Do you believe in giving children Godparents?

Question

If you do, do you go by the church or is it just a name sake?

Answer 1

Children have been given godparents for a number of reasons. First, years and years ago, it wasn't considered wise to wait to have a child baptized. Given the infant mortality rate as little as 100 years ago, religious parents couldn't afford to risk waiting until Mom was back on her feet and could attend her child's Christening. Godparents stood in for the parents at the infant's baptism.

Secondly, as has already been stated, one of the godparents' duties was to care for their godchild should both natural parents die. Had both of my parents died before I became an adult, there were instructions in their will that I should go to my godparents, and they were assigned my legal guardians. Although in my case, my godparents were my father's sister and her husband. I don't know if my parents chose them because they were my godparents or because they were close family.

Thirdly, and more common today, I think, it is the godparents' duty to help give their godchild a religious upbringing. At the baptisms I have attended, that's one thing the priest always asks the godparents; if they are willing to see to it that the child is raised in the Faith.

So, all these things in mind, yes, I do believe in giving children godparents. Alas, the body God gave me is not capable of producing natural children of my own, but any children that I adopt will have godparents when they are baptized. You may have heard the saying that it takes a village to raise a child. In America these days, we've lost a lot of that sense of community. In a way, godparents help restore some of that "villageness" to a child's upbringing.

Answer 2

Yes I do believe in God Parents...By the Church.

A godparent, in some denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism.

" A male godparent is a godfather and a female godparent is a godmother... The child is a godchild. "

Traditionally, the godparents were counted informally responsible for ensuring that the child's religious education was carried out, and for caring for the child should he/she be orphaned.

Today the latter duty is the most commonly recognized duty of a godparent, and the word "godparent" often no longer has religious overtones.

The modern definition of godparent is an individual chosen by the parents to take a vested interest in raising a more complete human being.

However, godparent is not a legal position, and should the parents seriously intend the godparents to act as foster parents in case of their death, this must be legally specified through the usual means (such as a will).

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A godparent may be related to the child, such as an uncle or an aunt, or may simply be a friend of the family.

Usually someone very close to the family is chosen; in some cultures, the word for "godparent of one's child" is used for any, or certain, very close friends.

This is the meaning of the Spanish compadre and comadre, the French commère and compère, and the archaic meaning of the English word gossip (from godsib, "god-sibling").

At least in the Anglican church, prospective godparents must be at least christened before they can take on this responsibility.

The Roman Catholic Church requires that the godparents have undergone Confirmation.

Folktales often feature a fairy godmother, a fairy who acts as a mentor to a main character

Answer 3

Absolutely! I have no children but 4 godchildren (and another to be born in a couple of weeks time), and they're wonderful. From a child's perspective, a godparent is someone who they can confide in, trust, look up to and be spoilt by ;-) and from a godparent's perspective, having a godchild is a blessing and a tremendous responsibility (but a really rewarding one). It gets a little expensive around Christmastime and birthdays, but I love them all dearly and it's been awesome watching them grow up and knowing that I am a special part of their lives, and vice versa.

Further to Christine's points below (which are great), I wanted to add that not all godparents are automatically legal guardians if anything should happen to the parents. I think it used to be that way in the '50s and '60s, but it isn't necessarily so today. With all 4 of my godchildren (who are in 3 different families), their parents' brothers or sisters (the kids' aunties and uncles) are the childrens' legal guardians, not me.

Answer 4

fionna is right,but id just like to add that, you know to that if something happens to the both parents, that your children would be very well taken care of, to me thats the most important thing is knowing there provided for,god bless godparents