Where do the non-Christians stand on baptism?

[Lio]

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

Actually, I'm surprised that MIL's attitude appears shocking. That never occured to me - after all, there are plenty of mixed-faith couples who choose to bring their children up in both faiths. It's just not for me.

Re 'where they stand'.. I'd say, generally, near the front of the church, with friends and relatives, taking up several pews, wearing inappropriate-for-a-baptism outfits (the women mainly).. and mindlessly claiming to believe and trust in Him and renouncing evil.. while their minds are firmly on the piss up to follow...

Not that I'm one to generalise or anything...

PC, it just seems ever-so-slightly anti-semitic of your MIL to think her grandchildren wouldn't be 'like everyone else' if they were Jewish.

re godparents - don't most christian ones just hand over pressies at appropriate times? I'm sure secular ones can do that just as well .

Dp and I were both brought up Catholics, are both atheists now and wouldn't dream of having our kids baptised. If ds chooses to later for himself, then that's fair enough, but it's terribly hypocritical imho to vow to bring children up in the faith knowing that you won't do any such thing.

I can see how it could appear that way, but I don't honestly think they are. I think they are just a bit ignorant. At the time it had never occurred to me (as a Londoner) that anyone could have lived in the UK and barely ever met anyone who wasn't 'like them' - ie white, middle-class, nominally CoE. They base their entire knowledge of Judaism on the two encounters they've (knowingly) had with Jews, and on what appears on TV news programmes.

Wouldn't you think that an Inuit was different to you? Maybe that's how remote my religion/race/culture seems to them.

jeez.

You are right though PC, thinking about it - if I hadn't lived in London in my 20s I could very well have got through life never meeting any Jews at all .

Meowmix I am shocked that your vicar wouldn't allow a catholic friend to be a godparent as baptism is about Christianity. It is not until confirmation that denimination comes into it. We are catholic and my children have both CofE and catholic godparents. As long as they had been baptised themselves there was not a problem.

Me and DH are both atheists - DH was brought up as a Catholic and I was nomically CofE, but never christened and never attended church. We did not have a church wedding and won't be christening our children - much to MIL's disappointment! I think most people do it because it's an excuse to have a party, and to keep relatives happy. That's certainly why BIL and SIL did it. Also they like the idea of their children having god-parents. Each to their own I suppose, but it all feels horribly hypocritical to me. We are going to leave it up to DD to make the choice herself when she is older.

I am an Atheiest, as is DH, we have not and would not have DD Christened. I have to say that the hypocrisy of non-believers having their children christened or (worse, imo) marrying in a church (often just because it is a pretty building) leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

We are athiests and have never had our children christened. Thay will make up their own minds when they are old enough. They do go to a christian prep school and participate in religious assembly, we dont have any problem with that and I think it is important that they understand religion. We didnt get married in church though and I find sitting through the prayers at school carol services a bit uncomfortable at times as I dont feel I should pray and dont want to seem rude by not participating

I have had to turn down being a god parent on the basis I dont believe in god, the friend who asked didnt know!

Message withdrawn

My parents had me dedicated to a Baptist church basically so that I could make my own decision about my religion when I grew up whilst keeping my (very) baptist Grandmother happy. I attended a Moravian church on my own (parents not religious) from 4 to 14, my mother took me at 4 and asked if I would like to go to church and that was that, sunday school, summer school the whole shebang. I was also incredibly lucky to grow up near both Leeds and Bradford so I had amazing multi-faith influences as a child which my mother as a teacher fostered as much as possible. I would now consider myself agnostic as I cannot scientifically prove that (a) God or (several/many) Gods does not exist and therefore it is possible that he/she/they/it does ths I cannot be an atheist. I cannot reconcile myself with organised religion and my partner considers himself an atheist although he also attended church a lot as a child. I would not have my child christened/dedicated I would like for them to make their own decision about who they are and what they believe when they grow up and any decision they make I will fully support, I hope that I can educate them to know as much about different faiths as my mother did with me.

I like your vicar's attitude Pitchounette

I'm a godparent to a horde of kids, I even have a couple of "adopted" godchlidren.
I see baptisms as a bit like Halloween. People dress up, have a bit of fun, get drunk and pretend for the day to believe in various superstitions.

The gang of 2 won't be baptised because we have the money that we can buy education without having to pander to them. If I was poorer, I'd do it as insurance, like most other middle class people.

Also my other half would divorce me if I tried.