It’s Good Friday, and I am thinking about religion. I’m a hybrid of baby Catholic, teenage Southern Baptist, and adult Agnostic. Here are the three of seven sacraments I have participated in.
Baptism
I was baptized Catholic, grandfather was a convert, there was no debate. They sprinkled me and evidently that got me into heaven.
In my teens I thought I could use my free will to change religions, so when I became a Southern Baptist they felt the Catholic rite was bogus and instead I needed a full immersion. I argued, given that I had already gone though the rite of walking up to the altar in front of strangers as the Baptists do, and I felt that was enough public attention. No, they said, I had to be put in a robe and immersed in front of strangers and then raised up soaking wet with my robe plastered to my bosom. Baptist Church Wet Robe Contest.
I think I held out a few months. Eventually it was just too unpleasant watching my parents’ amusement as church elders come to my house, and so I caved.
Marriage
My Catholic baptism gave me a wink and nod back into the Catholic Church when I married a Catholic. It interested me that the sacrament of marriage doesn’t transfer between churches. In fact, if I’d been married at the City Hall and then tried to marry Gary they would have taken points off for sex without their blessing, but they would have let me. However, if I’d first married someone else in the Baptist church I’d have to get that annulled. So what if I’d been immersed, then later wanted to be sprinkled? They wouldn’t expect me to be annul my baptism, right? Does that happen?
Anointing of the Sick
Surprise sacrament! I didn’t even know this was a thing until I got MS. However, you too can line up in the church basement and be anointed with holy healing oil. It didn’t hurt, and unlike marriage, if I’d had hands laid on me in another church it doesn’t need to be un-done.
Now, of course, I have run out of rites and run out of interest in religion. No doubt I’ll pick it up again in my dotage. I could switch to Eastern Orthodox or Mormon and see which credits transfer and which don’t.