I know that it's a basic principle that no one should be forced into converting to the Catholic Faith, but what does this really mean? What would an example of "forcing" be? Holding a gun to someone's head and saying "if you don't convert I will kill you"?

But ultimately, isn't this the same thing God does? "He that believeth not shall be condemned"? Isn't that the same threat the person with the gun makes but long-term whereas the one with the gun is immediate? The one with the gun threatens immediate death but God threatens it later when you die.

And what about children born to Catholics? Wouldn't they be considered as having been "forced" into the Faith since they weren't given any other choice?

And what about children born to Catholics? Wouldn't they be considered as having been "forced" into the Faith since they weren't given any other choice?

You've been listening to Protestants who reject infant baptism, haven't you.

No.  This is not a "forced conversion".  This is the giving your children the greatest gift of faith you can possibly give.  Calling infant baptism a "force conversion" is like saying it is child abuse to "force" your child to eat his vegetables and keep his room clean.  It's like "forcing" your baby to wear a diaper or "forcing" your child to go to school or be polite to his grandmother.  Honestly.

A "forced conversion" would be, as you said, requiring a person to accept baptism under the pain of death or some other terrible consequence.  By Church and Divine law, however, this would not be a true conversion and the individual would not be a Christian.

Quote from: Malleus

And what about children born to Catholics? Wouldn't they be considered as having been "forced" into the Faith since they weren't given any other choice?

You've been listening to Protestants who reject infant baptism, haven't you.

No.  This is not a "forced conversion".  This is the giving your children the greatest gift of faith you can possibly give.  Calling infant baptism a "force conversion" is like saying it is child abuse to "force" your child to eat his vegetables and keep his room clean.  It's like "forcing" your baby to wear a diaper or "forcing" your child to go to school or be polite to his grandmother.  Honestly.

A "forced conversion" would be, as you said, requiring a person to accept baptism under the pain of death or some other terrible consequence.  By Church and Divine law, however, this would not be a true conversion and the individual would not be a Christian.

No, I didn't have their rejection of infant baptism in mind at all. And I already said I'm not questioning the obvious blessing of growing up Catholic.

I was simply wondering how is it that its taught that God forces no one but in the end, It seems to me that He actually does.

If your children were taught that one plus one is 2, is that forcing them, or is that a threat?!

In the bible, Christ's own words, sets up the Perfect Society, universally which is what Catholic means, universal.  

Just to add some information to the discussion:

CANON XIV.-If any one saith, that those who have been thus baptized when children, are, when they have grown up, to be asked whether they will ratify what their sponsors promised in their names when they were baptized; and that, in case they answer that they will not, they are to be left to their own will; and are not to be compelled meanwhile to a Christian life by any other penalty, save that they be excluded from the participation of the Eucharist, and of the other sacraments, until they repent; let him be anathema.

This is a Canon from the Council of Trent.