We haven't had a good religious thread in quite some time now, so I thought I'd come up with one.
Last Saturday a friend of mine invited me to go with them to Mass. I was already at there house, so I agreed. I have several Catholic friends, and have been meaning to try to get a better understanding of their faith for a while now. During the thing, a young boy was Baptized and I thought back to the time I had partaked in the same thing (Baptist version).
I was probably 16 or 17 at the time. I can not recall if it was my freshmen or sophomore year of high school. I had a lot more faith then, than I do now, and I felt that it was something I needed to do. I did not do it as a get into heaven free card or for the approval of the church. I did it as something between me and God, as a public proclamation of my beliefs. I recall walking from my house one night, I think it was 7ish, to the gym that the church had set up for the town to use. I asked to talk to the Preacher and told him what I wanted to do. He asked me the classic questions you are asked, and I answered them all yes and what-not. He told me they would set up a time for the actual baptism that weekend. I walked home and all was jolly, or so I thought.
It was weird, after that I went into a depression of sorts. It was like I saw sorrow and sadness in all things. I couldn't enjoy anything. I could not enjoy my games, music, or any part of life. I was very confused by this. Was I being punished, was I not as honest as I had thought I was when answering the questions? Was I feeling sorrow of the world as Jesus did? Or even worse, did I just sign myself over to the wrong religion?
Soon the day came in what seemed like forever. I was a tad bit scared, being 16 or 17 and doing this in front of all those people. And I still didn't understand why I felt the way I did, and prayed that I had not made a mistake in my judgment.
I'm not going to go into how it feels to have your ass flung down into a Baptism pool, its pretty much what you would expect it to be like, except very cold. I wonder if they do that for effect.
After that the feeling went away. I never got a clear answer to why I felt that way, or know anyone with a similar experience.
So, I’ve told my story, anyone else like to share how it was for them?
