Religion (not a debate)

poppyscorner

Good morning all,

I am not quite sure how to word this so will give it my best shot. I have two sons aged 4 1/2yrs and 13weeks DS1 was christened in June 2003 in a church of England church nearby I was largely pressured into this decision I was alot younger I chose the wrong godparents (people he hasnt seen since) and the wrong church I now deeply regret it as several years on I feel that my own faith belongs to the Catholic church we aren't strict or even practising catholics but as far as a sense of belonging goes that is where I feel I am so much so that when DS1 goes to school in September he is going to our local catholic school.
I made my school choice based on the fact that I want my children to believe in their religion and I want them to feel that should they ever need it that their church will be there for them. Admitedly some of this is based on my personal view, before I gave birth to my boys I had a daughter Jessica who was stillborn it tore me apart and at that time I felt I belonged to the church of England and this was infact where I held her funeral however I never felt any connection with my church and never got any comfort or support from our vicar or indeed the church I did not feel that I belonged there five years on and I certainly don't feel that I belong there and attribute myself as being a catholic I would like to have both of my children baptised in the catholic church but am unsure if I can because of my origional choice to have DS1 christened.
It is not a decision I have made lightly but wondered if anyone knows anything about it.
Hubby has never been baptised or christened and I don't think he would be bothered either way he lost any faith he had when we lost our daughter he is happy that our DS1 is going to the local catholic school and remarked about it when we recently looked around the school his mother and father were brought upas very strict catholics and refused to put him and his siblings through the same they hated it as alot of it was forced back then.
Thanks Poppy

Justie

You would need to speak to the priest about Christening - either he will say that the CofE one didn't count therefore there's nothing to stop your eldest being Christened in the Catholic church or it did count and there's no need to have your child re-Christened as he can still go on and do first communion etc. I suspect it will be the former. Either way your son shouldn't miss out in the long term.

IMO where you feel you belong is more important that the label that's attached to it - I'm just sorry that you felt so unsupported after the death of your daughter.

Spendless

Hi - Yes agree with Justie, talk this over with the priest. IME they are extremely helpful when this sort of dilemma is put to them. I totally understand where you are coming from in a similar sort of circs I also wanted my children to have a connection to the church (CofE in my case) as I had had, and feel it was there for them to turn to if they wished. I declined the church school place though in favour of a community school for several reasons none of which were religious.

peardrops_2

Myself and my hubby made a conscious decision not to "give" our kids a religion. THey haven't been christened or anything.

I don't feel personally that I have a right to pin a religion onto them. HOwever, they regularly attending a christian church, a methodist church and a greek orthadox church as we have all 3 in our village. They go purely for the social aspect as different friends go to them and they love it.

When they ask what to be christened, confirmed or join the Hari Krischners for all I care I will pay for, arrange and respect their religion.

Oldernotwiser

peardrops wrote: »

. HOwever, they regularly attending a christian church, a methodist church and a greek orthadox church as we have all 3 in our village. They go purely for the social aspect as different friends go to them and they love it.

QUOTE]

Surely both the Methodist and Orthodox churches are Christian?

peardrops_2

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

peardrops wrote: »

. HOwever, they regularly attending a christian church, a methodist church and a greek orthadox church as we have all 3 in our village. They go purely for the social aspect as different friends go to them and they love it.

QUOTE]

Not a clue! They just attend different churches and enjoy them all.
Surely both the Methodist and Orthodox churches are Christian?

pinkshoes

Sorry, no advice, but was just wondering if someone could explain the difference between all these christian churches to me?!?! (or a link to a web page that explains it all).

My grandparents are practicing catholics, but my parents gave me the choice about my religion, and from about the age of 6 I decided that religion caused too much misery for it to be something I wanted to put my trust in! am just curious what they all stand for nowadays!

Elle00

pinkshoes wrote: »

Sorry, no advice, but was just wondering if someone could explain the difference between all these christian churches to me?!?! (or a link to a web page that explains it all).

Even catholicism is a branch of christianity. Different churches within the christian community have slightly differing beliefs and place different emphasis on different aspects of the reglion's foundations. When people tend to say "Christian" as a single religion what they usually mean is CofE.

Try: http://www.religioustolerance.org/christ7.htm

OP I'd agree with the posters who've suggested talking to the priest. There's nothing to stop anyone from converting or being welcomed into a different religion at any point in their lives.

inkie

. I think that you need to clarify your reasons as to why the Christening is important, as this will determine your next action.
Is it membership of that particular denomination - if it is, then you will need to determine what happens with the priest.
If it is a statement of faith, then I would question how this works with infant baptism (and i know that there have been a lot of discussions on this forum previously), but if this is your motivation, then why not wait until your children are older and allow them to make their own decisions re: faith and then act accordingly i.e. confirmation. My DDs were baptised as very young babies in the Anglican church. I am now a minister myself in a non-conformist church. I did not consider having them 'redone' in our denomination. What is important to me and hubby is that they discover Jesus and come to faith. If and whne this does happen, and they then make the decision themselves to become a member of the Church that we live out of Christian faith in, then that will be fine.

I think there can be too much emphasis with the rite and ritual of denominations, when at the end of the day all that matters (and matters to God) is personal faith.

inmypocketnottheirs

I would not worry. religion is just a badge that we wear to describe what we believe in. TBH tolerance and respect is more important than the label.

Oldernotwiser

Peardrops, I'm afraid that I was just being sarky as I wondered what you thought a Methodist or Orthodox church was if it wasn't Christian?