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Question 55

Have any of your friends or family ever asked you to be a godparent to their child? How did you respond?

• I said yes. Why not I bear no malice towards theism and who is to say I am a less worthy moral advisor or role model than a believer? (Mark Gradwell)

• Message one:

  Yes.

  : How did you respond?

  I accepted. First of all, the word that is used in Dutch doesn't include "god" The word is rapidly getting a secular meaning. Since my little niece wasn't baptized, I didn't have to be trou- bled over her religious education.

  Message 2:

  Well I'm sure the religious in this country still see it mainly in their religious context. For the non-religious, it's mainly a social event. I think first of all it is a recognition of the closeness the parents feel with the persons they ask to be 'god- parent'. There is also some kind of expectation that kid and 'godparent' grow somewhat closer than ordinary kid-aunt, kid- uncle or kid-parentsfriend would. (Antoon Pardon #87)

• I became the proud godfather of two children last year when my best friend's second child was born. I responded with a bad Brando impersonation to the effect of "It's an offer I cannot refuse."

  Religious ceremony? Nope. I don't even know what that would entail. I am the godfather in the legal sense only, I and my wife are the guardians of the children should anything happen to their parents.

  I was quite honored to accept the weighty responsibility and I intend to spoil the kids as they grow up, but I consider "godfather" to be just a title. Of course, I'm the kinda laid back guy who has no problem saying "bless you" after a sneeze, either. (Sterling Crowe #1168)

• Yes. 10 years ago, when my kid sister and her husband had her first child, they asked me to be the godparent. At that time I was a practicing catholic, so I agreed. I was actually kinda honored that they thought highly enough of me to ask that I raise the kid in the event that they were unable to. I don't regret the decision at all. In the years since becoming an atheist, I probably would say yes if asked again. It's kind of hard to say no when asked. (Dan Chaney #1144)

• Yes and I accepted, but this happened when I was going through the transition of being agnostic and becoming atheist.

  I was at the Christening bored shitless, and then I was asked to join in and pray. "Oh fuck" I thought, "I cannot say all this shit that is on the prayer sheet." Asking my sins to be forgiven and all the usual self depracating tripe. I just sat there reading this shit, not babbling mind you, and when this was finished I stood up and walked out of the church and waited out side for it to end. This was a very long time. I guess I was ignorant about the whole proceedings before hand, but it did give me an insight on what actually goes on. I apologised to my friends, they were OK about it, but I was a little annoyed with them because they knew I didn't really have a belief in their god. This hit home for me, and after that day I was comfortable with the fact that if I didn't beleive in a god then I am an atheist. Actually my partner is attending the Christening of her niece this weekend and her family didn't ask me because they respect that I am an atheist. (HUX #1056)

• Yes, I'm the extremely proud godparent of the most intelligent and beautiful 11 year old in the world. I've even a tiny bit biased toward her :-)

  Seriously, I am a godparent of a child with one agnostic parent and one episcopalian parent. Before her birth the parents and I talked at length about the whole godparent thing and what it entailed (they asked me, BTW). We agreed that the childs wellbeing was absolutely paramount, and it made more sense to ensure that than to worry about whether she went to church or not.

  At time went on we continued to discuss this. The child often attends church with mommy, but is at best a tepid believer. Should the worst happen and I would make sure she had that opportunity continued, but I would be very clear with her that that doesn't happen to be exactly how I believe the universe works. When she has questions, I'll answer them as honestly as possible, including liberal sprinklings of "I don't know" and "I don't think anyone knows for sure yet."

  Her folks are cool with this. And my commitment to this is absolute - I hope to NEVER have to take over, but if needed there are no questions. (Dewey Henize #122)<