Have Your children been christened?

Question

For the people out there who do NOT believe in god. Have u still gotten your babies christened, and if YES then WHY?

I forgot to add, I got my 16 month old daughter christened, as although I dont believe in god (my parents didnt either). I would like her to have the choice when she is older, when she is old enough I will take her to church if she asks, I intend to tell her about god from the childrens bible I bought her, and let her make her own mind up if she wants to I will fully support her decision.

Just to add, I know alot of my friends have gotten their babys christened for the bloody party afterwards, this is quite common where i live. Shocking.

For the sole benefit of QT, I am not catholic I never said I was catholic. Just because someone is christened does not mean they are catholic you sad ****!

Answer 1

My girls have been christened. I am not that religious. I turn to religion when I need to like most people do. However, my children may want to be more devout than I am so I aint denying them a proper start to it if that's what they choose.

Answer 2

A lot of people get their kids christened for a variety of reasons such as:

*The party as you say!
*Because they believe in God
*They want to give the child a choice when they're older
*They wish to broaden the child's family with godparents
*They want to welcome the child to the family
*Some parents actually have nightmares which they claim to go when the child is christened
*Some schools only accept christened children

Just a few reasons I've seen come into place before. In today's word christenings are more non-religious events.

Answer 3

I wasn't christened myself and I'm glad about that. If anyone asks me, now, if I'm a christian I can say "No, not even technically." because that's what christening is: the dedication of a life to christ. Technically, a christened child is a christian. The Church will make that claim and you can bet when it comes inevitably to the funeral the minister will call you a christian whether or not that was really your opinion.

By christening a child you deprive it of a choice later in life and impose opinions of others upon it. It's a mistake.

Answer 4

No. While I also was raised in a family that was atheist, and was until I was about 19, I feel that there are too many choices to limit my son to just "Christening". I am a druid (I always was, I just didn't figure it out until I was in my late 20s); my son has asked questions about my spiritual path, about Christianity, about Judaism, about Islam, about Hinduism, about paganism in all its myriad forms, about the nature of god or gods, and so I answer all these questions as best I can, finding books and other resources when I don't know the answers. It is spiritually unfair to limit and choose for a child, no matter your personal religion or spiritual path.

Answer 5

havn't got kids but no i would not christen them and my parents that were both raised religiously and have some degree of faith did not christen me. The reason they gave was if I felt that sort of thing was important I would make my own choice as an adult, and I agree, if that sort of thing is important the child can make their own choice, and though I'm an atheist I will try and give my kids the option to do what they want when I get around to having kids.

Answer 6

My children aren't christened, but my wife and I are. We live a C of E life and my youngest believes in God, but thats a choice he can make when older! At the end of the day we should all be happy and not rob or murder!

Answer 7

I am a Christian but I wasn't christened, because my parents wanted me to make my own choice. A lot of people I know were christened but are not now Christians.

Answer 8

No. My wife and I (incidentally, we got married in a hotel, not a church); don't believe in ramming religion onto anyone. Our two children are not Christened. We will respect our children's wishes if they want to go down that route, ensuring they are empowered with all the information for the religion they choose.

Answer 9

I'm a christian, what you might call a fundamentalist, and I have not had my children christened because I see no biblical reference to children being christened. It won't hurt them but it's really pointless! Children will one day be able to make their own decision for or against becoming Chrtistians based on their own experiences.

Answer 10

We didn't have our child christened, left the decision to them. Around age 7 they wanted to be christened but circumstances conspired so this did not happen. Child now happy this did not happen as have different path in life.