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I'm 40, I want to be baptized. The father is an atheist, temptations have begun... What should I do?translated

October 9, 2026 · 1 min read

Reader question:

Hello! I am not baptized and want to be baptized. I am 40. I understand more and more that faith and the desire for God bring meaning to my life, they set a vector that did not exist before. Skepticism, of course, remained, but where would we be without it? I constantly doubt and probably will doubt all my life. At the same time, I feel as if there are glimmers of light in the darkness. Without it, life is like walking in circles. I don't live alone. My elderly parents are with me. The father is an ardent atheist. He will never understand me. And I don't want to hurt him. It seems to me that it is not even Christian to hurt a loved one. For what? I have long since passed the age when I wanted to prove something to someone. I would like to be more humble in my actions and desires. Need advice on what to do. From the moment the thought of baptism took shape internally (I first spoke about it out loud to a friend on an excursion to St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg), miracles and temptations began. I have heard that some priests go through various miraculous phenomena before being ordained. But I just want to be baptized.

Timofey

Priest's answer:

Archpriest Andrey EFANOV

God bless you, dear Timofey!

“I just want to be baptized”?...

Source: Журнал ФОМА  ·  Read the full story →
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