I have a problem. I recently had a baby; he is one month old. I am planning to have him christened at my church, which is a Baptist church, but my baby's father wants him to be christened at a Seventh-day Adventist Church. I asked his mom and his sister if they were going to attend his christening and they said no. They do not believe in the Baptist faith. They say it's not fair and, by right, the child should be christened at their church.

make the sacrifice

My mom is against me christening him at the SDA church and I don't have a problem with that. Before I got pregnant, I went to church almost every Sunday. My child's father doesn't go to church regularly, maybe once in a blue moon. We had an argument over the issue and he told me he wasn't going to attend.

What should I do? Should I do the christening without his family? He is now changing his mind and wants to attend, but if his family can't make the sacrifice and be there, I don't want him there. Am I being selfish?

S.S., St Catherine, Jamaica

Dear S.S.,

People fight over religion all the time. They have been doing so for centuries. That is why, as a rule, I do not discuss religion and politics on my 'Dear Pastor' show. People have even killed in the name of religion. Everybody is trying to prove that his/her faith is better than the other.

You got involved with a man whose background is Seventh-Day Adventist. He doesn't attend church regularly but his parents do.

attitude is wrong

You are a Baptist and you attend church often. Now, as the mother of the child, you have a right to dedicate this child in your church, especially after you have had a discussion with the father and informed him that you would love to dedicate the child in the Baptist church.

That's it. Argument done. His parents do not have the right to insist that your child be dedicated in their church. Their attitude is wrong. If they don't want to attend the dedication, they may stay home; dont let them try to direct or control you. I hope you would encourage the father to attend the dedication. He has come to realise that he was on the wrong side, so let him attend and give his support.

Pastor