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Original poster

Where do the non-Christians stand on baptism?

39 replies

Lio · 20/09/2006 18:31

Specifically atheists. I have non-believing friends who had their baby christened. I thought that was a bit odd.

OP posts:

TheQueenOfEyeSpy · 20/09/2006 18:44

I would be interesting to find out.
Here's a bump.

Original poster

Lio · 20/09/2006 19:48

And another bump - come on atheist baptists, why did you do it? I'm not aiming for a fight, I just don't get it.

OP posts:

bobsmum · 20/09/2006 19:54

What was it David Beckham allegedly said about Brooklyn?

"We're definitely having him Christened, but we're not sure what religion yet."

bananaloaf · 20/09/2006 19:56

i dont go to church but have had both christened though not in church. had minister come to house.

Amiable · 20/09/2006 21:02

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Amiable · 20/09/2006 21:04

sorry, having posted that and re-read it I realised it may come across as pretty harsh!! Wasn't meant to - just wanted to add my tuppenceworth!

nearlythree · 20/09/2006 22:24

bananaloaf, I would like to know more about that!

Frizbe · 20/09/2006 22:29

neither of mine baptised, they can make up their own minds what they want to do when they're old enough.

WigWamBam · 20/09/2006 22:35

I was baptised as an adult but no longer have a Christian faith. Dd is 5 and not baptised, not only because it would be hypocritical but because of how I feel about organised religions in general and Christianity in particular. Plus the decision about faith is a personal one, and I think the decision is one she should make herself, when she's old enough to do so.

Sobernow · 20/09/2006 22:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Tommy · 20/09/2006 22:49

thread title made me laugh - I don't expect they care really do they?!

bobsmum · 20/09/2006 23:51

Is it not simila to non Christians having a church marriage ceremony? Can't get my head round that one, unless it's just for pretty photographs in which case that's a bit shallow.

UrsulatheSeaWitch · 20/09/2006 23:59

Someone I know who may or may not be a believing Christian, but hasn't been near a church in years, had hers christened because it's what you do, iyswim. She seemed most interested in what to include in the buffet to demonstrate her catering skills.

None of ours has been done. Some of them are miffed because it does them out of godparents.

Hallgerda · 21/09/2006 14:18

I wouldn't do it (and haven't done it) myself, but I know parents who have given in to pressure from the grandparents, or have thought a baptism certificate could be useful later on. The great thing about atheism is that there's no supreme being to strike one down for hypocrisy.

PrettyCandles · 21/09/2006 14:35

My MIL wanted us to have ds Christened because dh had been, but I categorically refused. I'm not Christian and neither are our children, it is something dh and I discussed before we ever had children and we agreed that they would be brought up Jewish, as I am, and as it means so much to me. Dh doesn't consider himself Christian - or to have or care about any religion, for that matter.

MIL's point of view was that we should do it because it would be 'fair' (to dh's side of the family) and because ds would then be 'like everyone else'. My point of view is that, as a believing member of a different faith there is no way on earth that I am inducting my child as a member of the Christian faith, and that if I didn't take a Christening seriously then I would be mocking other people's faith.

And there's nothing wrong with being 'different'.

Tommy · 21/09/2006 14:39

Oh...I thought you meant literally and not those people who don't go to church but still get their babies baptised

I think that is odd too Lio.

meowmix · 21/09/2006 14:39

wouldn't do it myself, but DH is very lapsed CofE and wanted DS baptised so fair enough. After all to me its an utterly meaningless ritual, much like our singing On Top of Old Smokey whenever we go hill walking.

So we were planning a baptism involving friends and family. Except that the vicar wouldn't let us have our catholic friend as a godparent which I can sort of understand and then also stopped my jewish friends doing readings and complained that it wasn't appropriate for my muslim fil to be at the ceremony. SO we decided that if it was that kind of a club we didn't much want DS to join after all.

Hallgerda · 21/09/2006 14:39

at your MIL's attitude, PrettyCandles!

Original poster

Lio · 21/09/2006 16:08

meowmix that is classic! i love it that we live in a mixed society. thanks everyone for joining in, i thought it would be odd to discover a topic that nobody here had an opinion on

OP posts:

nearlythree · 21/09/2006 21:43

meowmix [shock} There are too many like that in the CofE though, it's why I left.

Prettycandles [shock Your mil is outrageous! How can she expect your ds to be brought up with two faiths??????

mazzystar · 21/09/2006 21:49

I think people like the idea of the baby joining the "community" and the idea of a welcoming celebration.

I am very uncertain in my beliefs. DH is an atheist. We had a naming ceremony instead.

aDAdOnMumsnet · 21/09/2006 21:53

I wasn't christened and neither have we had dd christened. My atheist parents always told me that it was up to me if i wanted to, and i appreciated that even as a child.

lemonaid · 21/09/2006 21:59

Didn't have DS christened, but did have a humanist naming ceremony, so he has secular "godparents".

Hallgerda · 22/09/2006 09:16

lemonaid, what are the responsibilities of secular "godparents, if you don't mind me asking?

PrettyCandles · 22/09/2006 13:19

I'm not sure that she expected our children to be brought up in two faiths, but more that she didn't like the way I was making them different to her and everybody else. After all, she Chirstened her children but didn't bring them up as Christians, so she didn't see why I couldn't do such a thing.

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