Christening when you don't believe in God??!!

Nicki

This thread is fascinating, particularly because of all the practising Christians who would object to a non-practising Christian having their child baptised, and would refuse to attend the service of a family member.

My local church seeks to bring people through its doors as much as it can, whether practising or non-practising, because those who are currently not Christians just might change their minds and views on hearing the Christian message and teaching. All are therefore welcome, whether baptised or not and no one is judged for being less further along their spiritual journey than another.

It seems that some of those posting on here see the church as a somewhat more exclusive "members only" club, and whilst this may be true for your faith (whatever that is) I'm not sure that it also holds true for the institution via which your faith is desseminated to a wider audience. Even if only 1% (or less) of those who come through the door to participate in, or observe, the baptism of a family member find that to be a catalyst for finding a faith of their own, does that mean that no one should be allowed in until they are fully paid up members?

kitekat

I have always been lead to believe that the reason people want to get their child christened/baptised whether parents are religious or not is that if something fatal happened to their child(died)then because they were christened their little soul would go straight to heaven.Nowadays parents would be hard pushed to get their child christened if they did not go to church as the Catholic church no longer allows it.My friend was told in no uncertain terms that her daughter could not make her ist holy communion if the family didnt attend church.

richardw

Nicki wrote: »

All are therefore welcome, whether baptised or not and no one is judged for being less further along their spiritual journey than another.

Gosh, that sounds a bit progressive, perhaps best to keep that quiet, so the leaders of the church don't cotton on and get you being a bit good old fashioned judgemental.

galvanizersbaby

kitekat wrote: »

I have always been lead to believe that the reason people want to get their child christened/baptised whether parents are religious or not is that if something fatal happened to their child(died)then because they were christened their little soul would go straight to heaven.Nowadays parents would be hard pushed to get their child christened if they did not go to church as the Catholic church no longer allows it.My friend was told in no uncertain terms that her daughter could not make her ist holy communion if the family didnt attend church.

1st holy communion is different to being baptised though isn't it from my understanding.
I wasn't roman Catholic and though my ex husband is he wasn't a churchgoer, think he went a few times prior to both baptisms so actually the Catholic church do allow it and I'm fairly sure that if non RC parents wanted to attend the church they would not be prevented.
Nicki's post where she states 'all are welcome' is much more typical of my (abeit limited) experience with both the catholic church and church of england.
This is an interesting thread!

margaretclare

Nicki wrote: »

This thread is fascinating, particularly because of all the practising Christians who would object to a non-practising Christian having their child baptised, and would refuse to attend the service of a family member.

My local church seeks to bring people through its doors as much as it can, whether practising or non-practising, because those who are currently not Christians just might change their minds and views on hearing the Christian message and teaching. All are therefore welcome, whether baptised or not and no one is judged for being less further along their spiritual journey than another.

It seems that some of those posting on here see the church as a somewhat more exclusive "members only" club, and whilst this may be true for your faith (whatever that is) I'm not sure that it also holds true for the institution via which your faith is disseminated to a wider audience. Even if only 1% (or less) of those who come through the door to participate in, or observe, the baptism of a family member find that to be a catalyst for finding a faith of their own, does that mean that no one should be allowed in until they are fully paid up members?

I completely agree. Couldn't have put it better.

Some of the young adults who have gone on to become active members of our Methodist church actually came into contact with it by coming to our 'parent and toddler' group. One of them was confirmed on the same day as my DH in 2004, along with an older woman who also wanted to be confirmed.

inkie

Quote:
Originally Posted by surreysaver
Hospitals and nurses should keep away from this religion stuff.

That made me smile - what about health care professionals who are christians. You can't just switch off following Jesus depending upon what you are doing!

My local church seeks to bring people through its doors as much as it can, whether practising or non-practising, because those who are currently not Christians just might change their minds and views on hearing the Christian message and teaching. All are therefore welcome, whether baptised or not and no one is judged for being less further along their spiritual journey than another.

Yep - thats how it should be. People need to feel as though they belong, and hopfully that will lead some of them on to believing. I think if we start to unpack some of the mis-conceptions about infant baptism (some of which have been brought up in this thread), then a lot of people would stop seeking it anyway.

two-for-one

Nicki wrote: »

This thread is fascinating, particularly because of all the practising Christians who would object to a non-practising Christian having their child baptised, and would refuse to attend the service of a family member.

Well I certainly do not regard the church as being an "only members club" and it actually saddens me that so few people seem to believe. As for attending the christening, I wouldn't mind at all if the parents of the child were in some way open to the idea of christianity, or curious about it (don't know how else to articulate it) but to openly declare that they do not believe and to label themselves as "Atheist" on their Facebook profile makes it quite hard for me to willingly be part of the charade.

I guess what's the big deal? I should just go, listen to them tell a whole pack of fibs about how they believe and how they will bring their kid up with christian values etc. At the end of the day, it's no big deal, is it?

kitekat

galvanizersbaby wrote: »

1st holy communion is different to being baptised though isn't it from my understanding.
I wasn't roman Catholic and though my ex husband is he wasn't a churchgoer, think he went a few times prior to both baptisms so actually the Catholic church do allow it and I'm fairly sure that if non RC parents wanted to attend the church they would not be prevented.
Nicki's post where she states 'all are welcome' is much more typical of my (abeit limited) experience with both the catholic church and church of england.
This is an interesting thread!

There is no difference between baptism and ist holy communion here,if the parents do not go to the Catholic church then just like ist holy communion,the child is not allowed to be christened/baptised.Thats what happened to my friend on both occassions.Maybe its dif in other places i have no idea.

shelly

two-for-one wrote: »

I guess what's the big deal? I should just go, listen to them tell a whole pack of fibs about how they believe and how they will bring their kid up with christian values etc. At the end of the day, it's no big deal, is it?

Maybe they don't believe but does that mean they won't be bringing up the child with christian values?
Do you have to believe to be a good person and have christian values?

If you can't have one without the other please let me know.

lostinrates

two-for-one wrote: »

[a whole pack of fibs about how they believe and how they will bring their kid up with christian values etc. At the end of the day, it's no big deal, is it?

You see, although I am no longer a practising Christian, I think, through benefit of my culturally Christian upbringing, any children I might have, whether Christened or not, would be ultimately influenced by the cultural values given to them, in this country and many others, by Chrsitianity.

re Church attendance for Christianing etc. My mother was catholic, and its how I was christianed, and had FHC, but my father was born C of E and is aethiest, so he didn't come to church, and it was my mothers second marriage (and not in church) so she didn't really come to church either. It was still allowed in my case.