who want to be removed from official baptismal registries.
Wed, Jan 18 2012 at 7:28 PM
Photo: ZUMA Press
A sharp decline in the numbers of church-goers and new baptisms over the last century in Europe has been called a "crisis of faith" by many religious leaders. Now that crisis is ballooning into a full-blown exodus, as thousands flock to new websites offering "de-baptisms," according to Voice of America.
The idea of getting "de-baptized"-- or having your name officially deleted from the baptismal registry-- is relatively new, but one which the Catholic Church is beginning to take seriously, and with grave concern.
The movement may have begun just a decade ago when Terry Sanderson, head of the National Secular Society in Britain, posted an unofficial "de-baptism certificate" on the society's website, mostly as a joke. To date it has been downloaded at least 100,000 times.
"It was a joke to begin with, but now it has taken on a new significance because there are so many people who are anxious to leave the church that they are actually taking it seriously now, and they want some way to make their break with the church formal," Sanderson told VOA. "Often the church won't acknowledge their desire to leave."
Many disenfranchised ex-parishioners have begun to take it a step further, seeking official, legal acknowledgement for de-baptism. For instance, 71-year-old Frenchman Rene Lebouvier recently filed a lawsuit against the church after his initial request to have his name crossed off the church's baptismal registry was denied. Last October, a lower court in Normandy ruled in his favor, making him the first man to be officially de-baptized, though a local bishop has filed an appeal.
Last year in Germany, a record 181,000 Catholics formally split from the church by legally opting out of paying state church taxes.
Christian Weisner, a spokesman for the international grassroots We Are Church movement, says he blames much of the de-baptism movement on public anger about church pedophilia scandals, though acknowledges that official church doctrine has also swayed against public opinion on many political issues, such as abortion, homosexuality and married priests.
"They are thinking about leaving the church and there might be one special event, like the pedophilia crisis, like a [conservative] announcement by the pope, and then they decide now is the time to go," Weisner said.
The movement shouldn't come as a surprise to the church, as official figures have shown a steep decline in religious participation in Europe over the last several decades. For instance, only about one in three French children are baptized today, compared to 90 percent half a century ago.
According to religion professor Philippe Portier of the National Center for Scientific Research in Paris, the church has put in place a new evangelizing strategy to more strongly encourage parents to get their children baptized.
Such a proactive strategy may be for naught, however, if de-baptisms continue to increase.
You might also like:
Sign in with one of these accounts to add your comment.
EDITORS' PICKS
Advertisement
TODAY'S MOST POPULAR ON
- 15 famous people who mysteriously disappeared
- 13 natural remedies for the ant invasion
- 20 ways to reuse coffee grounds, tea leaves
- 15 houseplants to improve indoor air quality
- Jon Stewart explains the ‘Monsanto Protection Act’
- What if Yellowstone's supervolcano erupts?
- 9 habits that may do more harm than good
- 10 false facts most people think are true
- How much money do you save when baking your own bread?
- Best air-filtering houseplants, according to NASA
From our sponsor
NEWSLETTER
Advertisement
I would just like to say, I've been flagging any post that contains a Jesus rant. This is the 21st century and I find the fanatical belief in superstition to be offensive. This is especially the case when the people in question are proselytizing over the internet, essentially saying how much better their fairy tales are while a guest in the house of science.
The Venus Project
'nuff said
How would one go about getting officially de-baptized in the US? Does anybody know?
You would probably need to contact the church where you were baptized to be removed from their baptismal rolls.
I live in Germany. Nobody de-baptizies here and I have never heard of anything mentioned in this disputable article.
I you quit being a member of a church and mean it, you will surely not look for any ritual or something similar.
Quitting being catholic in Germany goes as following: Go to you city hall, fill out some form - you're free and save a lot of money.
Baptism creates a relationship between you and Christ. It does not make a bit of difference whether you chose it or not, whether you belong to a particular Christian denomination or not, whether you get your name taken off a list or a bit of paper. Spiritually speaking it is like a blood transfusion. There is NO WAY it can be reversed. And one day, probably at or after your own death, you will be glad and grateful that Christ will not let you go.
Ok, let's call 911
oh shut up.
Hmmm Do I smell a "No True Scotsman" Logical Fallacy here? Face it the definition of a Christian is one who believes in Christ despite your claims to the contrary. You don't get to decide who is and who isn't a christian.
sorry gona jump on it, any one who follows christ is a cristian, if you start that hole my christ is better than your christ you end up with belfast!, if you have a problim with catholics fine but you can not go round saying they are not christian. yours a pagan
"one who follows christ" or one who is a member of a church that claims to follow christ. If it's only the first description the True Christianity must be a tiny religion. There are very few churches that teach what the biblical Jesus taught, for obvious reasons if you comprehend the Bible. All semantics anyway, if he ever existed he was no more a god or prophet than any other conman or delusional person who thought they were.
I'm looking forward to when I can be de-circumcised!
speaking as a European, what is this a story?, the only people who want this just want to annoy there family the rest of us just don't care if we are baptised or not after all it only means something to Christiansen most of the people i know are pagan and do not subscribe to the Abrahamic tradition's. see you all in Valhalla
It seems this applies to adults who were baptized as children and now have to pay church taxes. (Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Iceland, Italy collect church or congregational taxes-not an offering plate or tithe system selected into as a church going adult)
I suspect it isn't anti-religious feeling as much as it is anti-tax.
I doubt that has a lot to do with it but even so, what rational person would want their money going to fund the defense or relocation of pæderasts?
Atheism is no more logical than belief in a creator. Agnosticism would be an honest expression of ignorance. We simply don't know how the universe was created and only barely understand some of the laws of physics.
The fact that you can't prove there isn't a god doesn't make God's existence any more logical. I also can't prove there aren't unicorns.
I agree, I think the only really illogical thing is organized religion. Institutions are always corrupt and profit-oriented, so why would the Catholic church be any different?
Atheism is gaining popularity in great strides during the past few decades, and especially in the last two years. People are getting better educated, and are having problems believing in deities for which there is no evidence to proof they're real.
I know many people in my own circle of friends who have stopped following their religions (not only Catholics) and have reverted to atheism because it's clear and logical.
Pages