To wonder why people have Christenings?

[PisforPeter]

If you are not going to bring your children to church regularly???

And apart from what MaidOfStars says, there are thousands of religions that an atheist doesn't believe in, and you can't induct a child into all of them. Logically if you were doing it on that basis you'd give Christianity a miss (because most if the branches now agree that a child who dies too young to make up own mind will be fine, afterlife-wise) and go for some other religion where membership is required even for children.

But, of course, no one actually does do it for that reason.

I guess the answer is that people do it for all sorts of reasons that are meaningful to them, these might range from the done thing/let's have a party through to vague beliefs through to strong faith but don't regularly attend for whatever reason. We will never know what individual people's motivations are.

As a Christian non attenders don't offend me, I have seen some of these families slowly return to the church over time, some are never seen again, others have their children in the RC school but never attend, I can only assume a RC education is important to them for whatever reason as in our area we have excellent non faith schools (I appreciate this isn't the same in all areas).

I guess what I am saying is that I will never know their motivation (and don't need to), it's between them and God and may be not as it outwardly appears.