--ToM--
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Registered: 23rd Nov 07
Location: Wirral
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As a child my nan used to always take me and my sister to church on a Sunday, and I remember church being pretty "normal" turn up everyone says hello bit of chit chat then take a seat, hymn numbers up on the wall stand up sing from the book sit down few prayers we would pop off to Sunday school and learn the famous Christian Jesus type Easter, Christmas, harvest festival type stories etc then tea and biscuits for the adults and juice for us kids at the end and some more social time. This was about 18years ago mind!
Anyway I now have a son he's 7 months old and we want to get him christened so we contacted our local church who told us before they will do anything we have to attend church on a Sunday for at least 3 months and then have 2 pre baptisms meetings with other parents and the church. So we have been going to church on Sunday's when we can and my missus goes to the churches baby groups in the day while I'm st work and has made some friends etc etc all very nice.
Tonight we had the first pre baptism meeting...... What the fuck. It's basically like having the bible rammed down your throat, an hour of how God is real how Jesus is real how they have evidence and proof etc and what God is to us, I found it all very uncomfortable if I'm honest as did a few other parents although I could tell there were some who were all up for it, the lady who was taking the meeting and possibly doing the baptism kept firing questions at us putting us on the spot "what are your thoughts on this" "how do you feel about this" I found it very intense and more of a judgement type grilling to see if we meet the requirements of some kind of crazy cult.
Am I just not upto date with this church lark? It's so far from what I remembered it as a kid, seems so much more crazy and weird and all about acceptance and judgement etc certainly not welcoming and friendly and "the Christian way" if you like.
Any experiences from your kids christenings or your weddings etc?
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3CorsaMeal
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Registered: 11th Apr 02
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What are the benefits of this?
I feel religion doesn't have much place in today's society. I think when it gets to believing its all real and actual fact is when it gets daft. Maybe many years ago before Internet and phones, when people just had flip-flops and dust it might of been a bit more believable.
Should rebrand the church as community faith centres. Rather than a house of a man in the sky who made us. Its nice people have something in common.
They probably just think your doing it for the sake of it and don't really believe. Trying to radicalise you imo.
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Dave
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Registered: 26th Feb 01
Location: Lancs
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I feel a bit of a rant coming on...
I hate religion, I cannot fathom how people not only believe this bullshit but use it as a basis of how to live their lives. People who I would consider to be intelligent, well educated free thinkers live by a set of rules that even govern what they can and can't eat and somehow don't have the ability to stop and think, "you know what, this is complete nonsense".
Obviously I didn't marry in a church, I'm not christened and neither is my son but I've been to enough christenings, weddings, and, sadly with increasing regularity as you get older, funerals. The weddings are generally ok, emphasis tends to be more on the couple than god. Christenings I've found to be hit and miss depending on the church but mostly I can stand them, if anything it's an excuse to get dressed up and have a few beers after but funerals, fuck me I just want to call that cunt out on the absolute shite he's spouting, often about someone he's never even met.
Couple of years ago my aunt died after a long and not very pleasant battle with cancer, leaving behind her husband and two teenage sons. We're in the chapel and they are on the front row when this lying bastard starts saying how this is gods will and he has chosen their mother to sit at his side in the kingdom of heaven etc etc. Fuck off, I think these two lads would probably prefer she was be by their sides, watching as they got married, looking out for them when they had kids of their own etc. If that's gods will then god is a massive cunt.
I do get some comfort in the decline of attendances at church but look at just how ingrained religion is in America, the fanaticism surrounding Islam, the popularity still of the pope despite all the scandal that has gone on in the Catholic church. I enjoy the likes of Stephen Fry, Richard Dawkins and the late Christopher Hitchens publicly humiliating religious types but still it really making a difference?
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andy1868
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Registered: 22nd Jun 06
Location: Burscough, Lancashire
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Sad state of affairs is they're probably trying to weed out the people that aren't taking it seriously. Is there a school attached to the church? There's the potential for loads of parents pay lip service to the church, get the kids christened etc to get them into good schools without really caring about the religious bit.
If you are serious and genuinely believe then stick with it, if you're planning on raising him a Christian then of course go ahead. if you're not sure maybe you and the missus need to have a good hard think about getting the little one christened. You wouldn't give your son a bris and initiate him into the Jewish faith if you didn't practise it, could seem a little odd to do the same for Christianity.
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Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
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If you're uncomfortable with it why do you want to get your child baptised 
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GB123
Premium Member
Registered: 21st Nov 11
Location: Kent
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What are the reasons you want your child to be baptised? (serious question)
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IvIarkgraham
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Registered: 27th Mar 04
Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
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Getting your child christened these days is just a way of getting presents and money in my opinion
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Ian
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Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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My experience is that its bonkers and anyone who believes it is bonkers.
I had a fairly similar childhood but fuck that.
Sure you can play the game and get your kids in a church school which you may debate is better but really, I couldn't sit there listening to it.
Such a load of old tosh and the older I get the more I wonder how on earth its been kept going for so long.
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Jimbothebarbarian
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Registered: 19th Apr 07
Location: Cumbria..........drunk..
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We had our daughter christened when she was a few months old and it was nothing like you describe!
Our son got christened this year and much older, seven years old in fact. He asked to be christened which I felt was as good a reason as any. Again we didn't get any of the shit you're getting. So that's two kids christened in two totally different parishes. I've never heard of the bollocks you're getting off any of our freinds either. I'd be looking elsewhere tbh.
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Ben G
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Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
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Why are you forcing a religion on your kid?
I've been baptised. Completely pointless. I'm still a cunt and have no reason to believe stories about men in the sky.
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Steve
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Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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quote:
Originally posted by IvIarkgraham
Getting your child christened these days is just a way of getting presents and money in my opinion
Spot on and to enter in to look at me competitions on Facebook
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Andrew
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Registered: 5th May 04
Location: Skoda Octavia Estate, Ford Puma
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quote:
Originally posted by IvIarkgraham
Getting your child christened these days is just a way of getting presents and money in my opinion
Really?
I've just forked out £500 for guests to have something to eat. I'm doubt very much we will see £500 back in useful gifts.
Then the mrs will want a nice dress and to put the kid in something traditional.
You talk out your arse Mark!
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Andrew
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Registered: 5th May 04
Location: Skoda Octavia Estate, Ford Puma
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Tom, we have a date for our Christning, mrs is taking the form in today for their records. I'm sure i will get some pissed off text if they ruin our Sunday mornings 
I will let you know.
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--ToM--
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Registered: 23rd Nov 07
Location: Wirral
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I'm not wanting th christen out son for Facebook look st me points I don't have Facebook or any kind of social networking, nor do I want free gifts there won't be loads of people invited I want to keep the costs down it'll only be close friends and family not hundreds of people and a big after party and go all over board like they do in America etc.
The church does have a school attached to it but I haven't thought about schooling yet he's not even 1 and hasn't started nursery yet never mind school, also the other schools in the area seem to have good reviews so I'm not fussed about that.
Literally the only reason I have for it is my mum and dad were both christened but weren't regular church goers, I was christened and haven't been to church since I used to go with my nan as soon as I was old enough to not go I didn't, as for my missus the same both her parents christened aswell as her none of them are regular church goers either. I lost my dad and a young age he was 32 my missus lost her mum at around the same age so certainly don't believe God is a saviour and works life saving miracles like people preach, honestly neither of us know what to believe I edge more to the side of not believing but my view is you'll never know weather he exists or not until you die and even then you won't know, it isn't going to do any harm having him christened if there isn't a God and if there is it would be nice to think with him being christened he is part of this "family" they talk about what ever it is.
Basically it's not for silly waving and receiving of gifts purposes it's just traditional in my family and my missus family despite none being regular church attenders.
I just was quite shocked about how "intense" the application and acceptance procedure is and if this is how it is now as I haven't been to church for over 15 years it could of changed.
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Ellis
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Registered: 11th Sep 07
Location: Aberdeenshire
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Best just sit there and take the bible deepthroat you have been receiving from the church if you really want it done. Honestly didn't think Christianity was like that but that was purely an assumption.
I, like the general consensus on here, don't see any point in having a 'faith', load of old tosh if you ask me. I would much rather spend my time reading about the science behind why things/events actually occur as opposed to the easy way out and claim some bloke in the sky did it.
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DaveyLC
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Registered: 8th Oct 08
Location: Berkshire
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quote:
Originally posted by Jambo
If you're uncomfortable with it why do you want to get your child baptised
Because they get to wear a pretty dress and then there's a buffet after.. Derr!
Seriously though I 100% agree with you Jambo! People are crazy..
However I also think the church should cash in, don't worry about getting people to attend mass etc. just make it insanely expensive for those who are not parishioners job done! Lets be honest if someone is willing to waste 3 months of sundays to 'pretend' to be a Christian I'll bet you they'll happily stump up a grand.
If it was my church I'd offer the buffet and bar too!
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Ellis
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Registered: 11th Sep 07
Location: Aberdeenshire
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quote:
Originally posted by Steve
quote:
Originally posted by IvIarkgraham
Getting your child christened these days is just a way of getting presents and money in my opinion
Spot on and to enter in to look at me competitions on Facebook
I bet the mothers are all praying for 100+ Facebook likes.
Then, year after year, they can post about how they can't believe this was 1,2,3...etc years ago 
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
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I'm assuming catholic not CoE?
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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quote:
Originally posted by Ellis
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
quote:
Originally posted by IvIarkgraham
Getting your child christened these days is just a way of getting presents and money in my opinion
Spot on and to enter in to look at me competitions on Facebook
I bet the mothers are all praying for 100+ Facebook likes.
Then, year after year, they can post about how they can't believe this was 1,2,3...etc years ago
exactly
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VrsTurbo
Premium Member
Registered: 8th Jun 10
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I'm christened, gf is too we don't go to church and won't be getting our child christened.
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Balling
Premium Member
Registered: 7th Apr 04
Location: Denmark
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quote:
Originally posted by --ToM--
it's just traditional in my family and my missus family despite none being regular church attenders.
Seems a pretty fair reasoning, don't see why people are getting upset about this. It's not exactly like you're having the kid literally branded.
I know my sis has had her kids christened for the same reasons.
Honestly though, I think the shock you're feeling is whatever intellect you've developed since you went to church as a child, telling you that none of this makes sense.
You feel pressured, as what these people are talking about probably seems quite far from the world you live in. If you could easily accept their gospel as the truth, there'd be no sense of pressure.
I'd think about the world your son is going to grow up in, looking at recent history, and consider how big a part christianity is really going to have in his life.
You're going through this for him, but have you honestly considered if you're even doing him a favour?
Churches are dropping like flies, and 20 years from now I can't see christianity being anything but a very minor relic.
Maybe it's time you broke with old traditions, being kept for the sake of keeping them, and raised your son with values more suited for todays society.
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basslinecorsa
Premium Member
Registered: 15th Jul 09
Location: Gravesend
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quote:
Originally posted by Ben G
Why are you forcing a religion on your kid?
I've been baptised. Completely pointless. I'm still a cunt and have no reason to believe stories about men in the sky.
This
Project Scarlett - http://www.corsasport.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?tid=661417
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Jimbothebarbarian
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Registered: 19th Apr 07
Location: Cumbria..........drunk..
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Cancel christening to appease tinterweb gods of keyboard warriors. They aren't amused with you Tom.
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Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
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What is a tradition, if you do not believe in it? I am really struggling with point.
You went to a church, felt uncomfortable with these peoples beliefs and convictions, so you wish to put your child in the same group?
It just makes zero sense. Can you not wait till your child is old enough to decide for themselves their belief's about the world around them? Give them a voice rather than deciding for them, for (and I am assuming here) peer/family pressure?
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Generation
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Registered: 7th Jul 09
Location: Essex
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Was christened as a child, wish I wasn't. Should be own choice when you grow up, I'm not religious at all, if people want to be that's their choice.
It should be THEIR choice though..
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