A Baptism dilemma

[Silverstar]

My sister did actually turn up to the party for my niece's christening wearing fairy wings and carrying a wand, to suit her role as fairy godmother.

[Ser_not_appearing_yet]

I'm Catholic; i have a godmother who isnt, and never has been religious (in fact she's very anti).

Since this is ok for Catholics, i've no idea why your c.e vicar wouldnt let you just take part. Bizzare. Look for another vicar i'd guess.

[DanteGabriel]

[quote name='Sernotapearinginthiseries' post='1754899' date='Apr 14 2009, 16.24']I'm Catholic; i have a godmother who is, and never has been religious (in fact she's very anti).

Since this is ok for Catholics, i've no idea why your c.e vicar wouldnt let you just take part. Bizzare. Look for another vicar i'd guess.[/quote]
I'm a Catholic, and my godparents (for my confirmation as well as baptism) had to be Catholics too.

[Ser_not_appearing_yet]

...I see.

Anyone got the pope's number?

[Silverstar]

To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of this kind of thing ends up varying from vicar to vicar. The vicar who christened my niece and who will be marrying her parents later on this year is fairly laid-back about things, from what I can tell, so he found a solution that enabled my sister and I to become 'godparents'.

Maybe a stricter vicar wouldn't have done.

[Shryke]

[quote name='Sernotapearinginthiseries' post='1754899' date='Apr 14 2009, 16.24']I'm Catholic; i have a godmother who isnt, and never has been religious (in fact she's very anti).

Since this is ok for Catholics, i've no idea why your c.e vicar wouldnt let you just take part. Bizzare. Look for another vicar i'd guess.[/quote]

Is she Catholic though? Like, is she baptised and all that?

[The Mance]

[quote name='Sernotapearinginthiseries' post='1754899' date='Apr 14 2009, 13.24']I'm Catholic; i have a godmother who isnt, and never has been religious (in fact she's very anti).[/quote]

My sister and I (both of us raised as Jews) had non-secular godparents so that in the event we were orphaned we would have somebody to raise us. I've never even known that there were such strong religious traditions related to the positon.

[Ser_not_appearing_yet]

[quote name='Shryke' post='1754922' date='Apr 14 2009, 21.36']Is she Catholic though? Like, is she baptised and all that?[/quote]
..Actually unsure. Slight possibility, although i've never asked her because she's so unreligious. I'll find out, and report back to this thread. :P

[Maltaran]

As someone who goes to a CofE church every Sunday, I would guess that about a third of the regular attendees are agnostic at best, and go there mainly for the social aspects. I doubt there would be too much trouble if you simply said the right words at the right times for the sake of appearances.

[Jaqen the FatManderly]

I am continually surprised at the complete lack of respect and consideration for other peoples' beliefs shown by a large number of contributors to this board.

Do these people display the same ignorance, prejudice, and discourtesy out there in a world of many cultures, beliefs, and traditions?

Most everyone I know, even the ones least likely to seek the company of those of different backgrounds, will make a conscious effort to respect others as best they can: dressing appropriately for a religious service, removing shoes where appropriate, using formal modes of address where that is preferred, accomodating dietary restrictions.

[LCOTNW]

I was going to get my son baptized. However, when he was born I noticed that he didn't have original sin. So, we skipped it.

[Ser_not_appearing_yet]

[quote name='Jaqen the FatManderly' post='1754958' date='Apr 14 2009, 21.57']I am continually surprised at the complete lack of respect and consideration for other peoples' beliefs shown by a large number of contributors to this board.

Do these people display the same ignorance, prejudice, and discourtesy out there in a world of many cultures, beliefs, and traditions?

Most everyone I know, even the ones least likely to seek the company of those of different backgrounds, will make a conscious effort to respect others as best they can: dressing appropriately for a religious service, removing shoes where appropriate, using formal modes of address where that is preferred, accomodating dietary restrictions.[/quote]
As someone who lives in europe, im far more surprised when anyone shows respect. :lol:

[HT Reddy]

No, I agree that you shouldn't be baptised Pebs. Well, you shouldn't, imo, lie in order to be baptised - being baptised because you have really reprented and believe would obviously be fantastic :)

It is true, and sad, that Anglicanism today is so broad that, as the other Brits have pointed out, many attendees and even clergy are agnostic/atheists. I think a good case for disestablishment could be made out of that. But I don't expect this trend to continue. Imo, what is likely to happen in the future is that ever-declining church attendance (and therefore income) coupled with fewer and fewer non-believers bothering with christenings or church funerals, or even church weddings, will force the CofE to become leaner and more Christian. That's my prediction; we'll have to wait and see whether it is borne out by history.

[The Mance]

[quote name='Jaqen the FatManderly' post='1754958' date='Apr 14 2009, 13.57']I am continually surprised at the complete lack of respect and consideration for other peoples' beliefs shown by a large number of contributors to this board.[/quote]

i think you'll find that its no coincidence that the people you think are beign disrespectful on this board are themselves continually surprised at the complete lack of respect and consideration for other people's [i]lack[/i] of belief shown by a large number of people out there in the real world.

[Pebble thats Stubby]

[quote name='HT Reddy' post='1754981' date='Apr 14 2009, 22.15']No, I agree that you shouldn't be baptised Pebs. Well, you shouldn't, imo, lie in order to be baptised - being baptised because you have really reprented and believe would obviously be fantastic :)

It is true, and sad, that Anglicanism today is so broad that, as the other Brits have pointed out, many attendees and even clergy are agnostic/atheists. I think a good case for disestablishment could be made out of that. But I don't expect this trend to continue. Imo, what is likely to happen in the future is that ever-declining church attendance (and therefore income) coupled with fewer and fewer non-believers bothering with christenings or church funerals, or even church weddings, will force the CofE to become leaner and more Christian. That's my prediction; we'll have to wait and see whether it is borne out by history.[/quote]

Well I think I can do the repent my missdeads, its the belief I have differculty with. Thats part of the reason why this is such a mess I want to do the right thing and not upset anyone but I am not sure how.

However I now feel a lot better in refusing to be baptised myself. I just hope that the Vicar can find someway so that I can be included in the ceremany (as someone who will support the child) that don't require me to make any statments or promises of faith. Maybe we can find a way to respect each others beleifs and find a suitable compramise.

If not I guess its somekind of made up ceremany that don't invlove the church in anyway either before or after the Christening with other God parents.

[Shryke]

[quote name='The Mance' post='1754987' date='Apr 14 2009, 17.17']i think you'll find that its no coincidence that the people you think are beign disrespectful on this board are themselves continually surprised at the complete lack of respect and consideration for other people's [i]lack[/i] of belief shown by a large number of people out there in the real world.[/quote]

Do onto others as some guy did onto you.

[The Mance]

[quote name='Shryke' post='1755001' date='Apr 14 2009, 14.31']Do onto others as some guy did onto you.[/quote]

Hey, I'm agnostic, [i]MY[/i] golden rule is "try not to piss off my wife".


And, though it probably won't work, I was just trying to head off the forthcoming "woe is the plight of the poor downtrodden religious" meme. No endorsment of any particular behaivior was intended.

[brook]

[quote name='DanteGabriel' post='1754905' date='Apr 15 2009, 06.28']I'm a Catholic, and my godparents (for my confirmation as well as baptism) had to be Catholics too.[/quote]

When we got our sons baptised the rule was at least one godparent had to be Catholic. All of our kids have one Catholic and one Non-Catholic godparent.

[WhiteQueen]

I am surprised the parents asked you, knowing that you have not been baptized. Let them take care of everything as far as talking to their daughter and explaining why she will have another godmother. Speaking as a somewhat religious person, I would have never put anyone in the position. My own brother is not a godparent of any of my children because, not unlike you he does not believe in god, has been baptized but he hasn't been confirmed, so he cannot be a godparent. Yet he is the closest relative my children have, and if anything happens to me, I would like him to take care of them, not some random godparents. The vicar was just being accomodating. Surely he did not mean any harm. He probably thought that you wanted to be a godparent and just tried to show you an easy way out.

[HT Reddy]

[quote name='Pebble that Hides' post='1755000' date='Apr 14 2009, 22.30']Well I think I can do the repent my misdeeds, its the belief I have difficulty with. That's part of the reason why this is such a mess; I want to do the right thing and not upset anyone but I am not sure how.

However I now feel a lot better in refusing to be baptised myself. I just hope that the Vicar can find someway so that I can be included in the ceremany (as someone who will support the child) that don't require me to make any statements or promises of faith. Maybe we can find a way to respect each others beleifs and find a suitable compromise.[/quote]

I hope so. What is the name of the church?