Hey /adv/
I need help with classic pleb shit. my friend of 22 has recently had a baby with his fiancee. However, he is getting his baby christened even though he in not a christian. I Just think its ridiculous, they are borderline atheist.
I used to be pretty close to him before he moved in with his gf. Now i only see him about once a month. I want to say something but i think it will be to no avail. He has already started to make invitations and told most of his family. Why do people nonreligious people even do this? if he wants to celebrate the birth of his baby, he could rent out a place, and have a party. i could understand if he was actually a christian but he definitely isnt. What should i do?
>>16934379
>What should i do?
Christianfag here. This question is so dumb I hope it's trolling. You should do nothing, obviously, apart from going to your friend's baby's christening and not being a nitpicky douche.
Christening doesn't do anything anyway, even for religious people. It's just a feel good thing.
For some people it´s the only way to gather all their family together and reconnect, except for weddings and funerals.
There´s inherent "need" to attend baptisms and such big things, but for a normal "family gatherings" or even birthdays (if it´s not the big ones), many people will skip.
Just accept it as a way to reconnect instead of a religious practice ;)
>>16934379
Who cares? If God is real then he just saved his child from a burning in hell for all eternity. If God isn't real then he just had some water splashed on their head. He seems to be pragmatic.
>>16934379
Let him live his life
Be a friend and support him by going
>>16934379
It's not really your concern.
I know friends who are atheist and are having a big traditional wedding just to appeal to their families.
if you truly think it's ridiculous, then realize it's not a big deal at all. why even take it seriously and get worked up about it? it's just a fucking christening. literally has no impact on anything.
>>16934387
it does do something. they are advocating a tradition that they dont even follow. its like me getting all my friends and family together and sacrificing a bull because my parents done it. as i said, fair enough if he was actually a christian but he isnt, so the feel good factor doesent even apply. he could have a party instead.
>>16934394
doesn't apply. he wont even follow christianity. he will be living a life of sin in the eyes of the christian god. >>16934398
will still go. i just think its stupid.
>>16934399
i think that is wrong. i dont think people should be bound by the tradition of their ancestors. its the intent behind it and the attitude.
>>16934389
nah, he could have a party. people here always have parties and everyone turns up
>>16934403
What is the problem though? Who is he hurting?
He's probably doing this because his or her granny desperately wants to see the babby christened and he wants to make that person happy.
>>16934408
No, they don´t. People and friends do, families (and extended families) don´t.
Not all families and not all people in them. Maybe part of them are christians and from far away or they don´t really like company or to travel. My family gathered for my baptism, but that was the last time they ever did (It´s been over 20 years).
I´m atheistic, but I don´t hold a grudge over the baptism or anything. I was not "bound" by it, nor forced to any other religious rites afterwards.
Just by the way, do you have the same qualms about kids celebrating Christmas, Easter, Halloween, St. Valentine´s day etc.?
Since if they are atheistic and those are originally various religious traditions, they shouldn´t celebrate them, right?
>>16934438
his family isnt religious at all. my problems is that he is advocating a tradition he doesent believe in. its like me celebrating Hanukah. Its the attitude behind it. it makes no sense to me. he is literally only doing it because its what normal people do. i understand he might want to celebrate the birth of his child but alternatively he could just have a classic party. its edgy as fuck, though people dont perceive it as edgy because its a pleb thing.
OP girl has terrible posture
>>16934379
Generally out of fear. I'm a agnostic, but I don't really buy into organized religion. My mom doesn't either. My husband doesn't either.
My mom and husband still suggested to get her baptized through a Catholic Church.
Claimed it would save her from Satan (just in case Satan does exist).
We got into an argument over it. I said it's pointless. They said it if it's nothing, it's nothing, but this is just in case, plus it was a way to celebrate with family. Yada yada yada.
I still didn't do it. I told my family, if my daughter wants to be baptized, she can do it when she is older and makes her own decisions about religion. And I have continued to raise her with my own agnostic beliefs.
When babies are born people do things to protect and celebrate the baby. Whether it's religious or not, just let them celebrate their baby how they want to.
I mean, for me, I don't believe in the Christian God, but I still celebrate Christmas every year just to spend time with my family. Doesn't mean I'm excepting Christ into my life. It means I am celebrating with my family.
>>16934448
they do where i live. his family all live near by. none of them are christian. its just a classic pleb situation. I know people who have thrown parties to celebrate shit and everyone has turned up.
>>16934470
thanks for sharing that. and yeah, i agree. It should be the child decision also if they want to get baptized.
>>16934475
Out of curiosity.. How do you feel about Christmas (or Yule, Hannukah), Chinese (Lunar) New Year, Halloween (Samhain, All Hollows Eve)), St Patrick´s day, Easter or any other of holidays of this kind?
>>16934468
>Its the attitude behind it. it makes no sense to me.
You seem to have this bizarre attitude that you can demand that other people act in a way that makes sense to you, regardless of if they are harmless or not.
You have no rational basis for that attitude.
>>16934478
dont celebrate any of that. can understand why people celebrate Christmas though. its basically a commercial holiday now.
>>16934479
>you have no rational basis for that attitude
yeah because expecting people to not follow traditions they dont believe in, isnt rational. i might start celebrating thanks giving day even though i am not american.
>>16934485
Then you are one of a few.
That being said, I would understand your attittude towards this if it were about circumcision or something that really may change, hurt or categorize the kid for the rest of their life, but this is really going over the top.
I mean even if I didn´t believe or celebrate those things, I would for the kids (christmas and easter at least, it´s bad for them to be left out)..
As for the baptism, just deal with it.. As Texans say, everyone is entitled to their own opinion... You just can´t force them on anyone else ;)
>>16934492
good example. Say you started celebrating thanksgiving day not being american.
Would your neighbors have a right to demand an explanation from you as to why you were celebrating thanksgiving? Or demand that you stop doing it because you aren't american? If you invited them over for turkey and gravy, would it make sense for them to chastise you for partying on an American holiday, or should they just be grateful and eat their damn turkey and potatoes?
>>16934492
Next time your friend invites you over to party on St. Patricks day are you going to try to talk him out of having the party because he's not irish? Or if he invites you over for beers on Cinco de Mayo are you going to try to talk him out of it because he's not latino?
You've observed that people don't always act rationally. Why do you need to make it your business to correct it?
>>16934495
not going to say anything anyway. i know people will just be like "its tradition". i still think its silly though. i also wont say anything to my friend because it wont be worth the upset.
>>16934499
im not demanding that my friend doesent get his child christened. i was asking if i should question him or let it be. obviously people think i should let it be. and i see people are offened by it. not worth saying anything. i will be seen as a villain.
if i was celebrating thanksgiving, i think my neighbours would have a right to question me. i would expect them to question me. would have to be an edge master, in my opinion, to do this.
>>16934519
never known as single person to celebrate them holidays. i think its my business because i am their friend. i wasnt going to be a dick about it.
>>16934520
Well traditions may seem silly to you, but people generally like to have something to look forward to, to celebrate etc. Sometimes the more the better.
Not sure how far in your life you are, but rest assured you will once probably have a partner or more close people, who feel this way.
>>16934536
if people want stuff to look foward to, why cant they arrange something with their friends? this is what i do with my friends. works out fine for me.
>>16934529
This probably is a troll thread so whatever. It's actually not your business. I don't care if you think it is. You're not the father to the kid and you're not related to the three of them in any way except for being a friend. You're just a friend. You don't get a say in what they do with their kid. Get over it.
>>16934558
good point. no point in educating the plebs really. we need them to work the shitty jobs.
>>16934379
Nothing more. Assuming that you told him that initiating a child into a religious group before it could even decide on that matter itself is a dick move, this is as far as you go.
He's obviously not as opposed to religious bullshit as you are. Since he's not inflicting physical harm, you can't stop him. Start breeding yourself and be a better parent.
>>16934604
i havent said anything about it. i think everyone will see me as a villain even though none of them are religious. my friend is a nice guy, he is just a bit slow and his family are even worse.
Just go or don't. Try and be respectful towards your friends at least because it isn't about you, but also be true to yourself if that is important.
Don't make the argument into you vs them or more than it needs to be, just make a choice and deal with.
I've seen friends and family act crazy when it comes to shit like this because they are panicking about how you are 'supposed to act' when trying to look like parents who've got their shit together.
It'll most likely come out in the wash and a little bit down the line when the pressure is off they'll be laughing about it.
I remember being asked to be godfather to a child at a big church ceremony carried out by a terminally ill local canon who was a family friend and it was all high drama.
I refused to do it because of my dick butt religious beliefs. It caused a massive shit storm, but not as much as my gf who stood in instead of me and recited all the vows by the grace of 'dog' and other mumbled mispronunciations because she didn't want to do it, but sort of wanted to do it for them, but sort of didn't want to.
We got disowned, then we laughed about it, then the parents broke up anyway. Within a month or two it was water under the bridge and now we hang out several years later and it is all a big fucking joke.
The mother herself admits that at the time she was under intense pressure with a new baby and the expectations of her extended family to do what she says was "some weird fucking things like that..".
Eh emotions and hormones. These things are totally about the selfish drives of grandparents mostly, but it'd be selfish to deny them it for your own reasons because they'll die soon and they dealt with your bullshit growing up.
Plus you've had a kid so your brain is hijacked by this concept that self identity now plays second fiddle to building a strong family unity for the sake of the child. Grandparents are needed to take care of the shit rat when the parents just want to smash open their skull.
>>16934470
>Won't do a baptism on principle
>celebrates Christmas
This is some pretty hypocritical shit right here
GUYS I NEED HELP
its december and my friend just had a baby, and they are thinking of taking him to the mall to get his picture taken with santa.
tehy might as well be atheists, btu they insinst on getting this picture. i used to be pretty close to him, but then he had a baby and now it slike he doesnt have no time for me (wtf?). i want to stop him from making this horrible mistake but im not sure he'll listen, he seems to think that its completely inconsequential to the babies life, when its actually really fucking important.
i could understand if he was actually christian, but hes not, so why would he celebrate christmas?
