Religion has nothing to do with it, #1. OP's friend is just a bit thick in the head.

The role of a godparent is to help the child become closer to God. How is he supposed to do that if he doesn't believe in God?

A godparent is a legal guardian of the child in case the parents die ya nit wit.

A Godfather or Godmother is the guardian that will take the child if the parent(s) die. Edit: 14 beat me to it.

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

A godparent is actually someone that would take care of the child if something bad were to happen to the parents of said child.

Actually it could be legal or religious. Apparently the friend assumed the latter.

You're stupid. Enough said.

Er, no. "Godparent" is a role assigned at a Christening - kind of like being the best man at a wedding. Legal guardianship requires an actual legal process.

Yes it does!!!

19, your argument is compelling. And unless OP is the head of a crime syndicate, the usual context of the word involves a Baptism.

21 - no... It's not like being the best man at a wedding...

#53 just shut up now Your argument is invalid, and now you're just changing your words around to make yourself seem correct. You just need to quit while you are behind.

Not sure why some of these comments are getting thumbed down. Originally, a godparent would be the person who would sponsor the child at his/her baptism. Their role, as others have said, is to 'make sure' the child continues their faith if something would happen to the parents. Yes, the faith aspect may not play as big as a role for some people but to say religion has nothing to do with it is quite silly.

#53, you don't know what you're talking about do you..

70- Thank you for making me realize I have not lost my head.

Not pertaining to the fml, but #2 I love your username!

Well, obviously the word "godfather" has many different meanings. The one most commonly used is in the religious context, which is why OP's friend was offended. I don't understand why this is so difficult for some people to understand.

I don't know about you guys but as far as I know, god parents (mine) are people who you can have fun with, give you money, and will be there for you in a way that a parent can't. Like teaching you about how to get a boyfriend/girlfriend. Or even giving you your first beer.

Thank you, #131, I appreciate the compliment.

16- 1,000 points for gryffindor for that comment

My godfather is an atheist and so is my godmother. It doesn't have much to do with religion anymore. ^ proof. You don't need to believe in god to be godparents.

#1 I gotta ask we're you dropped a lot as a baby or are u really that dumb

That doesn't even make sense. A godfather is someone who looks after the child if something were to happen to the parents you idiots....

Why would you have a child christened unless it was a religious thing? The words of the service dedicate the child to the service of God. That seems pretty religious to me, and exactly why none of my children were christened.

22 - it's also another word for setting the person as the child's legal guardian should something happen to the child's parents Do you have something in place for your 4 children should something happen to you? I'm sure you do, and those people would be referred to as your children's god parents

#32 Marriage is a religious idea dating back to the days of the bible. So it was actually religious before political.

#3 is right. To officially be a god parent it's a religious thing. In order for my sisters children's god parents to be official they had to be confirmed Catholics. Since my kids god parents aren't religious we just keep it unofficial

Ya fuck that shiot

That assumption is wrong. Its' roots are in religious upbringing, and the honor of the spirit is still important for its continuation. The friend with no belief in god understands this.

77 Umm.. Marriage has existed for much much longer than the bible.

#77 You're both right. It was a political thing as women were considered property way back when and marriage was a business transaction between the father of the bride and the husband, as the father "sold" his daughter by way of the dowry.

Not necessarily. Some of my atheist friends also have godparents, it's an option you can take when getting civicly married : you basicly choose the people you want taking care of your child if anything happens

Now it's a honor that you give to somebody

BS. I'm an agnostic, (which in case u don't know, is not believing in any organized religion, but respecting other people's) and I don't believe in Jesus, but so what? being a godfather has nothing to do with religion. Even if it does, you don't have to be religious. Youre not a priest, just be there for the child. Big whoop.

BS. I'm an agnostic, (which in case u don't know, is not believing in any organized religion, but respecting other people's) and I don't believe in Jesus, but so what? being a godfather has nothing to do with religion. Even if it does, you don't have to be religious. Youre not a priest, just be there for the child. Big whoop.

BS. I'm an agnostic, (which in case u don't know, is not believing in any organized religion, but respecting other people's) and I don't believe in Jesus, but so what? being a godfather has nothing to do with religion. Even if it does, you don't have to be religious. Youre not a priest, just be there for the child. Big whoop.

Godparents are not the same thing as legal guardians. My godparents are not the same people who would have been my guardians if my parents died before I became an adult. Also, most people I know have two or three godparents. How would they decide which one gets the child? My mom is the legal guardian of four children if something happens to their parents; she is only the godmother of two of them.

#163: i was under the impression that 'agnostic' meant that you believed in a higher power, but do not associate with any given religion. because atheists can not believe in any organized religion, but respect other people's as well ;) interesting fact: according to the dictionary, agnostic means "a person who holds that the existence of the ultimate cause, as God, and the essential nature of things are unknown and unknowable, or that human knowledge is limited to experience."

#56 Being named a godparent is a religious rite, practiced mainly in Catholicism. Outside of that, the legal term is contingent guardian

Thank you, 167, I was about to correct him/her but you beat me to it. I'm agnostic because I truly believe human's can't know whether a higher power exists or not, and I really don't like when people throw that word around when they don't know the definition.

There's nothing saying that this is a religious context though. There are a lot of people that view a godparent as someone who would care for the child should something happen to the parents.

Actually, agnosticism is more of an unsureness about religion; you don't believe in god or religion, bu you don't have a strong disbelief in the religious system, either. Saying that agnostic means a respect for other people's religion implies that Athiests don't have this respect. This is not true at all. Sure, there are athiests that would love to see religion disappear, but all altheist means is someone who does not belive in a god, and chooses not to be associated with a religion. I am an atheist, and I always respect everyone's diverse religious ideas. Also, in the christian religion, the role of the godfather is to carry on the role of religious instructor (and sometimes a gaurdian) in the child in the case that the parents are unable to. So, although he coud've phrased it differently, the friend was right.

In order to be a god parent in any religion, (the only place you would be a god parent) you must be of that faith. The church that the baptism is to occur is going to require that you are in good standing with that religion. During the ceremony the priest, pastor, officiant is going to ask the god parents if you are willing to continue the religious education in the absence of the parent(s). So if he is atheist then he cannot perform this function. If you are looking for a guardian, then I am sure that any court can help you accomplish this regardless of religion.

just wanted to say thanks. I have dealt with a number of atheist who want me to respect their viewpoint but then act like any believer is beneath them and too foolish to live. Thank you for your tolerance wish there was more of it in the world

Well, to be fair, since it was originally religious, you can't really blame him for seeing it that way. Just because he has a different perspective doesn't mean he's stupid. And honestly, OP probably explained immediately after that he meant it in the legal sense and not the religious, so it wasn't even a big deal.

There is no legal sense. It's not a legal concept. It's a religious role.

#36, I was saying he is an idiot because he couldn't have said anything more rude to one of his best friends.

44- it becomes a legal concept when something happens to OP and the other parent. A godparent is more of a legal guardian nowadays than it is for religious upbringing.

How is it rude? Consider it an honor to be chosen to love and care for a child, no matter what the so-called religious "roots" from long ago. OP meant well.

#4 & 68. Perhaps you should look up the meaning of the term "Idiot Savant". To quote a well known spaniard..."I do not think it means, what you think it means."

36 does have a point.

No it's not.

Wow you are hot ;D

I know... He doesn't even use end parentheses when he speaks

uh yes he does, look before the "huh"

61 - end quotation marks*. Quotation marks are these ". Parentheses are these ( ).

You three should tweak more.

And also it isn't the godfather typing here idiot. It's the father of the child...

Why is all this happening under my comment? D:

Um. What?

Theist=opposite of atheist (people that believe in the existence of a god or gods)

No shit. I'm saying those who are ignorant atheist as in this fml are just as bad as ignorant bible thumping theists.

74, chill. This is a place for laughs, not for rants.

74, I think 64 was clarifying your meaning because of the "Um. What?" comment. Despite popular belief, not all commenters are here just to insult the intelligence of others.

6- People on here thumb down when they don't know the meaning of a word. Rather than asking the commenter, they thumb you down for using words out of an everyday vocabulary.

Word. Seems to be quite the opposite though. All these grammer and spelling correction enthusiasts floating around.

You were right, 116. Grammar**

Minus the angry, I'm with 6/74. Stupid is the real problem, and stupidity has infected many believers and atheists alike. Don't be stupid.

Why's it gotta be the Bible? Why not Koran-thumping? Hmmm? Somebody's a little prejudice if I do say so myself.

So you hate all ignorant people?

43- He said he hates ignorant people regardless of if their religious or not.

Atheists are dumb. THEISTS: 1 ATHEISTS: 0

What?

Explain what? A godparent is responsible for the religious upbringing of a child if the parents die and is expected to support their religious upbringing throughout their life. The guy shouldn't have been cross about it, but the parent also shouldn't have asked.

^idiots should not just keep spouting the same text book definition of the word when it's obvious that's not the common usage of the word today.

58, so the issue here seems to be that most people today are ignorant of the words true meaning while the friend is using it properly?

75 - Or that the word has evolved to mean something else as well...

I always felt that these days being a Godparent is a way to bring a best friend closer to the family. I'm an Atheist, but I was over the moon when my best friend asked me to be Godmother. As a fellow Atheist, I think OPs best friend is overreacting.

Godparents are a 100% religious concept, with absolutely no legal standing at all. The word has not "evolved in meaning" just because many people cling to ceremonies without understanding the actual meaning behind them. I find it amusing that atheists know more about religions than the people who believe in them.

ur hot

I liked because you're hot ;D

Wouldn't matter. You can be atheist and still be religious. I think religion offers many valuable community services and opportunities, still doesn't mean there's a god figure who cares about us all.

You cannot be atheist and religious at the same time.

I think he means having religious values. The people he speaks of are the reason the Jeffersonian bible was written

I agree. I'm an atheist and my best friend wanted me to do all that without the religious part. When her son was born, we just renamed it to sun mommy and sun child. When we people ask who I'm not familiar with, I just say godmother. It doesn't bother me.

Yes god parent is a religious thing. Unless its the mafia version and most of those are catholic so it still is a religious thing.

Why is he an idiot? Just for being atheist?

No, for thinking godparents have to be religious in the modern age. You're either legally retarded or just a dirty troll, not that there's much difference between the two.

Wow so being legally retarded makes them a dirty troll? That's pretty low.

Aww, you can twist words, how cute! You and lonely_heart_89 should get get married and have derp children together or some shit, you're perfect for each other.

For thinking "godparent" means "I believe in God". I never said anything about atheism.

You know, the term "GODparent" does, actually, have the word "God" in it, so forgive me for correctly thinking that it has something to do with religion... There's no need for the name-calling, either.