Atheists call for 'debaptism' - should be 'An Atheist'

[beanieb]

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I suppose I am an Atheist, though I am not sure. I was raised without religion, was never Christened, don't think I was taught not to believe but rather that I was not exposed to any kind of religion at home.

So I call myself and Atheist, but I am not calling for 'debaptism' - Personally I don't need to be debaptised.

Anyone else here feel that strongly about their Atheism that they would get debaptised?

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"I think many atheists find their lives go fine without needing to be defined as such. "

Probably true, but such people don't worry about the fact that they were baptised as babies.

Yet, some atheists want to be de-baptised. Surely they might like a way of public showing their beliefs.

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Reallytired - to suggest that this (a formal ceremony to declare "unbelief")should happen is fundamentally to misunderstand what being an atheist means.

Sadly, I have heard this kind of rubbish too many times for it to surprise me any more.

Do non-believers in Thor, the Invisible Pink Unicorn and Father Christmas need a ceremony to declare this? Of course not, because we are adults. Sadly, the infantilising effect of some people's faith blinds them to the comparison.

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What do you think of Athesist having a naming ceremony, or a humanist funeral or getting married in a nice hotel? My parents went to a wedding of two athesists at a beautiful country house. They played their favourite music and made speeches about how they met and their plans for the future. Everyone then had a massive party.

People all over the world, like to celebrate rites of passage like being born, coming of age, marriage, and remembering people who have died.

Are these pointless? Most athesists I have met enjoy any excuse for getting drunk- a party, like other human beings.

"Do non-believers in Thor, the Invisible Pink Unicorn and Father Christmas need a ceremony to declare this? "

I know some people in real life who do believe in Thor.

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reallytired - that's interesting, I've never met anyone who does. I've been asking on here and other forums for years if anyone actually does still believe in the old gods.

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I really wouldn't bother with an unbaptising if it were me. As some have said though it's about making a point.

I don't need to proclaim my beliefs because I don't have any. Not in the religious sense of the word.

When people make claims about how christian this country is do they go by current attendence at a church or by things like how many baptised? If the latter then it becomes a little more important to state that you no longer support it.

I think some people don't realise how lucky they are to live in the UK. In many islamic countries people who renounce their faith are killed. >>

Do christians miss the old days?

Pruners, I love the hairdryer image

Of course it's well known that dihydrogen monoxide is a dangerous substance so people shouldn't go around sprinkling it on babies anyway.

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This would be laughable if this poor woman had not ended up in jail for it.

Islam humiliated by giant teapot

list of countries which have the death penalty for apostasy

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We used to burn unbelievers here didn't we. It's a shame that so few take their religion seriously any more.

Did we onagar? I know we used to burn witches, but I've never seen anything about people being burnt for simply choosing not to believe, not to go to church etc.

From an atheist's perspective, I am not sure what "de-baptism" would achieve.

I was baptised as a child. I also joined the guides in some wierd cermony where we had a fake giant toadstool and I promised to "Serve the queen".

I have no intention of ever serving any monarch and find the whole idea aborrent but then equally the whole guide ceremony was chidish nonsense and commits me to nothing so I have no need to retrospectively revoke my membership and de-Baden-Powell myself.

I don't belive in God and think that the cermonies of the church are empty beyond being those which any community wants to celebrate certain events. My parents had me baptised to welcome me to the world and their community and I would not wish to undermine that. As far as I am concerned, anything in the ceremony beyond that was mystic rubbish which I do not need to concern myself with.

Oh and we have burned lots of people for their particular faith. Queen Mary was particularly good at it and burned a number of senior church figures.

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Oh my! Even as a committed Christian, I'd think I'd encountered a total nutter if I bumped into her She's a female Ned Flanders!

OMG, I'm just reading the replies! The way she addresses that waitress!

Very Christian.

What a nutter. Had to laugh at "When at functions with non-believers, they will make references to how smart your kids are and how well-behaved. Make sure you respond with a smile but give the credit to Jesus." Yeah, because the fella in his robe and sandals was so renowned for being a snappy dresser.