Infant Baptism...do I have to attend ?

[Siz]

Sometimes it's best to make concessions. Really, other than being annoyed, what harm will it do to you to attend the service? This is obviously important to members of your family, no matter how misguided their beliefs seem. From my experience with my Irish-American Catholic family, baptism seems to be less about affirming belief in some deity than it is about adhering to tradition. Family's important, and if they want you to be present during a traditional ceremony, I say why not? At the end of the day, at least with my relatives, we'll all be drinking whiskey together and talking about the time(s) uncle Pat got arrested.

In short, go to the baptism. Smile at the new parents and congratulate them on their handsome baby. When the kid turns thirteen, give him/her a skateboard and a Black Flag record (CD, MP3, whatever), sit back and watch what unfolds.

Couldn't agree more.

I don't understand why you'd be uncomfortable in a church... unless you're Damien Thorne.

It's a good opportunity to demonstrate that your family have nothing to fear from their Atheist son/cousin/brother. Pin your colours to the mast with dignity, respect and pride, and they may be more willing to accept your beliefs.

[Too Few Lions]

I actually had to go to a baptism last Sunday for my girlfriend's friend's son, which was linked to the whole Sunday service so it all dragged on far longer than I would have liked.

It was a seriously weird experience, I just felt like I'd spent an hour in a mental asylum. None of my girlfriend's friends are religious either, so we all felt the same way, like we'd spent an hour in the company of a very odd cult.

I can't say I'd do it again, so I can totally understand you not wanting to go. If you do end up going, all you can do is what I did, not sing any of the hymns, or say any of the prayers, or join in with any of that rubbish about bringing the poor child up as a Christian. I just sat there part bemused, part disturbed, and part trying not to laugh at the stupidity of what's going on!

Part of it was quite disturbing, the vicar kept going on about the importance of faith, and how faith was god's greatest gift to mankind. I guess it's all they've got but it's pretty pathetic to place faith above knowledge or reason.

There was also all the rubbish about Christ claiming the child as his own, and how god always looks after his followers, the examples given being Noah being saved from the flood and Moses and the Israelites being brought out of Egypt. I so wanted to pipe up and point out that these are myths that never actually happened! But I just bit my tongue (there was a lot of that during the course of the ceremony!)

Good luck if you do go, I think you can politely show your apathy for what's going on by just keeping silent and not taking actively participating in the whole charade.

[Heisenberg]

Yea, God ALWAYS looks after his followers. Holocaust anyone?

If I were you TFL, I might have passed out from rolling my eyes too far back into my head.

[OldGit]

I've gone to church weddings, funerals and recently a christening.  I try to be unobtrusive about not praying and saying amen, and I don't feel I'm doing very much harm to the atheist cause by compromising a bit in the interests of harmony.

The important thing for me is not to spoil the other person's occasion - usually, not attending would do that and so would obtrusive non-cooperation.

Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right.  Isaac Asimov.

[Davin]

Yea, God ALWAYS looks after his followers. Holocaust anyone?

If I were you TFL, I might have passed out from rolling my eyes too far back into my head.

That reminds of the God on Trial film, I thought it was very good.

But on topic: Don't do anything you don't want to do that you can't handle being civil for. If you think can make it through with a smile and not getting too irritated, then I'd say do it, it doesn't take up too much time and doesn't hurt you too much. But one of my brothers I would advise not because he can't make it through something like that without making fun of religious people. He does it to their faces, which is often hilarious, but maybe not the end result you want. Of course if you do want to go in order to laugh at them and either don't care about the consequences or want the consequences, then go ahead and go.

[Too Few Lions]

Yea, God ALWAYS looks after his followers. Holocaust anyone?

If I were you TFL, I might have passed out from rolling my eyes too far back into my head.

hehe, it was a struggle at times. Particularly when they all started shaking each others' hands while saying 'peace' at one point. The vicar must have seen we were clearly not actively participating because he came straight over to us to shake our hands. I almost blanked him, but thought better of it out of politeness, and just looked away while shaking his hand and mumbling 'peace'. It was all a very surreal experience, like going to an exotic foreign land and witnessing some bizarre superstitious voodoo ritual!

The old lady with the collection tray also looked a bit miffed as she just stood there at the end of our isle and we just ignored her until she moved on, that made us all smile.

I still find it morally wrong to try and claim a baby for your religion when the baby clearly isn't old enough to be making any decisions!

[no_god_know_peace]

Yea, God ALWAYS looks after his followers. Holocaust anyone?

If I were you TFL, I might have passed out from rolling my eyes too far back into my head.

hehe, it was a struggle at times. Particularly when they all started shaking each others' hands while saying 'peace' at one point. The vicar must have seen we were clearly not actively participating because he came straight over to us to shake our hands. I almost blanked him, but thought better of it out of politeness, and just looked away while shaking his hand and mumbling 'peace'. It was all a very surreal experience, like going to an exotic foreign land and witnessing some bizarre superstitious voodoo ritual!

The old lady with the collection tray also looked a bit miffed as she just stood there at the end of our isle and we just ignored her until she moved on, that made us all smile.

I still find it morally wrong to try and claim a baby for your religion when the baby clearly isn't old enough to be making any decisions!

Ya this is the part that is bugging me about attending the church. I have no problem going to religious ceremonies like weddings or whatever because it is two consenting adults who are old enough to think for themselves and form their own beliefs... but initiating an infant when they have no say ? I view it equally immoral as infant ear piericing, circumcision etc.

[Siz]

Yea, God ALWAYS looks after his followers. Holocaust anyone?

If I were you TFL, I might have passed out from rolling my eyes too far back into my head.

hehe, it was a struggle at times. Particularly when they all started shaking each others' hands while saying 'peace' at one point. The vicar must have seen we were clearly not actively participating because he came straight over to us to shake our hands. I almost blanked him, but thought better of it out of politeness, and just looked away while shaking his hand and mumbling 'peace'. It was all a very surreal experience, like going to an exotic foreign land and witnessing some bizarre superstitious voodoo ritual!

The old lady with the collection tray also looked a bit miffed as she just stood there at the end of our isle and we just ignored her until she moved on, that made us all smile.

I still find it morally wrong to try and claim a baby for your religion when the baby clearly isn't old enough to be making any decisions!

Ya this is the part that is bugging me about attending the church. I have no problem going to religious ceremonies like weddings or whatever because it is two consenting adults who are old enough to think for themselves and form their own beliefs... but initiating an infant when they have no say ? I view it equally immoral as infant ear piericing, circumcision etc.

What exactly is particularly abhorrent about this? They can 'claim' a baby 'til they're blue in the face without the slightest effect on the baby. It's as inane as any other of their futile rituals. Completely harmless. Is it that that they think they own the baby that appalls you? If it pleases them, why not let them have their delusions? It's such a non-issue.

[Heisenberg]

I personally think (as I'm sure others here do) that for many people, religion starts with being 'brainwashed' at a young age. Perhaps no_god_know_peace was more referring to the fact that the child is being forced into Christianity than being baptised.

[Xjeepguy]

I personally think (as I'm sure others here do) that for many people, religion starts with being 'brainwashed' at a young age. Perhaps no_god_know_peace was more referring to the fact that the child is being forced into Christianity than being baptised.

^^this. It happened to me. Only took 30 years to correct it. I wish someone had intervened, but it was my parents decision, and wouldn't have mattered. Religion is a disease.

[Tank]

I personally think (as I'm sure others here do) that for many people, religion starts with being 'brainwashed' at a young age. Perhaps no_god_know_peace was more referring to the fact that the child is being forced into Christianity than being baptised.

^^this. It happened to me. Only took 30 years to correct it. I wish someone had intervened, but it was my parents decision, and wouldn't have mattered. Religion is a disease.

My Mum told me I screamed all through my chriestening, my sister (15yo) had to take me outside where I immediatly shut up. Obviously I was an atheist then and didn't even know it 

[Heisenberg]

I personally think (as I'm sure others here do) that for many people, religion starts with being 'brainwashed' at a young age. Perhaps no_god_know_peace was more referring to the fact that the child is being forced into Christianity than being baptised.

^^this. It happened to me. Only took 30 years to correct it. I wish someone had intervened, but it was my parents decision, and wouldn't have mattered. Religion is a disease.

My Mum told me I screamed all through my chriestening, my sister (15yo) had to take me outside where I immediatly shut up. Obviously I was an atheist then and didn't even know it 

That is hilarious. And apropos.

[MariaEvri]

personally, I don't go to the church ceremony, not because I feel uncomfortable (on the contrary a church is like a second home too many weddings and funerals) but I am strongly against christening an infant. I do go to the lunch afterwards though, as a way of celebrating the namegiving of the child/

[Davin]

Yea, God ALWAYS looks after his followers. Holocaust anyone?

If I were you TFL, I might have passed out from rolling my eyes too far back into my head.

hehe, it was a struggle at times. Particularly when they all started shaking each others' hands while saying 'peace' at one point. The vicar must have seen we were clearly not actively participating because he came straight over to us to shake our hands. I almost blanked him, but thought better of it out of politeness, and just looked away while shaking his hand and mumbling 'peace'. It was all a very surreal experience, like going to an exotic foreign land and witnessing some bizarre superstitious voodoo ritual!

The old lady with the collection tray also looked a bit miffed as she just stood there at the end of our isle and we just ignored her until she moved on, that made us all smile.

I still find it morally wrong to try and claim a baby for your religion when the baby clearly isn't old enough to be making any decisions!

Ya this is the part that is bugging me about attending the church. I have no problem going to religious ceremonies like weddings or whatever because it is two consenting adults who are old enough to think for themselves and form their own beliefs... but initiating an infant when they have no say ? I view it equally immoral as infant ear piericing, circumcision etc.

What exactly is particularly abhorrent about this? They can 'claim' a baby 'til they're blue in the face without the slightest effect on the baby. It's as inane as any other of their futile rituals. Completely harmless. Is it that that they think they own the baby that appalls you? If it pleases them, why not let them have their delusions? It's such a non-issue.

I definitely rank circumcision as higher than piercing because it does a lot more harm (I'm against both of those), but I don't see how anyone can put baptism into the same basket.

[Siz]

I personally think (as I'm sure others here do) that for many people, religion starts with being 'brainwashed' at a young age. Perhaps no_god_know_peace was more referring to the fact that the child is being forced into Christianity than being baptised.

If that was the case then all of these baptism-boycotting protesters should be also boycotting any church wedding or funeral to which non-consenting children are taken.

personally, I don't go to the church ceremony, not because I feel uncomfortable (on the contrary a church is like a second home too many weddings and funerals) but I am strongly against christening an infant. I do go to the lunch afterwards though, as a way of celebrating the namegiving of the child/

Why would you go to a church marriage or funeral, but not to a Baptism? It's no more or less inappropriate than taking a baby to a wedding.

Would you boycott baby music classes because 'the baby can't object to the choice of music'? No...?? Why not?

The act of Baptising is utterly innocuous. I think you credit the ceremony with too much meaning. I thought you lot were Atheists. Why would you object to an impotent ceremony? Or do you secretly fear that the Baptism will somehow curse the child with Christianity?

Seems like a futile protest to me...

There're plenty more constructive protests to be made in the name of anti-christianity.