Christenings - what's the point.

[Spiros]

This has often been a point of discussion in the Spiros household. When we were planning our wedding wife-to-be said 'I'd like a nice church wedding please'. I said 'Oh, I didn't realise you were religious. I'm not, but you are obviously welcome to go to church, sit there while banns are read, etc while I continue to play sunday football. Just don't expect me to do it as I'm not religious'. Later she said ' cpme to think of it lets just get married in a registry office and spend the money on a bigger piss-up'

Then a few laters the kids came along and the christening discussion started. Mrs Spiros: 'shall we get the kids christened?'. Me: 'what is the point in inducting our kids into a religion that neither of us practise? Unless you are thinking of going to church regularly'. Mrs Spiros: 'fair point, lets not bother. If they want to be christian they can have their own christening when they make their own decision about these things'

Fully agree with those above who say church weddings and christening for those that do not believe in the religion itself is simply hypocrisy

 

[steward 433]

That's rather misleading. How much of that 20,000 was dependent on the fact it was in a church?

The churc hire and fees were more than my entire wedding and reception £4,500 in total just on the church !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Wilko]

I think many people favour a church over somewhere else because the buildings are more attractive rather than for religious reasons.

For many given a choice of a church, registry office or sports hall based on aesthetics the church would seem most appealing

 

[Juan Albion]

The churc hire and fees were more than my entire wedding and reception £4,500 in total just on the church !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Was it St Paul's cathedral?

Our church is available as follows: $100 for the caretaker for cleaning up, $100 for the organist, $150 for me and $250 rental of the building. Half that for members.

 

[steward 433]

Was it St Paul's cathedral?

Our church is available as follows: $100 for the caretaker for cleaning up, $100 for the organist, $150 for me and $250 rental of the building. Half that for members.

Why do you think this country now has the moniker from the sun headline

RIP OFF BRITAIN

 

[Stat Brother]

We did get married in our local church.
I didn't have a problem as I was brought up respectful of church.
Like some, 3 generations ago it was church every Sunday, my parents 'pop along' occasionally, (with me) and good seats for the big ones.
So although respectful of church it's not a part of my life.

When meeting our local vicar it was obvious he was the right man to marry us, top bloke, so we attended church regularly for over a year.
But the services without him were horrendous, so unsurprisingly we drifted away.

As much as I had issues with the reasoning behind the service, i was also appalled by the way it was treated by some of the invited children & more importantly their parents.

 

[cannedheat]

Is there a special ceremony for becoming a member of ARS?

Yep no lubricant.

 

[csider]

Religion sucks.

 

[Juan Albion]

Religion sucks.

 

[csider]

Agreed, boring also.

 

[champion7]

The churc hire and fees were more than my entire wedding and reception £4,500 in total just on the church !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you were done buddy me + the missus got married at Roslyn chapel 8 years ago
and the hire charges for that and the vicar came to £150.00.Probably cost more now di vinci code got filmed there

 

[Jam The Man]

Ok so if you are religous obviously there is a point, but what about everybody else.
Unsurprisingly we went to a full church christening yesterday.
The parents aren't married & aren't religious, but we still went through the charade.

Throughout the service at least 1 family had no control over their brat, and continued to row with him (loudly) throughout, showing no respect for where they were or the vicar, who must have known it was all a shame.

Then everybody went on for food and speeches which was great, everybody caught up kids freely running around, all you would expect.

Could we not have some kind of 'civil naming ceremony', because the church do was pointless.

LOL! i went to one yesterday too... not quite as dramatic as yours, though the vicar had that 'i'm going to bollock you' tone of voice at the start!

 

[Stat Brother]

Ours was all up for it, and trying to get the kids involved by talking to them about their parents, in a whole role reversal type stylee, but it just got thrown back in his face.
I half expected Dom Jolly and his mobile to kick in about 1/2 way through.

 

[Jam The Man]

Ours was all up for it, and trying to get the kids involved by talking to them about their parents, in a whole role reversal type stylee, but it just got thrown back in his face.
I half expected Dom Jolly and his mobile to kick in about 1/2 way through.

Would have rounded it off nicely!

 

[Skaville]

My boy was christened a couple of months ago. My wife is religous, I'm not. I figured her faith was more important than my lack of faith, so she got her wish.

He goes to church at least a couple of times per month, but I will ensure that if he starts saying he does not want to go he will stay at home with me to watch The Championship.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

If you get christened you can be confirmed

And you can be chistened (baptised) at any age.
I always found the measures of communion wine to be a bit on the short side, does anyone know if the CoE does 250ml now?

 

[dougdeep]

We chose not to christen our children because I am completely and 100% anti religion as is my wife and we figured the whole thing would be very hypocritical.

Same here, leave the church wedding and baptism bit for the believers.

 

[Le Tigre]

Why don't the non religious see through this crap ?
Churches are almost redundant in this country, there survival is now dependent on weddings and christenings etc . People blindly buy into it thinking its "traditional" well, so was burning witches but we don't do that any more ! Ceremonies are the only currency they have to offer todays society, apart from the annual nativity play.

 

[Juan Albion]

Ceremonies are the only currency they have to offer todays society, apart from the annual nativity play.

You are quite right.


Apart, of course, from caring for the housebound, feeding the hungry, comforting the grieving, working with the addicted and the dying, campaigning for environmental stewardship, providing refuge for the abused, working for peace, providing education for kids who otherwise wouldn't get any, supplying clean drinking water, etc.

As for your nonsense about their survival depending on "weddings and christenings etc" - you honestly think a few ceremonies a year make much of a difference? Do people actually pay for a Christening then? Maybe if they want a private ceremony, but then what they pay probably covers the extra work and time involved. From my experience the majority of christenings take place as part of a regular worship service and no charge is involved.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

My boy was christened a couple of months ago. My wife is religous, I'm not. I figured her faith was more important than my lack of faith, so she got her wish.

He goes to church at least a couple of times per month, but I will ensure that if he starts saying he does not want to go he will stay at home with me to watch The Championship.

Thats fair enough if one of you is (and fair play to her) but its like Spiros example of both parties not "believing" yet still do it!