so much for family!!

[4getmenot]

Section :-) I put a question in their nearly an hour ago and no answer, so back to my old faithful chatterbank. Do you have to be christened to be a godparent?

[Sqad]

craft....LOL....wasn't undercover.....OVERT.

[craft1948]

carrust.....I won't agree or disagree with your views on christians. I presume that 4get is having the child christened because she wants it to be welcomed into the christian faith..............otherwise why bother with a christening?

[ummmm]

Some people will stick to them craft, as that's the promise they made when they stood for the child.

[ummmm]

It's not 4gets baby.....yet.

[carrust]

A lot of people have their children christened as it's the done thing ie If the child dies it wont go to heaven...sigh...

[craft1948]

ummmm I'm sure you're right but sometimes it's just the parents mates turning up as part of the ceremony.
It's like some weddings.......all show and bu88er all to do with religion.

[4getmenot]

craft you are indeed presuming as there is no child, I dont have children it was just a question.

[Sqad]

Exactly........it is what YOU want for the child...........the child does not get a choice.

I have four boys who have never been christened because I wanted them to choose for themselves about religion.

None of them have opted for christening and none have had their children christened.

[craft1948]

oops sorry 4get........rent-a-gob strikes again

[4getmenot]

I think some like a christening to make sure their is a godparent there to always be there for their child even if the child doesnt carry on to be a practising christian? I dont really agree with a christening and would never get my child christened as I dont believe its right to put a faith on a child when they have no say in the matter. If a child then wants to when older that entirely up to them. I would just make sure I have a naming ceremony and choose a guardian. But if I were asked to be a godparent I dont know whether I;d feel bad standing there if I wasnt christened

[4getmenot]

sqad looks like we are on same wave length with this one

[craft1948]

I had my daughter christened to give her a choice. My feeling was that if she chose to be a christian she wouldn't be embarrassed that she hadn't been christened, and she could re-affirm her beliefs in confirmation. She chose not to do this which is fine by me.

[4getmenot]

but if she chose then why would she be embarrased?? If she believed in the faith then she could just go and be christened

[Mr Veritas]

Well,both my wife and I(who are quite old) have obviously been(and are) Godparents to our Grand Children.
No Vicar ever asked us if we were baptised.
I am not (despite being 86) my parents were anti religion and never had any of us baptised,this caused quite a stir when I went to school(but that's another story).
My wife (when I met her in 1947) was Jewish,but is now I suppose you would say Agnostic.
Have a look here:~
http://www.cofe.anglican.org/worship/liturgy/c ommonworship/texts/initiation/baptism.html
for the general wording of a Christening/Baptism..
If you can genuinely say these words,then the church would (I think) welcome you as a GodParent.
Of course,as other have said,it depends on the Vicar,but nowadays the church sems to be grateful for ANY new member (the baby that is), and if you help to further that process I am sure they will welcome you.

[marval]

Well my husband and I have two Goddaughters, we weren't asked if we had been christened. In fact my husband doesn't believe in God, (I do) but we would always be there for them.

[4getmenot]

But if I got asked should I just do it because or should I stand up for my beliefs

[shaneystar2]

I have numerous godchildren .I was christened but lost a lot of my faith along the way in life .I was a regular churchgoer as a child ( but I only put threepence in the collection and spent the rest on peardrops ) and in spite of my hedonistic ways as a girl I did attend church now and again .I lost any faith in a God when my Dad died .Many years ago now .It was a shock and I could not believe that a God I believed in could let someone suffer so much

But ... I have stood as a godparent because even if I don't believe in God anymore I believe that children should have someone they can turn to .I have often turned to my own Godmother . I was never questioned about my beliefs by any clergy when I took on that role .But nevertheless it's not a role to taken on lightly .
I've always taken my role as a godparent seriously and made sure that that birthdays and special occasions are remembered and that I am there for them if they need me .