If one person gets to define what questions can be asked and what answers are correct in a topic, it really isn’t a “Topic of discussion”, is it.
It might be easier to identify your intention if you stated it more clearly in the Title
Friend,
This is a DISCUSSION forum. The purpose is to discuss a TOPIC. That TOPIC is defined by the title and (if needed) clarified by the opening post. That's what we are asked to discuss.
I realize that CH does not have an "no-hijacking" rule, and I'm fine with that. But it is obvious that such serves one purpose: to change the topic, away from what we were asked to discuss to what some participant prefers to discuss. This may not be intentional, of course, but does tend to have that function. True, a BRIEF interruption for clarification can be appropriate but IMO it needs to be done carefully. Often, a better approach is to start a new thread.
There are some in these forums that are very clever in using "The Shall Game." In debate, this ploy is used (where it's allowed) when the debater feels "caught" and has no other "card" to play.... so an attempt is made to CHANGE THE SUBJECT to something else; it is often done by asking a question since that's the most effective way to engage the other side and thus change the discussion. The thing is, this game can be played FOREVER (if done cleverly); if the new topic is no more friendly, the debater can employ the game again, either back to the original topic or to a yet third topic. This can go on ENDLESSLY (which is why we can get to page 27 with nothing acheived). Some are very clever at this game!
For example, there's a very specific discussion about AGE and BAPTISM, whether there is some requirement in the Bible as to AGE. But a debater feels "caught" by some point they can't respond to or can't admit to, so..... "The Shell Game." Switch the discussion to something else, maybe a different Anabaptist Tradition on Baptism,maybe Credobaptism or Immersion-Only Baptism, maybe even Predestination or Monergism/Synergism (really, anything will do). It's often best to do this with a question. Of course anyone who has even causally read this thread can see this being done endlessly.
Yes, many of us have shared the historic view on the AGE issue (and frankly, every other issue related to Baptism). I don't think you've once particpated in any of those). None of them have gotten much attraction; none embracing Anabaptist Traditions on Baptism has participated in any of them, as I recall. It's not that we've been unwilling to discuss our position, it's that none from the Anabaptist "side" have desired to do so. As we know, one Baptist INSERTS some Anabaptist Tradition endlessly, even in threads that have NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with whatever Tradition he inserts, but never will he actually discuss what he inserts - we just get endless applications of "The Shell Game." Others here seem to be encouraging and participating in this. We have to wonder why (or maybe not).
The issue here is singular: Is there stated in Scripture a prohibition/mandate on Baptism regarding
AGE ("Anti-PAEDObaptism" by definition is "against baptism to those who are PAEDOs",
paedo is an AGE range of humans..... "Anti-Infant Baptism" is "against baptism of infants' infants by definition is an age range of humans). The sole issue is
AGE. "Paedo" is an age range; "infant" is an age range.
AGE is the issue of the dogma this thread is to address.
There are two Traditions on this issue:
HISTORIC: There is no mandate or prohibition on Baptism regarding AGE.
ANABAPTIST: It is dogmatically prohibited in the Bible to baptize any until they have attained the age of X (an age that will not be disclosed).
One Tradition is that there IS a dogmatic prohibition (or mandate depending on how the issue is worded) stated in the Bible regarding the singular issue of AGE, the other simply does not embrace that. For 1500+ years, there was no AGE dogmatic prohibition/mandate (and for most Christians there still is not), the Anabaptists invented such.
MennoSota has worked HARD for two solid years to prove the historic position to be true; in two solid years, he has not found any verse that states a prohibition or mandate on Baptism speicifically addressing AGE. He recently admitted this when he posted, "Actually Scripture is silent."
True, since the historic position does not dogmatically demand some prohibition based exclusively on AGE, those that embrace this view don't dogmatically demand some prohibition based exclusively on age,
but that does not mean ergo they insist on a dogma that the Bible specifically mandates that we baptize all BEFORE they attain some never-disclosed age. There is no dogma of "Thou art forbidden to baptize any after the age of X". There is no dogma of "Thou canst only baptize paedos." There is a Tradition of "There is no mandate or prohibition in Baptism regarding AGE." MennoSota has proven that Tradition to be true.
Now, if you conclude that the Anbaptist/Baptist Tradition of "Anti-Paedobaptism" is one you cannot defend (or perhaps you actually reject it), my advise would be to either admit that or simply avoid the topic (rather than supporting the Tradition). And if you'd rather discuss Credobaptism, do that instead. You even could participate in some thread one of us on the historic side have put up. If you don't like or don't agree with this Anbaptist dogma, well.... But "The Shell Game" is really annoying, especially when it's SO obvious and ENDLESS, mind-numbingly ENDLESS (and we're pretty sure why it's being so endlessly employed).
Thank you. Blessings.
- Josiah
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