To wonder why people have Christenings?

[PisforPeter]

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

[DebbieOfMaddox]

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.

[gingerdodger]

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.