i have a friend who i really want to be godfather as he's helped me so much with my daughter ever since she was born and is pretty much her father!! he's not been christened himself though. i've asked at the church if this would be a problem and apparently its against the law. but my godmother wasnt christened, a friend of mine is a godfather and hasnt been christened so does anyone know where i can find something that states its NOT illegal to have a unchristened person as godparent? or indeed if it actually is!?!
2007-11-12 10:32:58 · 19 answers · asked by evilbunnyhahaha 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
If you want someone to care for your daughter if anything should happen to you, you don't need religion to do this. Just tell him and work it out with him.
I'm an atheist, and most atheists I know have better morals than most Christians I know. It would be a shame if you let religion get in the way of having a good person to take care of your daughter.
2007-11-12 10:35:48 · answer #1 · answered by nondescript 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Recently, i was asked to be Godmother to a friends daughter and i wasn't christened. However, i had to be christened so the vicar did me first then the baby so why can't your Vicar do them both the same day too? I would put that to the old vic. It's a solution and every ones happy. To take the role of a godparent seriously, you do have to be of the same faith so i can understand what the Vic is saying as it goes against the beliefs but as to it actually being illegal, the Vic would know better than you i imagine.
2007-11-12 10:39:26 · answer #2 · answered by Heidi. 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If this friend of yours has basically been her father since she was born, where is her real father? Assuming you are NOT a widow - and I'm not trying to be judgemental - but if her father is out of the picture and you're a single mother, than what is the problem with having your friend be a 'godfather' to your daughter? Wouldn't the Church have a bigger problem if you are divorced, or if you had your child out of wedlock? (again, assuming you are not a widow)
I am my neice's godmother, and I am not Catholic. I don't know all the details of what being Catholic means, but I made a commitment to my brother and his wife (well, mostly his wife because she is Catholic... even though she was a stripper that had a child out of wedlock...) that should anything happen to them, I would raise my neice Catholic. That's all it really meant to them.
People get too caught up, I think, in the details and "rules" of Church dictates - I think any religion that doesn't change with the times is too stuck in the middle ages to be relevant today. People have changed, and society has changed - I think religions need to make changes as well.
Do what you feel is right for you and your daughter.
2007-11-12 10:43:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
It's not a matter of being "illegal", so it's not a state to state thing. It depend on the church that you go to...the Catholic church does not allow people who have not been Christened to be godparents.
2007-11-12 10:36:59 · answer #4 · answered by Cheryl S 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think legal/illegal are terms that relate to local/state/federal government (and maybe internation). I'm not sure what terms are used within the church. Is this a Catholic Christening?
2007-11-12 10:52:00 · answer #5 · answered by roarfy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That isnt the case in most churches - try another church as the godparents of my daughter were not all christened/baptised.
2007-11-12 10:36:06 · answer #6 · answered by Ylang-Ylang 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It makes no sense for a person who has never been baptized to be the godfather or godmother. The role of a godparent is to support the person in living the faith especially by example. If the person is not a Christian, then they cannot do that.
2007-11-12 10:38:46 · answer #7 · answered by jakejr6 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Can't be done and it so absurd since a godparent has to maintain a Christian lifestyle,practice and belief and being baptized is the most basic step.
. A godparent,even if a "non Catholic Christian witness has to be baptized and practicing as a Creed-believing Christian. for a Catholic baptism and i think there are similar rules in Protestant Churches.
There are proxy or stand-in godparents for a practicing and confirmed Catholic of age who is unable to be present,perhaps your " godmother' was one of these. in many cultures there are also honorary godparents
2007-11-12 10:40:43 · answer #8 · answered by James O 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I doesn't matter, some priests, like control, they don't want outsiders influecing "their" children..
The child is yours, YOU should pick who you want to be godparent
There is no Law against even a non-christian, being a godparent.
It is up to you, but if one church is unbending , are there other suitible churches near you, with more understanding priests, or elders, who ever controls these things
Don't be bullied - the choice is yours
2007-11-12 10:48:41 · answer #9 · answered by steven m 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't get a child of mine christened in a church like that one, God father and Godmother are symbolic things aren't they?
2007-11-12 10:38:24 · answer #10 · answered by Greybeard 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
That's not true about the Catholic Church not allowing people who haven't been baptized or christened to stand as God parents, my sons God parents were not and the Church never asked if they were.
2007-11-12 10:40:22 · answer #11 · answered by lucidwillow 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋