Confirmation / Bierzmowanie - tradition in Poland

I thought that six years of age is too young for confirmation as it requires spiritual understanding, ability to reason and capacity to understand the concept of sin. Or is it really just a step in the process of indoctrination? It wasn't until I was about twelve that I became a "good statistic" for the church, but then I'm asking about Roman Catholic practice amongst Poles, not about Anglicanism. I didn't understand much about it all even at that age. I don't think even then I was a believer. I'm certainly not a believer now.

"There is no God. Nie ma bogu." I stated, partly hoping that my attempt at translating the statement would work, also hoping that it would ruffle a few feathers but not too much. "Może tak, może nie. Kościół? Nie." We all need a bit of counterbalance in life. I neither put my faith in there being a God, nor there not being a God.

Anyone here got any thoughts on confirmation? Perhaps someone could be a little more positive about it.

Any age is too young, if you dunno what are the other options.. How can anybody state about his spiritual understanding if he lived in a catholic ( or any other ) cage.

I wouldn't go as far as to say that no-one in an organised religion could have spiritual understanding. I just don't think a child is old enough to make such a decision. The whole point here is that it's not the child's decision. People may delude themselves into thinking that it is.

God can be a strain on relationships.

Yes, I do. Get it and than move on with your life.

I believe in Poland children make their First Holy Communion at age 9 and are confirmed at around 12-13. The Sacrament of Confirmation is meant to confrim them in their faith.

I had it when I became an adult, even after my studies. It was my choice and not my family's pressure. I was happy to do it. It was indeed a "confirmation". Actually my family didn't put any pressure on me for religion (on the contrary, as it is now in many countries of Western Europe - I'm Belgian). And when I'm in Kraków with my (Polish) girlfriend, we sometimes go to Church and it's so different (so crowded, even so many young people). I like it.

Kinda late answer but anyways, I wasn't referring to "no-one", I think about it more like - even if somebody is fe 25 so he is not a kid, if he was indoctrinated into one religion values we can't say he has got a spiritual understanding, you need to have a far deeper understanding about all religions and ethics. But that only happens in societies that are on the fringe. I agree with the children aspect - it's everywhere like that, you've got a "young protestant" or a "little catholic" even before they can actually understand what it means to be one. On the other hand in some societies it might be very hard to explain to a kid why he ain't attending with ALL the other kids to f.e. catholic religion lessons, or ceremonies - he might get isolated by other kids because he is different.

errr i had my bierzmowanie when i was 15. since when is it 12? or 6?? isn't bierzmowanie at the end of gimnazjum in Poland now?

it is during the first year of liceum (at least in my parish...) A sister of my friend had it recently... she is 16 or maybe 17