At the Religion News website, https://religionnews.com/2021/11/16/in-catholic-italy-de-baptism-is-gaining-popularity/ , there’s a report of a growing number of people in Italy seeking “de-baptism,” a process by which a baptized Catholic removes the record of his baptism. According to the article, the practice is not confined to Italy, but that’s where someone has started counting; there are at least 100,000 de-baptisms so far. The petitioner completes a form, available online, and sends it to the parish in which his baptism is recorded. The form requests removal of his name from the parish rolls of the baptized.

One has to ask Why?  What would be the motive for such an action? An organization known as the Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics (abbreviated in Italian as UAAR) is promoting the practice. If one truly has no belief, no credence whatsoever, in any sort of deity, the only response to religion would be indifference. One simply doesn’t care.

The article cites one person who identified as bi-sexual. He said he filed for de-baptism because he sought integrity and coherence. While you could understand that kind of seeking, how is it that integrity would be gained? Why would you need to be de-baptized if you don’t believe in baptism? If you’re satisfied that your life choices are moral and you’re living by the standards you’ve set for yourself, you already have integrity.

More likely, it’s just yet another attempt to blame a source outside oneself for one’s anger, disappointment, or discontent with one’s life. And though it’s not the only one, the Church has always been an easy target.