Attending ceremonies you disagree with - Page 2

[lilyka]

Well I wouldn't go to a Sunday morning thing because it would mean I would have to miss church. But I would certainly join any after church celebration they had to commemorate the event. I would't have a problem attending if it were at a different time probably. There are some protestant churches I just cannot attend. my friend renewed her vows the other day and even though it was a huge deal to her I could not go because I could not stand to be in that environment. I wanted to go. planned to go. Got her a little wedding gift (I did not go to her real wedding and thought this would be cute) but when they time came could not leave my house to go. And even when I was planning on going I was planning on leaving my kids home because I did not want my children to be exposed to such horrid doctrine on any level (they are older though, 14, 10, 7, and more likely to pick up on the details than a 2 year old.)

[A_Random_Phrase]

pumpkin, it sounds like you've got it figured out.

In our family, those not a member of the church hosting the ritual only went to that meeting. Very rarely would they stay for Sunday School. And, if you have a very active child, I would think no one would care if you took DD out if she became too active.

[CherryBomb]

Originally Posted by peainthepod

It would depend on the ceremony and how much it conflicted with my morals and beliefs.

I agree with this. It would depend on the specific service as well as exactly who it was for. I'd be more likely to attend services I disagreed with for immediate family than extended, family, for instance.

[EFmom]

Certain things, involving body modification, I wouldn't do for anyone.

Weddings or funerals for the most part, I can do.

Indoctrination of infants or confirmations into the religion make me very uncomfortable. I generally go, if it's for someone I love, but I feel sick the whole time.

[philomom]

Originally Posted by EFmom

Certain things, involving body modification, I wouldn't do for anyone.

Weddings or funerals for the most part, I can do.

Indoctrination of infants or confirmations into the religion make me very uncomfortable. I generally go, if it's for someone I love, but I feel sick the whole time.

Took the words right out of my mouth!

[Bluegoat]

Originally Posted by EFmom

Certain things, involving body modification, I wouldn't do for anyone.

Weddings or funerals for the most part, I can do.

Indoctrination of infants or confirmations into the religion make me very uncomfortable. I generally go, if it's for someone I love, but I feel sick the whole time.

How does one indoctrinate an infant?

[lovebug]

i would attend. i use o et so upse with my uncle and is family because they would never attend family events because of this. if its not harming anyone, then i would 100% show my support in te fact that i care about my family.

[Viola]

If I were only going to keep family peace, and it was something that would really bother me, I most likely wouldn't go. I'm not sure if I'd go to a bris. I probably would go to a baptism or a confirmation even if it was for a religion of which I was not a participant. Different faiths have different beliefs surrounding baptism or weddings, and it might help to know what the beliefs are behind one that I was attending. It might help to know with a bris, but I think that is one I still would have issues with.

How does one indoctrinate an infant?

My church practices infant baptism. It's really about a commitment that the parents have to make, not the child. We see baptism as a symbol that God's grace is freely given, that he doesn't withhold it from those who cannot make an active decision to receive it. I didn't have my children baptized, however, because I wasn't sure that *I* could hold up my end of the baptismal covenant. My children would be free to choose their own spiritual path regardless of whether they were baptized or not.

[EFmom]

Originally Posted by Bluegoat

How does one indoctrinate an infant?

Incorporation would have been a better word choice.

[Areia]

This is not something that ever bothered me. Our friends and family want us there to celebrate with them so I'm honored to be included. I don't participate in every part of the service, but will sit and listen quietly during those portions. I don't really think of it as participating in a ceremony - I'm there as an observer lending support and celebrating an important event in their lives.

[GoBecGo]

I would attend so long as no-one was going to be physically or emotionally harmed during the ceremony without their full agreement and consent.

[eclipse]

I would attend most religious rites for people I care about, as long as I wasn't being asked to do anything inconsistent with my own beliefs. The only religious ceremony I can think of that I wouldn't attend is a bris, but there might be others. I wouldn't sit through a regular service, though, unless I was sure I'd be comfortable with the message being preached. I have friends who belong to churches that I don't have huge differences with (aside from the whole existence of god thing ) and I would be comfortable listening to a service if it was required to attend the ceremony. But I wouldn't be willing to listen to fire and brimstone or certain political messages.