Ya know, I understand the whole religious background behind godparents, but my atheist best friend sure didn't say anything like this to me when I told her I wanted her and her husband to be my daughter's godparents. I don't know anyone who really associates religion with it, these days.. maybe it's just me. I know I wouldn't have found it rude for anyone to ask me to be a godparent to their child.. and I'm not religious at all.. Sorry, OP. :/

In the catholic church, it is the godparent's duty to guide the child through religion. This role is not taken so seriously today, that's true. However, in some countries where catholicism is the main religion(such as here in Hungary), you can't even be a godfather if you: a) didn't have your comfirmation b) didn't pay the church taxes. I suspect that OP's atheist friend doesn't meet at least one of the above conditions.

An agnostic is someone who believes that it is impossible to know whether or not a god exists. An atheist lacks belief in all deities. BTW, it is possible to be an "agnostic atheist". As for OP, my understanding is that "godfather" is a religious term. Perhaps your friend doesn't feel right being a godfather, especially if he knows you're religious and he is not. Perhaps your question made him feel uncomfortable. I'm sure you didn't mean it, even if you knew of his lack of beliefs. I've also heard that a popular term among nonbelievers is "guardparent".

Thats exactly how i replied to my best friend when she asked me to be her kids godmother when she has kids!!

Why would you be offended just because you don't like children? I get the religious bit but, as you're talking more about the 'caring for a child' bit, surely if asked you should be honoured that your friends think so highly of you? You can decline for the reasons you stated and still find it inoffensive if a bit of a mistake. They're just asking not demanding.

You asked an Atheist to guide your child in the ways of God? Are you completely cracked?

Actually, that is rude, not bc of the word god but because godparents is traditionally a catholic thing

If you tried to discuss it with your friend and he didn't realize that you didn't mean any harm in it, and that you didn't expect him to compromise his views then FYL, but you at least learned that he's probably not guardian parent material if he's that sensitive to the idea. If you discussed it and then he did realize you didn't mean any harm by it and that you weren't being insensitive then no harm no foul. Don't feel too bad about it, one of the people at the top of my list to be a god/guardian parent to my children is agnostic, the other is Muslim. Some people are just really sensitive. :) Hope all works out for you. Edit: As someone who has been through one of these ceremonies: They're not always big affairs like in the movies. I'm not Catholic but I'm godparent to a pair of children with Catholic parents. The Catholic church didn't mind. It's not as official and strict as reading about it would have you believe. =)

Maybe he could be your sons fairly "Odd Parent"?

I'm a godfather and an atheist. I didn't see a problem with it. I'll always guide someone to make the right decisions and lead a good honest life, but not in a religious way. It's easy to lead a virtuous life without the fear of eternal damnation to make me do it.