Christening

[communistworkethic]

As an aside, Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Farnworth always has a decent turn out on Sundays, and I've personally seen several Asian families coming out after services.

so? not sure what, if anything, this proves or demonstrates

It demonstrates that some people do go to church and that Asians attend other churches than the mosque . More than anything it proves that some people believe in God. It wasn't meant to be a world-shattering point, just a mention in keeping with the general conversation.. Next?

Nobody said Asians only go to the mosque did they??? Such a thought would be utterly preposterous....

Well, apart from your own (which I assume was just a joke) comment about mosques, I was actually replying to LK's Islamic comment "quote: ive a hunch that Islamic attendance at churches now pushes christian denominations. unquote. which, due to him using the word "Islamic", ie as opposed to Christian or other, I took to mean attendences at mosques. Strict Muslims would not attend churches of the cross, so there must be a Christian element among Asian people.

and your next earth shattering revelation?? What ever next white muslims???? Bhuddists that aren't "slitty eyed"??

"church of the cross"? there's no other type.


as for the rather trite "no athiests in foxholes", again nonsense unless any who'd ever been in a situation of stress was question as to whether they'd prayed. Even then they'd be nothing other than agnostic, falling to the Jasper Carrot 'buying a watchtower' scenario - someone's got to be right so why take a chance?

[TANGODANCER]

so? not sure what, if anything, this proves or demonstrates

It demonstrates that some people do go to church and that Asians attend other churches than the mosque . More than anything it proves that some people believe in God. It wasn't meant to be a world-shattering point, just a mention in keeping with the general conversation.. Next?

Nobody said Asians only go to the mosque did they??? Such a thought would be utterly preposterous....

Well, apart from your own (which I assume was just a joke) comment about mosques, I was actually replying to LK's Islamic comment "quote: ive a hunch that Islamic attendance at churches now pushes christian denominations. unquote. which, due to him using the word "Islamic", ie as opposed to Christian or other, I took to mean attendences at mosques. Strict Muslims would not attend churches of the cross, so there must be a Christian element among Asian people.

and your next earth shattering revelation?? What ever next white muslims???? Bhuddists that aren't "slitty eyed"??

"church of the cross"? there's no other type.


as for the rather trite "no athiests in foxholes", again nonsense unless any who'd ever been in a situation of stress was question as to whether they'd prayed. Even then they'd be nothing other than agnostic, falling to the Jasper Carrot 'buying a watchtower' scenario - someone's got to be right so why take a chance?

Jasper Carrot? Er, yes, peace be with you..

[communistworkethic]

yes Jasper Carrot, not Dave Allen

[Athers]

Don't really buy into the whole 'moral guide' aspect myself personally, I find it unlikely that people go round to their friends' houses for a cup of tea and a chat with someone else's child about not telling lies or studying hard at school. Perhaps this happens and I'm wrong?

FWIW I was thankfully not Christened as a child and therefore I don't think I'd be technically allowed to accept a Godparent role if I wanted to or not.

[fatshaft]

Don't really buy into the whole 'moral guide' aspect myself personally, I find it unlikely that people go round to their friends' houses for a cup of tea and a chat with someone else's child about not telling lies or studying hard at school. Perhaps this happens and I'm wrong?

FWIW I was thankfully not Christened as a child and therefore I don't think I'd be technically allowed to accept a Godparent role if I wanted to or not.

Cool, law of dimishing returns will see this practice all but extinguished in a few years then

[General Mannerheim]

gonna go for this i reckon, although its gonna cost 80 rips to get it here on time

http://www.craftuk.co.uk/childschair.htm

[communistworkethic]

gonna go for this i reckon, although its gonna cost 80 rips to get it here on time

http://www.craftuk.co.uk/childschair.htm

chair - Ikea £10
Marker pens - whsmith £5
stamps - post office £5
total £20

[General Mannerheim]

sorry to drag this up, but this time it my turn. (i just made the below comment on some other forum) but thought id bring it here...

Been having this dilemma recently, whether to have our baby christened. I’ve always said I wouldn’t do it, why should I, just to conform to what society says we should do? The amount of times ive stood at christenings listening to parents & godparents promise to guide the baby in the ways of the church, believe in Jesus & repent all sins yadda yadda yadda – absoulte bollocks. I flat out don’t believe in any of it, and thus would feel like a complete hypocrite if we had one. (but i would not lose any sleep over it, and ive been a godfather a couple of times and made such promises, you cant say no can you?)

However, I know it would make the grandparents happy, and its nice for the prospective godparents to be asked, the baby would get some nice keepsakes for when she’s older, and it’s also a decent excuse for a get together & lash up.

so my dilemma is; should I stop being such a miserable bastard and just have a christening like everyone else, or do I stick to my moral guns!?

And I don’t want one of these new wave farty civil naming ceremonies or owt like that. It’s a church job or not. Have read about blessings actually, where your basically saying thanks for her safe arrival in the world, without us making any promises on her behalf. If she wants to be baptised when she is older and more able to understand what it’s all about, then fair enough. might look into doing that.

[Zulus Thousand of em]

Last paragraph is spot on for me.

[Gravedigger]

Amen.

[Puskas]

Have read about blessings actually, where your basically saying thanks for her safe arrival in the world, without us making any promises on her behalf. If she wants to be baptised when she is older and more able to understand what it’s all about, then fair enough. might look into doing that.

Who are you thanking? The hospital? The doctors/nurses/midwife?

I'm sure they'd prefer a bottle of wine, or something.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

You'd act out that whole charade for the sake of some trinkets the baby will NEVER care about and because the prospective godparents would enjoy being asked?

What a waste of everyone's time and money.

Come on General, you know what you need to do really...

[TANGODANCER]

a get together & lash up.

And I don’t want one of these new wave farty civil naming ceremonies or owt like that. It’s a church job or not. Have read about blessings actually, where your basically saying thanks for her safe arrival in the world, without us making any promises on her behalf. If she wants to be baptised when she is older and more able to understand what it’s all about, then fair enough. might look into doing that.

It's your world and your choice. You'll do as you think best as parents, because the child isn't able to make decisions for herself. That's what it's all about really. I'm not making fun of you as it's your life, but if it's all bollox, I just wondered where the blessing would come from and who you're actually giving thanks to? Bit catch 22.

Whatever, I wish you well as a family and hope you all have a good life.

[Worthy4England]

You'd act out that whole charade for the sake of some trinkets the baby will NEVER care about and because the prospective godparents would enjoy being asked?

What a waste of everyone's time and money.

Come on General, you know what you need to do really...

Picked this one to respond to, but could have picked a few others. It's clearly nothing to do with belief/faith, if you don't believe or have faith.

So I think this all boils down to how much fall-out there would be with the grandparents (or other family members) if you don't. If it's worth the hassle, then don't bother.

If they're going to cut you out of your £20m inheritance, then probably worth thinking about...

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

You'd act out that whole charade for the sake of some trinkets the baby will NEVER care about and because the prospective godparents would enjoy being asked?

What a waste of everyone's time and money.

Come on General, you know what you need to do really...

Picked this one to respond to, but could have picked a few others. It's clearly nothing to do with belief/faith, if you don't believe or have faith.

So I think this all boils down to how much fall-out there would be with the grandparents (or other family members) if you don't. If it's worth the hassle, then don't bother.

If they're going to cut you out of your £20m inheritance, then probably worth thinking about...

Fair enough, if it's a pragmatic financial calculation then that's something I can get behind!

Seriously though, how much 'fall-out' would there be in most families these days, just for the personal choice not to have a christening?

[TANGODANCER]

Seriously though, how much 'fall-out' would there be in most families these days, just for the personal choice not to have a christening?

Depends on the families surely. "Fall-out" is a bit too strong a term. God believing families will prefer it, others won't. Personal choice, as you say, as long as neither side tries to dominate the others' views.

[General Mannerheim]

There would be no fall out at all. There would probably be more fallouts if we had one as we have both got divorced/remarried parents - so thats four sets of grandparents there who dont like wach other very much, and have never been in a room together before!

but im pleased to say your putting me off it. another thing i just considered is how much i hate other peoples christenings! so why would they wanna come to ours? buts thats probably just the misanthropist in me.

Come on General, you know what you need to do really...

do i?

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

There would be no fall out at all. There would probably be more fallouts if we had one as we have both got divorced/remarried parents - so thats four sets of grandparents there who dont like wach other very much, and have never been in a room together before!

but im pleased to say your putting me off it. another thing i just considered is how much i hate other peoples christenings! so why would they wanna come to ours? buts thats probably just the misanthropist in me.

Come on General, you know what you need to do really...

do i?

Yes! I think the general tone of your comments suggest you know it's a pointless pantomime really...

[TANGODANCER]

Yes! I think the general tone of your comments suggest you know it's a pointless pantomime really...

Have a "Thanks to Charles Darwin" ceremony, or maybe a quick prayer to Science for your child to have a long and happy life. That should do it.

[Puskas]

Yes! I think the general tone of your comments suggest you know it's a pointless pantomime really...

Have a "Thanks to Charles Darwin" ceremony, or maybe a quick prayer to Science for your child to have a long and happy life. That should do it.

Tango - in your occasional, dull and repetitive posts on subjects like this, you always confuse rationality with simply replacing one form of superstition for another. It isn't. It's about evidence and questioning. I know you're not very good with those concepts, but do try to deal with them, rather than making your tedious remarks like the above one, eh?

Or don't comment on them at all - it's not as if it's adding anything useful.