being christened

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if you are christened
why dont you go to church
and why do non practicing christians get married at church
if i have no religion does that make me have a reigion of my own?

Yes, in a way it does. I mean, I just believe what I want, and I'm perfectly happy. I don't really see the point in trying to change the way a person thinks just so there can be one more person like other people.

My father was a non-practicing Catholic, my mother Methodist and they chose to be married by a Justice of the Peace and never christened/baptized my brother or me. My brother is fine with no contact with religion at all (he's undiagnosed AS) and I've explored one religion/denomination after another. Recent reading I've done suggests that it's fairly common for female aspies to "try on" a variety of religions before settling on one, if they ever do. (I did.)

For some people I think religion is a matter of belonging somewhere, wanting to fit in somewhere that seems somehow socially acceptable. "Socially acceptable" doesn't really mean anything to me, though. I just have boundless curiosity.

The exclusionary aspect of religion is what infuriates me... the kind that says 'if you don't agree with us you're on the way to hell for sure' is the worst. Who are they to say/know they're right, right?

That said, I chose to go to a Disciples of Christ seminary some years ago and was the only non-Christian there. Disciples are very, very accepting! I was working with dislocated workers (people made redundant at work) and here in the buckle of the bible belt in the USA, many would tell me they weren't just looking to get another job where they'd just be downsized again but instead wanted to find some kind of 'higher purpose' in their work. In other words, they'd open a conversational door that involved their religious beliefs and even with an MBA I didn't feel I had the qualifications to go through that door with them. Going to the seminary helped me with that, although a car wreck happened before I got the M.A. in pastoral counseling for which I was enrolled.

Religion is an intensely personal issue, and talking about it can be as divisive as race, politics and ethnicity. I think of the religion I chose as the language I use to talk to the god of my understanding and I never, ever, ever, never (etc.) try to convince anyone that belief or disbelief is either right or wrong...

Also, since christening is usually/only something done to a baby by parents, there's absolutely no personal choice involved, so why should anyone feel obligated or bound by having been christened?

Some Christian denominations don't believe in infant christening/baptism, for that reason, and will only baptise an adult - someone who can exercise free will.

Please, don't get off on a rant about free will vs. predestination anyone, OK? (Strictly free will, myself, for what that's worth)

i understand that people have no choice when they are babys
but if they then decide they do not believe or want to practice why dont they get un christened?
x

I don't think you can be 'unembraced' from god. There is always the chance on your deathbed you would want to be taken up by him?
I like the way you presume people don't go to church after being Christened.

Religion is a means of belief, if you believe in yourself, you could be said to have religion I guess (but I think its 'bigheaded' to say you worship yourself?)

UNCHRISTENED? Are you NUTS? I mean the whole thing is just a celebration, baptism, and naming! So what do you do to UNchristen? Burn the baptismal certificate? Get a new name? Get dehydrated? Who would go to all that trouble for something they see no value in?

Steve

christening is supposed to be an affirmation of your acceptance of your religion... so that you can knda of reinforce your baptism... it's supposed to represent your choice of being a christian.

however, the fact that i was christened at the age of 9... i did not have enough of a cognitive grasp on anything really that i was "affirming"... since my affirmation... once my brain actually started developing enough to fully grasp the true concepts of my organized religion; i grasped how much of it was propaganda... and BS... which is why i do not nor ever will go to church again.

not saying i didn't glean anything from my early exposure to church; as i am very spiritual and do stick to a lot of the morals that church instilled in me... just saying that i bet thre would be a significantly less number of people being "christened" if the age of christening were raised to age where people can realistically think independently.

same as circumcision... we do it almost automatically to male babies... i wonder what percentage of guys would actually opt to do it if it were not already done for them before they could give a fully informed opinion lol

"Unchristened" is not crazy, although it's maybe a new way of putting it. Wanting a break with God is common enough, being angry with God even more so. An old saying that I picked up somewhere:
Q. Who gets to heaven first, the one who loves God or the one that hates Him?
A. The one that hates Him, because he spends a lot more time thinking about Him.

as for non-christians getting married in churches... i kinda think it's wrong...

unless there's like one partner who is christian and one who's not... and you're trying to appease families and what not... that's about the only 1/2 way acceptable situation i can see for it...

but i think it's kinda shameful that this kind of phenomenon is getting integrated into society outside of the context of religious ceremony. i think it's both demeaning to the relgions and to the personal values of the non-religious participants. ex: it's stupid for non-religious ppl to go get married in a church with a priest or w/e just cause the church is pretty and is what they imagined... that's BS.

if i get married... it will not be in a church

I would LOVE to do it to the doctor that did it to me! I have to say though, my hand would be ****VERY**** shaky! OOPS, SORRY DOC!

Any idea as to what I would have done?

BTW Christening is NOTHING like circumcision.

Steve

i was only meaning to point out that both things are done at too early of an age to actually grasp what's going on.

Granted you have no choice about your circumcision... but the hallmark of christening is supposed to be that it's YOUR INFORMED choice to accept jesus into your heart ect...

But LIKE circumcision... the proccess is not presented to you at an acceptable time for you to realistically make an informed choice. THAT"S ALL i'm saying that they have in common.

when i was christened... i was a kid who would believe anything they brainwashed me to believe. kids are very impressionable and i doubt i ever would have done christening if it were even performed say, at the age of 13.

SteveK, we're mostly ALL nuts here, I think.

Anyway, the way to get UNchristened is simple: one simply renounces it. After renouncing one can identify as an atheist or agnostics, or adopt another religion, a process of conversion wherein the 'new' religion requires that you renounce your old one.

God currently has no real For or Against case. So what harm is there in getting christened?

I find that I do not believe what I want to. I believe what ai can. What I can believe changes with years and experience.

I find no logical satisfaction in the "universe from nothing" cosmology. I therefore believe in a G-d of some sort. I believe in a G-d that is a central organizing principle. I do not know what form.

But I must confess that I lack any feeling of a G-d's personal involvement with me. Mostly I think little about any G-d during my daily life.

lol i never said i worship myself
and its a fact that there are lots of of ppl for example in the public eye then, who get married at church but you never see them attend it every sunday; victoria beckham etc i know thats a rubbish example but i havent got any evidence based research just general observation that its not unusually for christians to not attend church