I would never be asked. I'm way too irresponsible.

If I were though, I'd accept under one condition. I'd have to be referred to as the Dogfather.

I am my oldest niece's godmother. (Always a godmother, never a god. Sigh.) And even though I was still more or less a believer at the time I was asked to be her godmother, I would still say yes if someone dear to me asked me to be a godmother to their child, because I see it as both an honor and an opportunity to play an important role in a child's life. For my niece, I try to be a positive role model, a person she can come to for support and advice, and someone who provides guidance on some of life's trickier ethical dilemmas. So, basically, a Super Auntie. Even when she was little, religion rarely played a role in it.

I would say yes as it is being an advocate for the child if the parents died.

To me a godparent is who ends up with the kid if both parents die. I'd have to decline such an offer.

I would say yes. I look at it as being an advocate for the child - IDGAF about the ritual; means nothing (as we all agree).

My brother and I were asked to be "godparents" of our first niece decades ago, I want to say my niece is likely in her late-forties by now. All three of us ended up atheists, so I guess its moot now, haha!

Nowadays I'm likely too old to be anyone's god-parent, but even when I was a young adult, anyone who knew me then knew I'm a confirmed humanist.

As a Humanist Celebrant, I have performed some Baby Glistenings or Blessings. (Our answer to Christenings) We welcome children into Humanism with wonderful family values outlined and "Guide Parents" named in the event the child needs a caring adult to help them through tough times with moral support. Often the parents don't even need to make a choice of just 2 guideparents, but are able to make it clear to the child that they have a network of caring adults, be they family members, neighbors, teachers or whoever they can trust.

I believe nowadays, parents think long and hard about who to name as guardian for their children, in the event of an untimely death of the parents... I believe this is a totally secular but legal filing the parents include as part of their will.

I would be curious if a spiritual god parent has any legal duties in the event of the parents death, unless they've agreed to be named as guardian in the legal paperwork. I believe that even if the parents have named a spiritual god parent, it would be whoever they have listed in the legal paperwork that would be the responsible party for the children in the event of death.

I am a godparent. Several times over.
To me, it means that I will take responsibility for the child if anything happens to his or her parents.
It has nothing to do with anything religious.
Those who have asked me to stand as godparent to their child have all known that I am an atheist. They asked anyway, and never specified they wanted me to
facilitate their children's religious exposure. I would have refused, and they all
knew that, too.
Those that I am godmother to are all grown with children of their own now.
It's turned into a joke with all of them. In the vein of "The Godfather" movies.

Wow, I guess not being raised in religion, (and living in liberal PNW) I have a totally different concept of what a godparent is. To me, I always thought of it as someone who would step in to be the parents if the bio parents died.

A parent that believes in god? lets me out

I would say I will happily be the favorite crazy aunt, but I can't participate in the religious aspect that being a godparent implies.

No. It's based on Catholic tradition.

I think I would politely decline as I have no god so wouldn't be at all suitable.In England it is usually 2 godfathers for a boy and one godmother, and for a girl the opposite. I only had one godmother and no godftather's; and she died before I got to know her so I wouldn't be in the know, and wouldn't be religious enough to fit the bill- It would be nice if there was a civil ceremony for allotting people to look out for your children.

It depends on who's asking. I would raise my brother's or son's children if they died but no one ekse. If they had been raised with religion I would continue with a healthy dose of contrasting viewpoints.

Anyone else I'd say thanks for thinking of me but no.

My definition of "godparent" is that the parents have put their faith in friends or family who they believe will step to the plate should anything happen to mom or dad.

To me, godparents play a role in the baptismal ceremony and agree to participate in the indoctrinaton of the kid into religion. I couldn't in good conscience agree to that. Anyway, I'm really pretty old for someone to ask. I have assumed the role of surrogate grandparent to one of my nieces. She has no living grandparents but she's got three aunts in our sixties. I sort of see us as the three fairies in Disney's Sleeping Beauty who fly protect and raise the child. The closest to the role of an actual godparent is when you ask someone to allow you to name them as guardians in your will.

I looked it up a while ago. It’s someone that helps keep the child on gods path or something like that. If someone asked me I’d have to ask them what it means to them. If it’s just being there for the kid whenever they need me then sure but if it’s anything to do with god then I wouldn’t.

I would say I will happily be the favorite crazy aunt, but I can't participate in the religious aspect that being a godparent implies.

I would be flattered if someone asked me to be a godparent. I would be taking over for them if something happened and they couldn't care for their children.

I have a less religious view. Godparents are the training wheels of childhood. More commonly a role filled by uncles.

Geeze... this is so hard to answer. Its bigger than me.