"Christening a Warship?" Topic

I'm surprised that this tradition has not yet come to the attention of those who want to change things.

Christening is the practice of breaking a sacrificial bottle of champagne over the bow as a ship is named aloud and launched. It seems to be a parallel of the christening of babies performed in many Christian faiths.

Should the tradition be continued as-is, renamed, modified, or done away with?

Huh? Does someone want to change it?

Seems an obvious target, but not that I know of.

I really don't see any concerns over this, other than the cleanup of broken glass from the event(s).

Of course, many traditions are under intense scrutiny and attack, so I wouldn't be surprised.

Who wants to change it? Is this like the mythical war on Christmas that doesn't really exist? This is how these myths get started. By the end of the week this will be all over the internet and then TV. Then some Congressman will rail about it on the house floor. Then Tucker Carlson will scream that it is the end of America as we know it.

Oh my Goodness..no you don;t change tradition.

Sailors are superstitious enough that if congress doesn't allow it a half-dozen sailors (possibly with the captain) would sneak out the night before and do it anyway.

We could go back to sacrificing Oxen like the Baylonians did, or killing a slave like the Vikings did… it isn't a Christian tradition…

This is so clearly just stoking indignation for indignation's sake.

it isn't a Christian tradition

For that matter, many religions were sprinkling water on people, or immersing them long before Christianity arose.

There's nothing new under the Sun God.

The pot needed stirring, huh. Tsk,tsk,tsk.

What he just said…

+1 Old Contemptible

Some of you may find interesting this account of the christening of USS Kentucky, BB-6
link

Or maybe not. If you ask me, people reaching a major milestone in Building A Major Capital Investment are likely to do _something_ to mark the occasion.

Anyway, a while back, passed by local Salvation Army Thrift Store, spent a buck on Michael S. Sanders' _The Yard: Building A Destroyer at the Bath Iron Works_ – about one of last ships launched 'sliding down the ways' (I got to watch a ship launched atht way when I was 7. It warped me for life. ;-) ) There's a couple of chapters on the physics, etc, of launching a ship. Well worth reading

Should the tradition be continued as-is, renamed, modified, or done away with?

Oh dear. This smacks of desperation.

Here's an article from the U.S. Navy's Naval History and Heritage Command on the origins and history of ship christening:

link

+1 Old Contemptible

I think they already started moving from smashing a bottle to something else like pouring or ceremonial tap depending on the person, at least some videos exist of it. More to do with the bottle not breaking and looking dumb.

As for USN tradition, they named a carrier after Truman.

You could make the bottle out of the glass that they use for stunts in Hollywood. It shatters easily and doesn't make large sharp pieces.

Maybe the fact that it hasn't come under attack could cause some deliberation about and why certain things do produce ire and that there is no wholesale attack on "traditional values"? But no, that would require deliberation and not get that sweet outrage high.

Besides, anyone who thinks the ceremony has more to do with Christianity than the champagne doesn't know sailors very well.

Oberlindes Sol LIC- I think you are referring to "breakaway glass" which is actually sugar glass. There are also modern replacements like the resin Piccotex, Praglass, etc.

I do believe that they never say "I Christen this ship….."

Don't they say "I name this ship……". The "God Bless this ship and all who sail in her." comes afterwards. See link

YouTube link

That was HM ER naming an aircraft carrier after herself. Note she says name, not Christen, and as head of the Church (Pope eat your heart out, LOL), she should know.

Given that the Argo was named, I think you are pushing the 'Christian angle' a bit with that statement. They've probably been spilling alcohol on ships to celebrate its naming long before John the Baptiste started his thing.