Advice?? Q to those who decided not to baptise/christen their children?

[Astrid]

I was asked by MIL if Maggie was going to be christened and I briefly explained to her why not. I think she was more upset about not being able to make the dress, even though she did not consider that if Maggie was to be christened that she would be wearing a hand made dress from my Nanny (who is no longer with us).

So luckily we have managed to get away not having a christening without out too much fuss. We are actually coping it more for deciding not to send her to a religious private school. She is barely 2 and MIL will not let it go. She keeps on about DH being a Catholic and that Maggie can get into a certain school. Anyway DH says he is an atheist, but if pushed to name a religion, he is a baptist.

Goodluck stick to your guns if it is something that you feel strongly about. I do not believe that Christening or Baptisms are something that should be taken lightly or done without true belief.

[Ellibam]

We both come from a religious families (although mine not practising) but because we are not practising or religious we decided not to have makon christened, we did have a naming ceremony for him( it was incorporated in to our wedding day)

so just let people know that because you arent practising and want your children to decide which religion they may follow!

[Roryrory]

We want to let her be exposed to differnt faiths and let her make the decision later on as to what she will follow. Is that selfish?

Karina - not at all! This is what my parents had planned for me, but when I was 3 years old my grandparents took matters into their own hands and I was christened "Larisa" in the Russian Orthodox Church (not Aurora - there is no "Saint Aurora"). My wonderful grandparents (NOT!) told my mother and father they had booked the date and picked the god parents and said they couldn't come to the ceremony because they had to stay home and prepare for the party afterwards!!

Stick to your guns - if you and DH don't want a baptism for your child don't do it. Ryn is right - not only is "far more of a sin to lie to God in this way than it is to not have your child Christened", but it could set you down a path of conceding to your ILs views on other matters to do with raising your bub.

Good luck!