Harry's Christening

[humantupperware1]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Caius Marcius" <
coriolan at w...> wrote:
> From JKR's Q & A in Edinburgh:
> 
> 
> In my dictionaries 'christening" is defined as a 'baptism', which in 
> the USA these days is a ceremony that would only be conducted if the 
> family had some affiliation with a Christian church (however 
> nominal). Does the same thing hold true in Britain? Might a British 
> family circa 1980 have held a "christening" without any affiliation, 
> involvement or belief in a church?
> 
>   - CMC

HumanTupperware here:

I'm from australia, which has heavy British roots, and though a Christening or 
Baptism (same thing)  definately originated under Christian or mostly Catholic 
rule, the ritual itself has changed over the years.... 

now parents tend to choose so called "GODparents" for thier children mainly 
to determine who will take over the care of thier children if something 
happens to the parents. This procedure is not necessarily accompanied by 
the traditional Catholic ritual of inducting a new baby into the faith by pouring 
holy water over it's head, declaring it as a child of God, stating it's name to the 
congregation, and taking a vow from the "GODparents" that in the event of the 
death of the parents, they will take over the child's care and spiritual welfare. 

Thus, Sirius being Harry;s godfather I would beleive is more on the symbolic 
side, merely meaning that he was the person chosen to look after Harry if 
anything happened to Lily and James. This decision does not have to have 
any religious connections, despite the continued use of the term 
GODparents.........and considering all those witch burnings in the middle ages, 
I don't think wizards and witches hold much stock for religion!!!!

Just a little bit of my old catholic school upbringing coming out.......(ugh)

hope this is of some help.......

HumanTupperware