Godparents in popular culture

[HomeschoolDad]

You often see references to one’s “godfather” or “godmother” in popular culture, with no apparent religious significance to it. Has it become a slang term for someone who has a significant role in a child’s life, or some kind of family-like connection?

The first example that comes to mind is Dolly Parton being Miley Cyrus’s “godmother”. I don’t think this is a reference to a baptismal sponsor. More of a social thing?

 

[Sing04]

I’m a Godparent, and I was JUST thinking about how some people make it seem like I have to buy clothes and toys for my Godchildren. My role is to instruct them in the faith!!! Parents can clothe the children!! I mean I can, and do buy gifts for them, but that is not my role. It is a bit awkward to me when I get a message from one of my Godchild’s parent subtly telling me to buy them something. I also understand if they are in a critical financial situation and do not have any clothing then totally I’ll help out! I am glad not ALL of my Godchildren’s parents think my role is to buy them things. I think you are talking about how now if someone opens up a business or something they have a “godparent” for that. I might’ve taken the conversation to another direction.

 

[Allegra]

I think some people do use the term for an adult that’s a close to the family as family, but not technically related. I’ve had students who have used the term “God-brother” and “Step-Godfather.” It’s one of those “You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means,” things, I guess.

 

[redbetta]

Some people use godparent as a term for someone who would take care of their kid in the event something would happen to them. Oddly enough, I’ve heard the concept of godparent showing up in anime. I didn’t know the Japanese had such a concept.

 

[ATraveller]

Cultural appropriation. (Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[Brendea]

In some cases its the person who gets the child if anything happens to the parents

 

[Padres1969]

As faith had diminished in most people’s lives, yes godparent no longer has a religious connotation for a large number of people. And even among religious folks it’s meaning has become muddled due to the secular side of the term, and different religions understanding of the role. The traditional catholic view of godparenting is decidedly fading in my experience. I know when we selected godparents for my oldest there was much consternation that we didn’t select certain people, but we chose based on who still actively practiced their Christian faith which confused those that we would have otherwise picked if they were still believers.

 

[Joe_5859]

Yes, people have some different ideas when it comes to godparents (and to a lesser extent, sponsors for Confirmation and/or adult Baptisms). Some people do think that by selecting someone as a godparent they are making some sort of legally binding declaration that these people will raise their child should they die. I’m not sure why that is.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I think a lot of people use the term in the sense of the “fairy godmother” from Cinderella and dozens of other fairy tales, or the “Godfather” from the mob movie franchise.

Outside the religious context, a godfather or godmother is like a mentor who shows you the ropes and makes good things happen for you, or somebody who is powerful in a scene or an industry. As Joe said, some may also use it in the sense of a guardian or somebody who is going to raise you or look after you when your actual parent is dead or incapacitated.

 

[JonNC]

My daughter is godmother to her niece. She regularly checks in on the child’s Christian education.
She does a very good job of being a godparent.