To think its weird people use siblings as godparents

[Gimmeareason]

I mean, they will already be the kid's uncle or aunt, so whats the point?

True star. The bible also says mothers are close to God as they too create life. I have read into all kinds of philosophy and its fascinating.

Christening and baptism are two words for the same thing.

I'm RC/ having a mental relapse according to Strauss, and chose godparents based on who I think are good people and will be a good influence on my children, whether or not they remain in the church as they grow up. DS1's godparents are my sister (Catholic but no longer practicing) and my best male friend (technically C of E but agnostic), DS2's will be my best female friend (C of E), my mother (to fulfil the requirement that one godparent is a baptised Catholic) and DH's friend (Church of Norway but not practising). It was important to me that the children were baptised, but as the godparents will have no role in their religious education it was more important to me to choose people who I think are good examples of kindness and moral behaviour, and who will care about them, than to choose on the basis of how RC they are.

Their legal guardians should we die are my sister and her wife, so a bit of overlap.

I'm a lapsed catholic and thought the church had given up on all the purgatory stuff?

I agree. Godparents have no obligation to care for children in the event of a parent's death. They commit to overseeing the child's spiritual development within their church.

Christening and baptism are two words for the same thing

no they are not.

@Riversleep

Yes, despite the bible being the word of god, there's often just enough wiggle room to keep it closer to being palatable i.e. Genesis is a 'fable' now science has proved its nonsense.

@peppapigearworm what's the difference according to you?
All churches that practice infant baptism call the service baptism.
Only parents/family call it christening. Not clergy.
My children were baptised as babies. The vicar and the service sheet called it baptism.
We got some christening cards to be fair but there is no different service called christening in any church.
CofE
"During a christening your child will be baptized with water. "

My parents, in their wisdom, decided that 2 of my godparents should be my dad's aunt & uncle who were already ancient. Both died within about 5 years. What was the point of that?

(Prob explains why I lapsed so young )

We chose siblings as they are known well to my children, have similar stance on most aspects of life and won't come and go (hopefully) as friends might. I trust them too. Plus they we both christened/baptised- I'm not sure which of my friends were!? Says it all really- if I don't know that about my friends am I close enough for them to be Godparents?

Technically "baptism" is the rite in a Christian Church by which water symbolizes the washing away of sins and admission into the Church, whereas "christen" is to name (a baby) at baptism.

drspouse The difference is Christen means to name, it is when a child is given a name and welcomed into the church. Baptism in the Catholic church cleanses the child from original sin and is one of 7 sacraments/rites (Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist/First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders and the Anointing of the Sick). The words are used pretty interchangeably in most churches but not in the Catholic Church.

Riversleep The church do still believe in purgatory, that's why there are bidding prayers for those who have died every mass, the actual word just doesn't seem to be used as often these days.

Sparkly that was a copy and paste job and doesn't mean anything. There's no separate service to name and welcome. Baptism does that too.

No it really wasn't drspouse and what you mean is it didn't mean anything to you or you didn't understand what I was trying to say. Basically in most churches you get baptised as part of the christening, Catholic baptisms don't have the christening part. So all christenings are also baptisms but not all baptisms are christenings, kinda like how every Mass is a service but not every service is a Mass.

So there is no such thing as a separate christening?
So what is it then?

I had my 4 christened, I made sure one of my own 3 siblings was a godparent to each, and my own children and now choosing their own siblings as godparents in turn.

Its just something we do in my family

you're wrong drspouse. Sparkly is right. Christenings are also baptisms, but you can have baptisms without christening. Adults are baptised but never christened.

drspouse It's an extra part to the baptism that Catholics don't get.

God parents are weird full stop. The whole idea is fucked up indoctrination.