to not want to get my son christened?

[Lovinmaternityleave]

I would love your opinions please. I was brought up Catholic, but now feel very disappointed in the church and want to distance myself from catholisism, but still have my own private faith and (somewhat vague and tentative) ideas about god. My parents are extremely sad, upset and angry that my 'poor son' will not have been christened. They don't mind if I do not bring him up being a catholic, but would love us to get him christened. My husband was never brought up with any faith, and sees it as being hypocritical if we get DS christened, which I agree with. BUT there's a tiny tiny part of me that feels we should, for DS's sake. Please help, I haven't been able to sleep thinking about this. I don't want to disappoint my parents when their faith is so strong, but...??

Your child can always choose to be christened at a later date. My mum is Catholic and my dad an atheist, none of us were christened. We were allowed to go to church with my mum if we wanted to, but we rarely did. My sister started going when she was a teenager and decided she wanted to become a Catholic. She did it all as a teenager, chose her own godparents, did confirmation classes, all that stuff. It was lovely that it was her choice and meant something to her, rather than just something she did passively.

We got this from MiL after DS was born despite telling her or discussing with other family members in her hearing, at least three time while I was pregnant, that the baby would not be getting christened. She even phoned DP one day, asked to speak to me and requested we get him christened. She also offered to pay for a christening party (as we were short of money at the time) as though that was why we weren't getting him christened. She wouldnt take no for an answer and insisted I think about it over the weekend and get back to her with our decision the next week. I never phoned her back and havent heard another word on the subject since hmm]

MIL goes to church but FIL doesnt. DP doesnt and neither do I or my parents. I told DP I would consider getting getting DS christened if he felt VERY strongly in favour of it (but he didnt) and my personal view was that it would be hypocritical as my only church attendence since leaving school has been weddings and funerals.

We're in the same boat with MIL. DP and I are not religious but will support and respect our children's right to follow the faith of their choice should they wish. So, no christening despite MIL's protestations.

As DP says, he's not interested in a god who would reject a baby because its parents didn't christen it.

Your local register office can do a naming ceremony that is non- religious. Would this go any way to appease you parents?