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

LouBlue

surreysaver wrote: »

But then surely its the relatives being hypocritical? If they know you don't believe, but are forcing you to go through with it?

Absolutely. I would never bow to the pressure of a relative, it should be up to the parents and want they believe in or don't believe in.

Shambler

In 1968 my father went to the local church to get me christened.

The vicar said since they did not attend church regularly he would not do it.

So my dad did it himself...amen to that.

busiscoming2

I haven't read all the postsbut wanted to add my bit:
I was christened (along with bros), I asked my mum once why I was christened and shesaid she didn't want us done (she anted us to decide when we were older) but her MIL kept on so she did it to shut her up!
I haven't really believed but grew up wanting the big white wedding and church etc, so got married in church 1st time - ended in divorce!
My first two kids with dh1 weren't christened as my thinking was to let them make up their own minds.
When dh2 and I had our son, my dh said about having him christened, when I asked why he wanted to he said "its what you do isn't it?" which is what I suspect a lot of people 'think'. needless to say he wasn't christened.
As for church schools, I work in one and you have to tick the demoninational box to go on the list - we have muslims at the school, who because they did, got in!
There is no sense in it at all,and it makes a mockery of those who really believe and hold their faith close.

Shambler

Religion is a mockery of us all, have you read the first testament?

faerie_girl

I don't understand it either. Im an atheist and OH is agnostic. When we get married it wont be in a church. Churchs are lovely historical buildings to get married in but would be hypocrtical for us to. We wont be getting our LO christened either. I did consider a naming ceremony but registering him and signing the certificates was a really special moment for us.
I think people get wrapped up in the romanticism of church weddings and christenings. Also I think deep down a lot of people do have christian conotations.

minimoocow

What I don't get is why church people get so upset at people wanting to get married/ christened when the aren't church go-ers.

It obviously means something to them one way or another so what's the problem? Just because they don't go to church doesn't mean they don't have faith and if at key moments in their lives they want to attend church to celebrate what is the problem? (surely the church should be happy about this?)

If it is just for presents then that is for them to decide if they can morally go through with it . . . judge lest ye be judged and all that ;-)

Mely

Its highly hypocritical to be married in church,or have your child Christened when you dont believe in God! How can these Christian ceremonies mean anything, when you dont believe in what is being said?!? Totally ridiculous...lol. The same goes for couples that want big fancy weddings that they cant afford,whilst forgetting the whole meaning of the wedding ceremony itself! And the best one is having kids before marriage so that they can be at the wedding! Talk about putting the cart in front of the horse...lol!
BTW...i was Christened in hospital as i was a very premature baby, and my children are Christened,for the right reasons!

gibboelli

I dont get it either. I was christened because a teacher of my older sister told her that we would go to hell and burn if we werent christened and it scared her so much she demanded to be christened (even though at 5 years old she didnt believe in God!) and wanted me to be too as she didnt want her baby sister to go to hell. Kinda sweet really So my parents did it for that reason even though they didnt agree with it.

My children will not be christened as I and my OH are athiests and do not like religion (No offence people!) and think it's actually insulting to people who do believing, basically lieing in front of thier God.

LouBlue

gibboelli wrote: »

I dont get it either. I was christened because a teacher of my older sister told her that we would go to hell and burn if we werent christened and it scared her so much she demanded to be christened

Shame on her!

kr15snw

I was christened but always wondered why? We NEVER went to church, or did anything in the slightest religous.

Me and the OH are not getting married in a church because I'd feel like such a hypocrit! I think church weddings are lovely, if it means something to you. Not just because its the thing to do. Mum wasnt keen on this (although I will point out again that she never goes to church), but she has had to accept it!

I will also never get a child christened, but will allow them to make their own mind up. If they show an interest in religion while growing up I will take them to church and help them, and if they decide they want to be babtised / whatever at an older age I will support them

Friends of ours have decided to get their child babtised, but I guess I can see her logic. We have 2 secondary schools in our catchment area. One is terrible, and seriously I wouldnt send my kids there. The other is a church school and is wonderful. But obviously you need to be a church goer to get into the church school, so she has started attending church so that they can get into the nice school.