Christenings

Guest2 said:
We have a Christening coming up in a few weeks time.
We have both met the mother of the child and have known her for 10-15 years but have never met the father.
The last Christening I went to was in the 90s as a young child and am not a god person at all. Atheist

Questions;
Is there a general format to christenings
How long do the ceremonies usually last
Is is customary to bring a gift
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The actual event can vary a lot depending on denomination or church. It is usually a fairly short affair with a more social aspect around it.

Some it is barely more than a brief spiritual message probably due to the increased presence of multiple faiths and non-believers but others will involve hymns and a longer religious word - some do submersion and others just trickle water on the baby, etc. etc.

I've never been to one so far where gifts are given by anyone other than family and very close friends and these days that is usually a baby shower style event, invited separately, before people turn up generally. But your mileage may vary.

Some of the more extreme brethren groups it can be a horribly tedious, drawn out, affair for a non-religious person but those groups don't tend to accept anyone that isn't of their brand of Christianity to such events aside from those related to the person being Christened (and sometimes not even that).

arknor said:
because it's nothing to do with god and about someone feeling special, same as marriages people just want the attention.

or it would be close friends and immediate family only.

It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of people only do things because they want gifts.

known for 10-15years, never met the father, I wouldn't bother.
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Some do it just to keep their parents or grandparents happy - same as some are always badgering two people living together to get formally married, etc.
 
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I’m surprised religion still has such a strong grip in Germany - I thought they were more like us or the Scandinavians where there’s a lot of atheists or at least only token believers. (Although, don’t a lot of the Scandinavians believe in trolls?).
 
I was invited to my cousin’s granddaughter’s christening. Didn’t go as don’t know them well. Plus suffering from gallbladder issues, had it removed 3 weeks afterwards.

There was a bouncy castle and a disco! Seriously doubt the baby aged 5 months participated.

For some parents, they use christening as an excuse to meet up with friends and socialise.
 
paradigm said:
More often than not, to get into a better grafing school that happens to be religious. Complete farce that we allow schools to have a religious bias attached to it.
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State schools (Inc CofE and Catholic) are not allowed to select on the basis of religion. My kids went to a CofE school and aren't christened.
 
Surveyor said:
The church tax is only paid by members of the respective church.

Members can formally declare their wish to leave the community and their obligation to pay ends.

The church tax is a percentage of income tax, not a percentage of income. If a member's income tax was €10,000 they'd pay €800 or €900 church tax.
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haha Religion, one of the oldest rackets in existence.
 
Malevolence said:
How can you have known her for so long but never met her other half? Does she keep him chained to the basement wall or something?
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i know people but never seen their partners. As one for example, works nights. When meeting her, her partner is at home, asleep. Another has a fear of crowds.

Sometimes I think how do they get on as completely opposite to each other.
 
amigafan2003 said:
State schools (Inc CofE and Catholic) are not allowed to select on the basis of religion. My kids went to a CofE school and aren't christened.
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I went to a CofE school and never been christened. I couldn’t tell you which was the nearest non religious school. Even had Hindus attend my school.
 
It's something which was popular years ago, probably more with the middle class I would think. My brothers and I were christened but we are all atheists. I have refused to get my kids christened as I am strongly against it. It's a pointless and expensive ceremony but it can bring together some families. Personally they can all sod off as far as I am concerned.
 
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Christening our boy today.

Be half hour in the church then straight back to ours for an almighty **** up.

Got about 300 pints lined up ready to go so should be a good afternoon.
 
Jean-F said:
I know, sounds like a load of ******** doesn’t it?
Google Kirchensteuer and see.
Remember, it’s 8 or 9% of your income tax, not income.
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Still not as bad as the UK Chancel Repair Liability. Biggest scam going - You can get hit with it regardless of your religion, or if non-religious. Been some right horror stories over the years. Should be outlawed. In fact I think someone did once try to get it outlawed, but it never went anywhere. Might get my MP back onto that one....


Oh, also, can't stand the hypocrisy of the 90% of people who get their kids Christened who are not even Christian and just do it "because". Don't stand in a church and promise to bring up your kid in the "way of God" if you don't even believe. It's just the same paying the church for doing that as it is giving your money to Scientology.
 
BDEE said:
Still not as bad as the UK Chancel Repair Liability. Biggest scam going - You can get hit with it regardless of your religion, or if non-religious. Been some right horror stories over the years. Should be outlawed. In fact I think someone did once try to get it outlawed, but it never went anywhere. Might get my MP back onto that one....


Oh, also, can't stand the hypocrisy of the 90% of people who get their kids Christened who are not even Christian and just do it "because". Don't stand in a church and promise to bring up your kid in the "way of God" if you don't even believe. It's just the same paying the church for doing that as it is giving your money to Scientology.
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I noticed this when I bought my shared ownership and got the chancel crap sorted out in the exchanging contracts phase. Can't remember exactly what was said as it was a long time ago.

Apparently they can up and bill you up to the full value of your house to pay the local parish or some crap.
 
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