Atheist nurse tries to get himself 'de-baptised' from Church of England
By Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent

An atheist is trying to get himself "de-baptised" from the Church of England because he believes he was accepted into the religion without his consent.

John Hunt, a nurse, is one of a growing number of people around the world who want their former involvement with faith groups to be struck from official records.

Now 56, he was baptised at the parish church of St Jude with St Aidan in Thornton Heath, south London, when he was just a baby.

But as a schoolboy he decided he did not believe in God and stopped going to Sunday school aged 11.

More recently he asked Southwark diocese to remove his name from the baptismal roll, because he believes he was too young to agree to the ceremony taking place.

He was told that his baptism cannot be deleted because it is a matter of historical record.

However, he paid £60 to place an advert in the London Gazette, an official journal dating back to the 17th century, in which he rejected publicly the Christian faith, and wants church leaders to put a copy of the announcement in the baptismal roll.

Mr Hunt said: "I think it's important that more people speak out and say they don't subscribe to the historic beliefs of the Church."

He has got a copy of a "de-baptism" certificate produced by the National Secular Society, which states: "I, John Geoffrey Hunt, having been subjected to the rite of Christian baptism in infancy hereby publicly revoke any implications of that rite.

"I reject all its creeds and other such superstitions in particular the perfidious belief that any baby needs to be cleansed of original sin."

The society says an estimated 100,000 people have downloaded such certificates from its website over the past five years. It produces mock official versions, and has had to order a new consignment of parchment to meet demand.

Although the Church of England's policy is that it will not record formally those who wish to renounce their baptism, Roman Catholic canon law allows a process known as a "formal act of defection" from the faith. This means that a note will be made on a person's baptismal record stating that they have left the church.

De-baptism movements exist in Catholic countries such as Spain, Italy and Argentina, while Germans are allowed to renounce their baptism officially in order to get out of paying a church tax.

Terry Sanderson, the president of the NSS, admitted its de-baptism certificate had been produced originally as a "tongue-in-cheek" joke but added that the procedure is now being taken seriously by an increasing number of atheists.

He said: "There's so much anger against the church that people actually want to make a statement against it."

The Bishop of Croydon, the Rt Rev Nick Baines, said: "Whether we agree whether it should have happened or not is a different matter.

"But it's a bit like trying to expunge Trotsky from the photos. You can't remove from the record something that actually happened."

SOURCE: Click here

.

Poor fella. He coulda avoided this hassle, if only he'd ever picked up his bible to read he'd know by now that he was never really baptised.

spikedcylinder:

People pay church tax?

Recognise:

De-baptism movements exist in Catholic countries such as Spain, Italy and Argentina, while Germans are allowed to renounce their baptism officially in order to get out of paying a church tax.

It would appear to be so. I haven't heard of it before myself . . . or maybe its just in Germany? can one of our catholic brethren clarify?

wha, a church tax??

JeSoul:

Poor fella. He coulda avoided this hassle, if only he'd ever picked up his bible to read he'd know by now that he was never really baptised.

Unfortunately its more about a public show of defiance.

JeSoul:

Poor fella. He coulda avoided this hassle, if only he'd ever picked up his bible to read he'd know by now that he was never really baptised.

exactly.
The Bible says repent and be baptised and the guy is crying over some water sprinkled on his bald head years ago by an ignorant priest and ignorant parents.
He should get to work and change diapers jo.

bawomolo:

wha, a church tax??

spikedcylinder:

People pay church tax?

De-baptism movements exist in Catholic countries such as Spain, Italy and Argentina, while Germans are allowed to renounce their baptism officially in order to get out of paying a church tax.

Church Tax, sounds familiar

wow, it sounds like the mandatory 10% tax (sorry 10% tithe), being paid in other western countries and some so called churches. (funny that Solomon was made extremely rich without paying 10%tithe or church tax)

The sad thing is that catholic church has been doing this for thousands of years (non-catholics have also joined in doing likewise wit the so called prosperity gospel, fat pastors and thin congregration), hence there really is no end in sight for those who look unto a church for their salvation and freedom.

Its sad that people are already free yet they still behave like slaves in bondage to their human masters,

How Sad,

1. Yes de-baptising is completely irrelevant and useless because the Creator of Heaven and Earth never reconned with the initial baptism in the first place

2. It was never recorded in the bible that The Saviour, or John the Baptist or The Apostles ever gave anyone any certificate of Baptism.

3. Child Baptism is not biblical it is merely a tradition of men which in itself is inherently evil because it is trying to replace biblical teachings with lies,

4. The level and depth and expanse of deception in both the Catholic church, Non-catholic church (protestants) is so much that its literarily takes the Saviour Himself to separate the deceived and damned from the non-deceived and saved.

5. There is absolutely no difference wen comparing between Idolatory, Occult, Satanism, Organised religion, Apostasy, Sexual immorality, Blatant Act of Disobedience of Biblical Commandments, Blatant Acts of Sin that negates the divine mercy of being Saved by Faith through Grace with the things being done in the name of the Messiah and the Creator of Heaven and Earth by Catholics, Protestants, Atheists, Agnostics and all.

Its scary to even realise that though the Word does not and cannot change, yet so called Churches of today are completely different, unholy and unbiblical in their ways when compared to the standards and characteristics of Ancient early Churches of During the Apostles' time and the churches of the Book of Revelation.

One thing is for sure, though 
I AM GRATEFUL THAT I AM ONE OF THE FEW WHO HAVE HAD THE EYES OF THEIR UNDERSTANDING OPENED VIA THE LITERAL BLUNT TRUTH OF THE BIBLE,
yet my pain is that some other people simply do not understand nor give a shit about pausing, stopping, waiting, listening, reading, hopefully understanding, comparing and contrasting their life, beliefs, traditions, church and actions to what the Scriptures are actually saying.

1. Would the deception stop,

Answer: No, because its a fufillment of prophesy.


---------------------------------------


2. How do we escape the inherent denominational, doctrinal, global and generational deception.

Answer: By avoiding using any and every fucking christian book, manual, tape as source of information (yes there are so many dangerous heretical christian books, manuals and tapes around, so much so that knowing which is which takes Grace of proper Bible Understanding).
Hence instead its best to completely focus only[i]
a. on The Scriptures for the Word,
b. on The Holy Spirit for the understanding,
c. on The Saviour for the authoring and the finishing of our faith and
d. on The Heavenly Father for keeping His Word to save and deliver us from ALL evil (including deception)[/i]

.

@No2atheism
Actually church tax as it origins in the bible but it was a very small amount and different to tithes that the bible describes, here is what Jesus as to say about it:

Matthew 17:24-27:

Payment of the Temple Tax
24 On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”

25 “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house.

But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?”

26 “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied.

“Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! 27 However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”

I also agree with your understanding of the mordern concept of church, the church as completely missed it and the blind sheeple are in denial. As you said it is all in fufilment of scripture. But then i wonder, why is christ allowing his name to be used to lead people astray.