happy days

[Broccolee]

I´m very critical about church and religion,but still my children go to junior church group and take protestant religion at school.The church we attended when they were small didn´t do christening,but had a similar proceeding at church with friends and family and church members attending.
When my husband and I split up,I didn´t attend the church anymore as I wasn´t too happy with it myself,I went because my husband was used to going.

A while ago, my kids asked if they had been christened,and,although they don´t attend sunday service,were a bit taken aback to hear they weren´t as all their friends are.I explained and they understood,however,I had the feeling they would have preferred to be like the others.

Besides I hold with the opinion that we live in a christian country with christian based rules of conduct and christian customs so the children should be able to decide for themselves.This they wont be able to do,however,if they don´t know what they are deciding for or against.
If they do decide for it though,they might feel they aren´t really christian if they weren´t christened.
I tell them they must decide if they want to partake of confirmation and bread and wine when they think they are old enough to make the right decision and it feels right for them.
So far,we´re all happy.

[spideyGirl]

I even have some monks chanting on cd somewhere...nice and calming to listen to as you fall asleep

If you like that, you may enjoy some nuns chanting to the music of Hildegard of Bingen.

Yes I have heard it before, lovely!

[Jan Van Quirm]

Hey Broc - nice to see you back

[cheery_j.]

I wonder HOW are children supposed to decide for themselves once they have been christened? I come from a very Lutheran family, but my mum - being the black sheep in the family - decided not to have sis and me christened, exactly because she wanted us to decide ourselves. You can get christened and go to communion/confirmation as a grownup, too.

Funnily enough, I discovered that I feel more strongly than I had thought about being "a heathen child" (as I proudly call myself) when friends asked us to become godparents of their child and the possibility arose that one of us might have to get unctioned (IS there a verb for this?). Seems I take the whole symbolic acts much more seriously than my christened friends...

[Sister Jennifer]

Baby Harry is gorgeous!

I don't have opinion on the christening topic. The last time we were in a catholic church was for a wedding. My son, maybe 7 at the time, was walking up and down looking at the stations of the cross. Of course, he picked a quiet moment to ask in a big voice, 'Mum, why are they hurting that poor man?' Ah, kids. How do you answer that one.

[pip]

[Broccolee]

Well,how did you answer it?

You can decide fine even if you´re christened,you just stop going.

Yeah,I guess you can still get christened when you´re grown up,I guess.You´d have to have quite a strong parson,though,to hold you over the chalice and dribble the water over you at the same time.I´d like to see that,though.

[cheery_j.]

Yeah,I guess you can still get christened when you´re grown up,I guess.You´d have to have quite a strong parson,though,to hold you over the chalice and dribble the water over you at the same time.I´d like to see that,though.

At all the christenings I attended the godparents or parents held the child. Maybe my parents and my godparents could all help together.

I know what you mean, Broccolee, but I think it's a difference if you just stop going to church or if you actively take a step towards organized religion. It's like those little boxes you have to tick if you order something online - the ones that ask you if it is okay for you if they give your address to other companies: it doesn't really make much of a difference whether you have to delete a tick that is already there or if you have to tick the box, but I think version 2 is better because you have to decide that yes, you want piles of junkmail.

How did I end up comparing the salvation of an innocent infant's soul to viagra ads...?

[Batty]

It's much easier to get christened and then have nothing more to do with the church, than it is to decide to be baptised when you are an adult.

[cheery_j.]

My point exactly! Why shouldn't religion be a conscious decision and take some effort?

[Batty]

Parents are responsible for their childs upbringing. It is their decision alone.
The childs only responsibility is to learn to talk, walk, potty train, and to understand how wise and sensible it's parents are!

[chris.ph]

yeah right

[Conforumist]

How did I end up comparing the salvation of an innocent infant's soul to viagra ads...?

There's the big misconception.

[Tiffany]

Personally I never had either of my kids christened, but then I'm an atheist & got married in a registry office & not in church, we prefered the money for a down payment on our house, but I digress.
If you both want that it's your choice. Good luck with the christening of baby Harry.

We made the smae choice with keeping the money that would go on a big wedding and using it as a down payment for the house. Smart choice .

It sure was & my Dad gave us the choice, so we opted for the money.

[pip]

Nice of him