Hypocritical??

[Soon to be Dad]

Personally I have no belief in any form of religion. My wife is a non practicing anglican. I have only been to a church with relation to weddings as has my wife. We have both been christened.

Now the dilema, I do not want to christen my children because I think it is fairly hypocritical to go through a whole religious ceremony simply to name a child when you have no inclination to ever attend the church again but my wife wants a christening.

What do you all think?

[Mum&bubs]

I'm with you- and that is why my children will not be christained.

[Niki]

me and my df have decided to have a naming day instead for those exact reasons

[V8]

We had a naming day for DS and it was lovely, we had a say in what verses were read and some dedications to him as his parents, it was lovely. If you want to do something, i'd say go for a naming day, just as beautiful and sentimental, just not religious.

[Mamaduke]

Now the dilema, I do not want to christen my children because I think it is fairly hypocritical to go through a whole religious ceremony simply to name a child when you have no inclination to ever attend the church again but my wife wants a christening.


To me, a Christening or Baptism is not about the parents, it's about the child. It's a child's welcoming into the church, a beautiful celebration that says, "the church is your family and you will always be welcome"...whether or not your wife is a practicing Anglican really doesn't eally make any difference.
You don't have to be seated at the front of the church every Sunday to love God &/or believe.
You've both had the wonderful privilege of being Christened (whether or not you see it that way), don't deny your children the same gift.

[Sholmes]

Neither my husband or I are religious so we haven't and will not be having a christening or baptism or anything. We haven't had a naming ceremony either, but I think it is a lovely idea if you and your wife want something officially welcoming your bub into the world. Neither of my parents are religious but they still had me baptised and confirmed. Guess it used to be the done thing.

It's a decision for both of you to make and a naming ceremony is a good compromise without you having to do something you don't believe in.

[Soon to be Dad]

To me, a Christening or Baptism is not about the parents, it's about the child. It's a child's welcoming into the church, a beautiful celebration that says, "the church is your family and you will always be welcome"...whether or not your wife is a practicing Anglican really doesn't eally make any difference.
You don't have to be seated at the front of the church every Sunday to love God &/or believe.
You've both had the wonderful privilege of being Christened (whether or not you see it that way), don't deny your children the same gift.

But I do not want to go into a church and lie to a minister in his 'house'. I seem to remember from another christening I attended that you more or less say that you will raise the child in the ways of the lord and I will NOT be doing that.

My problem is that I do not belive whatsoever in a god of any kind and therefore cannot love something that does not exist. How can I allow it to occur without compromising my principles. I do not tell others what to believe or not to believe and I don't think I should be telling someone else lies about what I believe.

[tweedledee*tweedledum]

A friend of mine had a similar dilemma where her husband is Jewish and she is pretty much Atheist. He does go to synagogue fairly frequently and she hasn't been to church since she was about 5! They both decided that it was not fair to push one religion over the other and so for now they are not going to have the child christened under either faith, they are going to allow the child to make up their own mind when they are of an age to understand religion.

[Alatariel]

I agree that it can by hypocritical. A naming ceremony would be a nie compramise and give your wife a lovely ceremony to cherish and show your bub off at! Then your child is free to chose when they grow up.
I was not christened, and I'm grateful for it. I am very non-religious and I would have hated it if I had been christened when I was too small to decide for myself if thats the step I want to take.
My children will not be christened.

[Mum&bubs]

For me I don't believe that the church is my daughters 'family'. I don't think she needs to go to church, be christained, be blessed or any of the sort to believe in god. I think its something you must believe in your heart- going to church or saying prayers or whatever means nothing if it doesn't first start within yourself iukwim. Well IMO anyways.

[SilverStarfish]

DH and I were not married in a church. Technically he's catholic, and technically I'm baptist, but neither of us are practicing, active members of those faiths so it would have been really hypocritical for us to marry in a church. I don't mind what other people do, I respect their beliefs, but I do not share them.

Sarah will not be christened for the same reasons.

[Jem]

If you dont want to Christen your child.... dont :no:

None of my children are, and wont be.

[Milliner]

We are the same and we will be having a naming day. I do not see the point of a christning when we do not have a religion.