How should I raise my daughters?

[Moonfire Shadowfox]

My fiancee says he believes in GOD but I do not. should I let him get our girls baptised or should I raise them as I have become?

[Teresa]

Are they old enough to decide things ? I would let them explore other religions as they desired to.Sending You energy to make a wise decision for them.

[Muireannach]

Let them chose their path. Expose them to all religions from Christianity all the way to Paganism. They are their own people and they will gravitate towards what is right for them. I believe the only things that should be inherited are genetics and good values, not religions.

[emmunite]

I was born and raised catholic. When I had my boys I did have them baptised...I'd "fallen" off the path so to speak. I've been following the path off and on for bout 10 years now...I start then life takes a major turn and I'm totally sidetracked...at least that's what's happened in the past. Now, sidetracks or not, I'm here. Bottom line there's nothing wrong with compromise. It's not going to hurt the girls if they're baptised. If it keeps the peace fine...do it. There's nothing to say that once they're baptised that they're in that religon forever and there's no turning back. At the moment, I don't have any type of orginized religion that I'm exposing the boys to. I've yet to be able to research "churches" in the area. I try to instill a love and respect for mother nature and a higher power. In the summer when it's warm...the boys and I go outside to say goodnight to mother nature and thank her for the day (this was from my mom...when the boys would go visit her they'd go out on the lani in the morning and say good morning to mother nature). When we go to the park and walk in the woods we're in mother natures house. My 7 y/o today said "Hi Grandma" to a groundhog in my yard. I asked him about it and he said, "Groundhogs are part of nature and now so is Grandma." Can't argue that logic. I don't necessairly "hide" my beliefs from the boys...but they're only 6 and 7...too young IMO to fully aprise them of my beliefs. They will find their path be it this or another.

If you do decide to do the baptism thing...you can always modify in your mind what's occuring...you can make it a dedication ritual to Goddess as well as it being a different religions rite.

Blessings to you and may you find the choice easily and swiftly.

[Jenne]

That all depends on how equally with your fiance you want to raise your girls. Is he their father? If so, I think he deserves equal time with them. Otherwise, it's your call. If you are leaning towards sharing your own way with them and allowing them the freedom to choose on your own, I'd just simply tell him this and let it be. I'd allow him to share his own beliefs, but not to push them on the girls, as they are your children. Parents have the say-so, and those in their lives who are not their parents but rather integral figures in their upbringing should respect the parents' wishes.

Good luck, however it turns out!

[magick_faerie]

i would let them have some experience of both your faiths and then let them choose when they are old enough. Religion is a personal choice, its not something parents should force upon their kids, they will find their own path, have faith

brightest blessings

fae

[Shanti]

You and your partner, together, are the only ones who can make those type of desisions. If you are not making those choices 'together' then your not raising your children 'together' and thus its not much of a partnership.

Sorry if I sound rude but you said fiance....I am asuming that means you are going to be together and raise the children together...that means 2 people 'mutually' making choices.

[Cadabuz]

Well I was baptised but I am not really a Christian anymore. I do not see anything worng with getting them baptised but as others have said I think it should be a mutual decision you make with your Fiance. The other thing is that you are never too old to be baptised. Can this wait until they are old enough to choose for themselves? Just my random thoughts. I am sending some clarifying energy and some energy to be strong. I wish you well in your decision.

[Aleannah]

(((((energy sent for the right decision to be made for all parties concerned)))))

[ObsidianSunrise]

I agree with what many have said. I raised my children to explore all choices in their lives and when they had questions I helped them find the answers for themselves. Having been raised caught between two different branches of Christianity, I wasn't about to force any beliefs on my children. You and your fiance should sit down together by yourselves and talk about what is important to each of you and see where you can reach an agreement.

[Blue Eye eyE eulB]

Hello,

I see 8 months ago you were wondering about Baptism by Christians....

I would suggest that you don't do it: not to be against 'Christianity', but what has taken the world by pillage and plunder is not what Jesus Christ was. And so to be watered upon by these priests is to distance a being from what is Real. I remind us all of the witch burnings and ....

And so: to take your children into a church to be watered upon to protect them from 'evil', I could see as a traumatic experience.

...As an Essene, Jesus practiced what would be considered pagan practices, what are pagan practices. The Essenes practiced communion with the Angelic forces morning and night: as written in "The Manual of Discipline" of the Dead Sea Scrolls...

"With the coming of day I embrace my Mother, with the coming of night I join my Father, and with the outgoing of evening and morning I will breathe Their Law, and I will not interrupt these Communions until the end of time."

This was the wisdom which Moses brought down from the Mountain but could not share with the mass of people, as they were not ready and had to be satisfied with the Ten Commandments.

The Essene Tree of Life with 7 angels of the Mother, correlating with the body and so knowing our body, and with the 7 angels of the Father, correlating with the mind and so knowing our mind.

Water being one of the seven angels of the Earthly Mother: there is much contemplation and communion to be done with it... the Essenes spending one morning a week in meditation with it, besides bathing in cold water each morning upon rising.

-With a clear mind I can see that if you celebrate water as rain, as streams, ocean, and tap with your children and marvel with them at how this living being Water moves through our bodies and is a connection to the Earthly Mother. If the children can decide what water is to them, then it could be possible that under a church baptism they could see the experience as how the preacher-man and folk view water.... something which they personally already hold sacred to themselves.

(I imagine the church priests intimate that they are the only ones allowed to do such as a baptism and the atmosphere could have various complexes all about it.)

With these Ideas I had hoped to share a way that could reconcile whats Real with what happens to be going on in commerce in these days.

-Irish Druids did practice Baptism upon babies as well, similar to the Essenes I believe: it is in the context.

I meant these words to bee soothing, peace generating and a thrill for all quartz in all computers everywhere.

[Élistariel]

As a former baptist. I say wait until they are old enough to decide. My parents didn't have me baptised as a kid, and I'm grateful.
Now my only problem is keeping from being baptised. My grandparents (who raised me from age 8) want me to "be saved."
I may not be baptist, but the meaning is the same for me as it is for them. I don't accept Jesus as my lord and savior, therefore it's not right for me. I can't tell them that either. *sigh* Oh well I'll just have to use my "line" when they tell me I need to be saved, I just say "I'm fine like I am"... it's working so far. :lol:

[BrigidMoon]

Depending on their ages, I think you shouldn't get them baptized but let them attend the church and functions but also get experience for your path as well. It's okay to expose children to different types of religions in my eyes.

[Dragonladyofwater]

I agree alot with what both Shanti and BrigidMoon said.

I personally see faith as a more universal thing, faith is faith no matter where you place it. So I am not concerned over which religion they will chose, I am here to guide, mentor and teach my children as best I can. If I do my best perhaps when they go out into the world they will be well equipped with what they need. My children have been taught my ways since birth, they have been shown their fathers ways as well, he is Methodist. What they decide will ultimately be up to them.

I have no fears about showing them as many paths as possible, the more they know before they go out into that big sometimes ugly world the better.

[Aislingraven]

My fiancee says he believes in GOD but I do not. should I let him get our girls baptised or should I raise them as I have become?

baptised? ack. IMHO and this is what I would personally do.. teach them the beauty of both of your beliefs. Not pushy.. just educational and kid orientated.. well age appropriate really.
That way they can decide for themselves and see that 2 seperate beliefs can live in the same home and that home can still = love. That is the biggest lesson.. tolerance and love.

okay.. that's my 2 cents.