Will you baptize your baby?

Question

My husband and I were both raised Catholic but left the church and are now agnostic/atheist, respectively. His family is still religious and although mine isn't, my aunt still gifted me my old baptism gown for "when the time comes."

I think our families are both expecting us to baptize our son and will be upset if we don't.  It's not important to us to do it and we don't plan on raising him religiously, but at the same time I don't want to offend or cause our families to worry about his eternal soul or anything.

Is anyone else in the same boat?  Also, if we did decide to do it, would they even let us if we're no longer a member of the parish?

Answer

As a Christian, my advice to you is to not baptize the baby. Once he's older he can decide if he wants to follow religion or not.

Answer

Nope, we've been asked by my father in law. But we aren't religious, but very spiritual. I do however want to expose my children to various religions and give them the opportunity to decide what they want to follow if they choose todo so.

Answer

Both sides of our family are pretty religious. Our wedding was the first non religious one in the family. We won't be baptizing, I know it wouldn't hurt anything to do it but I don't want to just do something to please people, if that makes sense.

Answer

Same boat. My son is 4 months. We decided not to, thoughour families on both sides are still practicing Catholics. We briefly looked into it when I was pregnant and had a meeting with a priest to please our families. Not only did he lecture us about not being regular chuchgoers but he said he'd expect us to join asap and start going to church every Sunday and donate, and then he'd "consider" doing it for us. You will have a hard time finding a Catholic church to do it without being an active member and if you do, expect some judgment.

We ultimately decided we didnt want to do it anyway because we dont think its right to do it just to please our families when we in our hearts dont believe. We thought it would be hypocritical of us especially when we have no intention of following up with it and raising our son in the religion. We hope he makes his own choices, which is one reason we dont like the idea of infant baptism.

His side took it ok (though it was hard b/c my SIL recently baptized her son even though they arent practicing either due to her moms pressure) while my parents (Polish immigrants) still have an issue with it. My mom actually suggested we do it even though we dont believe/dont attend church, cause "its the right thing to do," and she expressed worry about his soul and whatnot. Honestly, my parents are trying to save face in front of their Catholic friends whose kids baptized their children, which I dont think is right.

For us, it all boiled down to this: if you are a true believer, then having people like us (i.e. Non believers) do a baptism just to do it is a slap in your face and you shouldnt want us to.

Just my thoughts. Good luck!

Answer

Same as you, DH and I were baptized in the Catholic Church ourselves but as adults do not affiliate with the faith. His side of the family is extremely traditional and devote; there's pressure to have our baby baptized.

But it's not going to happen. They have to come to respect that and I believe they will. I can't really see it as "keeping the peace" or just placating an intense Mother in law. It feels like it would be essentially fraudulent and definitely 0% authentic. We really believe in supporting our child in whatever, if any, faith they choose at an age where they are establishing their own identity and not due to  the indoctrination of DH and I.

Answer

Both our families are practicing Christians but me n my OH are pagan/atheist so we won't be Christening. We are having a naming ceremony as my OH knows it's important to me n my Gods but have a feeling a large part of famililes won't attend.

Answer

I was raised Catholic and my husband , Methodist.  He no longer believes in any religion that I can tell, but it still means a lot to me. We will be baptizing him/ her Catholic.

Answer

My husband and I were both raised Catholic. I am no longer with the faith but he still is as well as both of our families. He wanted to have our daughter baptized because he thought it was the right thing to do. Seeing as I don't follow a religion at all I thought it would be nice to honor his wishes as his wife just as I would expect him to as my husband. As for family though... It's not their kid. If they have a problem with that, ask them where they were when that child was being conceived and birthed and asked them how they helped in both situations. If they say they didn't then tell them to shove it.

Answer

Same here. I've identified as agnostic for about 2 years now but grew up Catholic and my fiance still believes in the Christian faith but refuses to go to church. His mom is VERY religious and my mom just recently re-found  her Catholic faith and going to church again so asks me often what we plan to do. My fiance and I agreed we will leave the choice to our son when he is older. He'll see his father praying and my mother giving him tokens of her religion, so he's bound to question it and formulate an opinion on  what he wants to learn and believe in.

Answer

Not crazy religious but definitely baptizing my LO.

Will you baptize your baby?

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