removed wouldnt want you all to jump on the band wagon of a good debate

Morally reprehensible.

Plus, assuming by 'better' you mean 'your local CofE school' and assuming you are not a household of believers and are simply pretending to be Christian to get in, you are asking your child to lie, daily, for the whole time the child is at that school. I find that heinous, if I'm honest. I suppose people who do this find some way to live with themselves, but I think it stinks.

I know the topic has been removed but i just wanted to say that i think there is far worse things in life!! we all want what is best for our children and if that means christening them to increase the chance of them having a better education then so be it and just because the parents are not religious or "believers" the children have a better chance of being so and at least having the knowledge and understanding of it all by going to a church school.


xxxxx

Hey, I know this topic has been deleted... But I'm going to comment anyway. :P
I was Christened and went to a Christian school, however, I am now completely anti-religious.
Also, my MIL has a 3 year old, and I believe she's getting him Christened so that he can go to a better school.
I think if you think that's what's best, then go for it! It's your child after all!

xxx

but maybe a waste of time... as there are probably large numbers of other parents doing the same so ultimately the Christenings negate each other as the school is still over subscribed but by parents of Christened children.

Also, I don't think its as easy as just getting your child Christened. Most church schoold have admission guidelines that require the child or parent or child to attend Church frequently and will require the written acknowledgement of the vicar/priest/minister.

Agree with Maenad completely.

This is a major issue of mine. My aim is to bring my baby up to be honest with a moral backbone and I intend to lead by example.

Personally I think teaching a child to lie to get what they want in life is worse than having a "better" education. I honestly don't know how I could explain to my child why they were christened without feeling a bit ashamed.

Just my personal view x

If you mean to get into a catholic school the churches are wise to it. You have to get a letter from the priest to say you are a regular attender so unless you want to go for the next 5 years (+if you want to get into a secondary school) it is pointless xx

thats what i thought socks,
we go and you see parents come with a new baby for a few weeks and then they disappear when they realise my priest won't do a quick fix to get them in to school. and then every jan/feb as admission dates approach we have 2 or 3 sets of parents with 3 /4 year olds do the same thing... its not as simple as a ceremony and a guarenteed school place

No mine wont either. I am not even sure we will get Iz in, we go every week have done our whole lives but we still go back to our childhood parish because we like the priest not our local one, although the priest here knows us I am not sure how we will get letters. I am glad they do it though, I would be really annoyed if Iz didn't get in as a real catholic and someone pretending did xx incidentially I am not sure we will send her to a faith school I actually think it is more important she settles in a school near her home and the nearest catholic secondary to us is a 40 minute drive away when there are perfectly good secondaries in our town xx

we're the same.
go to the church i was baptised in and mum goes too, we were married there and my girly will be baptised there, but it is 20 miles away from us

Not debating or stating whether the OP's thoughts may be right or wrong, just throwing some facts into the ring!Neither of my children are christened but go to the local C of E first school, which has a very good reputation, it may be slightly different for your area, because I live in an area of lots of tiny villages and because we also have a different schooling system (1st, middle and high schools) but our school is voluntary aided, which I think gives the school more powers to allocate children the places rather than the LEA, it is very closely tied to the church, one of the governors being the vicar at the church and the church being right next door to the school, all celebrations are held in the church - ie Xmas Nativity, harvest festival, etc. They also have to attend church for holy communion every thursday morning, so it really is not just about better schooling, the religious aspect of the school is really something to consider anyhow if you are not religiously inclined or atheist.
Because of how the system works, with it being voluntary aided, etc we have to specify our reasons for sending our children to the school, but they will always prioritise for children within the catchment area first, and then whether the child has any siblings already in the school, whether there are any social reasons for attending the school, etc - so if your school is similar, you could have your child christened and still miss out on a place, we have to also provide information on the application form as to whether we attend church regularly and if so they also ask for the vicars name and the name of the church so they can check this out, so it may possibly mean having to carry on attending church after the christeneing of the child, having him or her christened may not be enough. As I said neither of mine have been christened but our schools are struggling to survive as numbers are so low, I think this next year the intake is just 8 children, however they are allowed 20! I had never thought of having my children christened, as I wasn't really into it, however, since my Nan died I am thinking of it more and more, not that it would really be relevant for us anymore as we have now moved into the catchment area which guarantees my children a place, more over church attendance.

i went to a c of e school as it was my catchment area and we had lots of diferent religions there, dont know if the policies may have changed

i was christend as my great grandmother would not have me in the house until i was, i dont belive for one second i was brought up to lie, so i dont know where anyone gets the making your child lie nonsense, i acctually think no child should be brought up in any faith as that is taking the choice out of thier hands, but thats just me, i wish i had been given the option to choose but that was taken away from me,

its worth looking into the entrance criteria before going through that palava of a chritening when it may not make a difference, if its your local school i dont think you need to be x

I believe cofe entrance is different to catholic schools.

I think that state funded faith schools are wrong full stop. I believe in equal education for all, it shouldn't matter what religion you are. Slightly off the point, but there you go.

I'm an atheist, and DD can make up her own mind when she's older.

TO the op:

Check the school u were thinkin of's entrance criteria.

Most religious schools what ever the faith will have a % of children that they have to accept of non-faith If they live in the catchment area.

Our local catholic school has a 4% criteria.

We will actually be applying for our eldest when we get to secondary age as its our closest and has the best ofstead reports in the area, but are not catholic.

i honestly don't think wanting the best for your child is the worst thing in the world :roll: but maybe my morale scale is lower than others!

didn't want to read and run.

Can I just say nobody has said they will be asking their child to lie! Your child would not need to lie! I teach at a CofE school and we don't ask those children who do not attend church each week to 'pretend' that they do. All children are treated equally, with no fibs from the children or parents.

A christening is a wonderful celebration of your child - go for it!


xxxx

I'm getting my child Baptised in a few weeks, when she is older I may or may not send her to a school of a particular faith.
However, a Baptism is a dedication that my child will be a follower of Jesus Christ. I am making that declaration, not my child, it is my wish for her NOT something that will be forced on her.
The idea that children who are baptised and then go to a faith school are being made to lie is ridiculous, no child is following a religion until they have made the choice for themselves, that is very obviously the Church standing on the matter as far as I am aware.
People should really investigate what baptism ACTUALLY is before they start getting on their high horse.
As regards the op I think that it is well worth you considering the meaning behind Baptism before you baptise your child, your Vicar WILL ask you why you want to do it and you will need to consider things like Godparents (who also need to have been baptised), there's a lot more to it then a ceremony and a party afterwards

MASSIVE PET HATE OF MINE.

As is people having their baby christened out of tradition, to wear a pretty christening gown and an excuse for a bit of a party. It disgusts me.

You wouldn't have a bar mitzvah for your child if you weren't of Jewish faith, so why anybody would have a religious ceremony for their child if they don't even believe in the Christian god, or worship him, and have no intention of bringing up the child as a christian compeltely boggles me.

I find it somewhat disrespectful to the christian faith.

My children are baptised, so I'm fully aware of teh significance of a christening, thank you. My point is that if you send your childen to a faith school on the pretence of being a family of believers when you are not,you are asking your child to maintain that falsity for the duration of their time at the school. I think that's grossly unfair.