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Good call, Cary, if necessarily harsh. I am exhausted by the christenings of babies of nonreligious people. What is the point? Almost within a week these sacred oaths (if you're a believer) are forgotten and the family is not in church. My sister calls such events "The 'The' Festival" -- you have to have "the" church, "the" robe, "the" hall, "the" caterer, ad nauseum, because rituals performed for the sake of ritual must follow cookie-cutter patterns. There is so little feeling, emotion, or honesty (shame on the Church for its participation in this sham) that you feel just a bit fraudulent participating.
I say the woman is lucky to get a sneak preview of the hell that may very well be awaiting her come time for a church wedding. Grab the kid and head to Las Vegas, lady, because if your in-laws are this whacked over the christening, imagine the wedding!