To laugh at the request to be godparents

Agreed I'd privately laugh at such a request as an atheist .

It's making a mockery of the church and people who do believe if you do accept and basically lie in church during a ceremony.

Close to her all of her life but quick to mock her choices on the internet. With friends like you.... 🙄

YANBU to decline to be Godparents. YABVU to be so judgemental and derisive about it.

The decision to get their child christened has nothing to do with you. One friend christened both of her children when one of them was gravely ill. Another did it to gain access to Sunday school as she had such happy lasting memories of going when she was a child herself. Unless the church demands regular attendance and outspoken religious beliefs from the parents before the child has arrived, they are not doing anything wrong.

Non denominational spiritual guide?

I am an atheist god parent. Kid doesn't seem bothered. The word "god" doesn't offend me because it's just a word to me. I held a candle at the christening. Wasn't struck down.

I wouldn't laugh at them, you know that won't go down well. Your reasons for saying no make perfect sense though. If you're not religious surely a humanist naming ceremony makes more sense. The promises made at a Christening service are, well, very Christian.

But that’s not what you said.

You said the title itself was daft.

its obviously not to her. So no need to be rude about it.

I’d be pretty peeved at the lack of respect for your beliefs…especially given they are not religious and this is all some performance. In your shoes I would politely decline, while saying less polite things to myself in my head!

It’s daft to you.

You can feel the title isn’t something you want. You can feel it would be daft to apply it to you.

It’s obviously not daft to her.

I am not religious at all. But I really don’t get why you feel the need to be so sneery about someone you, apparently, love. Or about something that is important to a lot of people.

Be an atheist. Don’t be so judgmental of people who aren’t.

One of my friends is godmother to four children (all from different families) and doesn't believe in god herself. She's happy to say the words (and renounce Satan and all his works, to the amusement of many) because she feels the important part is being in a mentor role for the child; someone they can talk to when they need an adult who isn't a parent.

Another of my friends is Jewish but godmother to a CofE family's child.

I choose not to because I don't like making vows I can't live by, but that's my pedantry.

I chose mentors for my children rather than godparents, but the kids use the term interchangeably themselves.

If she's not a Christian she shouldn't have her baby christened.

The title of this comes across as harsh. Your friend is saying that she trusts you implicitly with her child, so much so that in the event of anything awful happening she would want you to step in and parent them.
Regardless of religion you should feel honoured that she trusts you so much. If they are expecting some kind of religious input then of course you can politely decline but don’t laugh

Well just say no thank you. She asked because she obviously thinks you're a good person. You don't need to be a cock about it.

This young woman has been close to you all her life, has now had a baby whom she’s obviously proud of and she values your relationship so much that she wants you to be involved in her child’s life in the formal way that being a godparent means. It’s very sad that you find that to be ridiculous. Most Christian denominations are used to this dilemma and can find a work around. At the very least, please acknowledge the honour that she has given you.

You can decline. To laugh is just rude and condescending.

If you literally laughed in her face, as opposed to declining politely (which by far seems the most likely scenario, no one is that ignorant), that really says a lot more about you than her.

That’s the sort of request usually made in person. So… did you laugh in their faces? Or did you decline graciously?

You don’t actually have to be religious to be godparents, I think as long as one person they ask is. But I wouldn’t do it either because I’m not going to promise to raise them and teach them all about being a good Christian and I wouldn’t support their religion so I wouldn’t do it. It’s stupid if they’re asking just for the whole “be a fake aunt” type thing.

Just say no thanks, but don't act like a sniggering dickhead about it. There's nothing less attractive than being that person who laughs at people's beliefs because they're way too clever to think the same way

But yanbu for declining. IIRC godparents have to renounce Satan in church etc. If you can't bring yourself to do that (totally get it), don't do it

Laughing would be rude, just say to them “thanks for the kind offer but as an atheist it isn’t something I would feel comfy with”

Your message is really quite unpleasant op. Your daughter’s friend obviously values her relationship with you and looks up you enough to ask you to do this.

You can graciously decline but don’t laugh at her.

I declined my sister for these exact reasons. She understood. I’m still her DD’s very devoted aunty 30 years later.