regarding Baptism

I'm right now in the midst of re-writing Spirithome's materials on Christian baptism. But there's something I need to know, because it's not something I can see from where I'm at.

This is for those of you who are not a committed Christian, attend only occasionally, are agnostic, or just find such things puzzling. Most of you have at least a passing familiarity with it -- you've been to a friend's child's baptism, or you've seen it in movies or on the media, read about it, or heard a colleague talk about it. I'm inviting you to write in about what baptism (the act, the ceremony, the talk about it) seems like to you.

To give you an idea, I'll start with a few items others have already told me. (You don't have to be this brief.)

-- a ceremony to mark the arrival of a baby
-- symbols that have been robbed of much of their real-ness
-- another occasion for collecting money
-- a way to pay homage to one's traditions and forebears
-- a way to enhance the power of ordained ministers
-- a mother's moment of honor in public or before the rest of the family

Do you have something more to add to these? A story to describe it? An entirely different reaction? Whatever it is, I want to hear it. Just write it as a blog comment to this note.

Thank you, in advance.
*