Tony Soprano?

By Anonymous - This FML is from back in 2012 but it's good stuff - Canada - York

Today, I asked my best friend if he would do me the honour of becoming my son's godfather. He replied, "Um, that's just rude. You know I'm an atheist." Huh? FML
I agree, your life sucks 27 661
You deserved it 8 712

Top comments

Technically he's right. A god parents "duty" is the religious guidance of the child should anything happen to the parents.

I'm sure Harry Potter received a lot of religious guidance from his godfather.

Comments

kate3101 15

It's interesting how many people don't know what a Godfather actually is, and more so that they are the people saying OPs friend is ignorant. It's not appointing a legal guardian in case you die, or asking someone to be a part of the child's life. It's a role that only exists in a christening ceremony, which appoints a person to support the child's religious instruction. Christenings are religious ceremonies. They require Godparents to take vows and pledges - this is the Godparents part, from the 17th century version but the modern version is similar: -Dost thou, in the name of this Child, renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them? -I renounce them all. -Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth? And in Jesus Christ his only-begotten Son our Lord? And that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; that he went down into hell, and also did rise again the third day; that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; and from thence shall come again at the end of the world, to judge the quick and the dead? And dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholick Church; the Communion of Saints; the Remission of sins; the Resurrection of the flesh; and everlasting life after death? -All this I stedfastly believe. -Wilt thou be baptized in this faith? -That is my desire. -Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life? -I will. You can see how pledging in public that you believe in God, Jesus etc might be slightly offensive to an atheist.

It's so interesting you quote out of date definitions... It's modern terms is what were dealing with today not shit it meant in the 1800s

Llamacod 11

uh, hatesfate, the 17th century would actually be the 1600's not the 1800's. please to know what the **** you're taking about before you state anything lest you appear to be a moron

Llamacod 11

here is a modern definition from legaldefinition.com, which WOULD be a MODERN definition: A godparent is chosen by the parents of a newborn Catholic. Under Canon Law 872-874, there are specific requirements to qualify as a godparent. Only one godparent is required, but two are allowed if they are of the opposite sex. If there is only one, a Christian witness might be asked. A Christian witness needs to be a baptized Christian. The godparent needs to be a Catholic at least 16 years old who has had the sacraments of baptism, reconciliation, holy communion, and confirmation. They can’t be the baby’s mother or father. The godparents must not be bound by canonical penalty. They must have a desire to be a godparent and be willing to help teach the faith to the child if necessary. Regarding the first requirement that a godparent be Catholic, there is one exception. For a just cause, it is permitted to admit the Christian faithful of another Eastern non-Catholic Church to the function of a sponsor, but always at the same time with a Catholic sponsor.This means that a Ukrainian Catholic may have a Russian Orthodox godparent, provided that there is a good reason for it (family relationship) and he also has another Catholic godparent. Godparents must attend the baptism to say their commitment. They should have a close and supportive relationship with the family. They need to be a good Christian. According to Christian Initation, General Introduction, the official praenotanda of the Rite of Christian Initiation, the following guidelines apply to godparents: 10. A godparent has to be approved by the judgment of the parish priest (pastor) being qualified to carry out the proper liturgical functions. 10.1. Each candidate may have either a godmother or a godfather or both a godmother and a godfather. 10.2. Those designated must have the capability and intention of carrying out the responsibility of a godparent and be mature enough to do so. A person 16 years of age is presumed to have the requisite maturity, but the diocesan bishop may have stipulated another age or the parish priest (pastor) or the minister may decide that there is a legitimate reason for allowing an exception. 10.3. Those designated as godparents must have received the three sacraments of initiation, baptism, confirmation, and eucharist, and be living a life consistent with faith and with the responsibility of a godparent. 10.4. Those desginated as godprents must also be members of the Catholic Church and be canonically free to carry out this office. At the request of parents, a baptized and believing Christian not belonging to the Catholic Church may act as a Christian witness along with a Catholic godparent.

Just to clarify, godparents are not specifically a Catholic thing. All Christians have baptisms and christenings involving godparents. Catholics and Protestants alike.

88 - I didn't even bother reading the big block of text to see that they had set a date... Either way it's an out of date definition so instead of picking on one portion of the post completely irrelevant to the point why not take a dose of your own shut the **** up before you appear to be a moron. =)

The "huh?" at the end made me laugh. Funny :D

A godfather, should the parents die, is not given legal guardianship over the child in the vast majority of countries and states. Guardianship is a completely different legal position, and has nothing to do with the godparents unless they've been assigned both. Godparents are a strictly Christian title, given to those that are responsible for the child's naming and religious instruction should the parents seemingly fail in that regard. You may request he be a mentor/helper and guardian, but a godfather, no. That IS insulting.

KingCeltic77 18

I am sorry, but sometimes people just try to look for fights. Go to the Rock You Like a Hurricane video on YouTube. That is the biggest religious debate I've seen.

A godparent is someone to help the child throughout their life, to keep on the righteous path to god. According to the government, a godparent is not recognized. In the event of both parents untimely end, the child will go to the next of kin, and not the godparents, unless stated in their final wills.

KingCeltic77 18

This kind of reminds me of a King of Queens episode. By the way, if you wanna religious debate, to the Rock You Like a Hurricane video on YouTube.

Ydi for not realising being a godfather is associated with a religious role.