their list of geneaological records and "baptize" people into their faith, including Jews, without their consent! Why do they feel this is something that is okay to do? I personally feel this is quite arrogant of them............
2007-05-03 01:22:04 · 18 answers · asked by Mister Fizzy 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
What really bothered me was that they "baptised" Jews who had died in concentration camps. These people DIED because of their religion, and then the Mormons inflict humiliation upon them and their religion by baptising them into their "true" religion, Christianity! (apparently be a Jew wasn't good enough for them) If this is not religious arrogance than I don't know what is!!!
2007-05-03 04:35:04 · update #1
Just don't mind. As long as you have your own faith, don't mind them.
2007-05-03 01:27:38 · answer #1 · answered by Jeyp 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well if someone were to baptize me without me knowing it this would not have an effect on me until I am thoroughly informed on what that was all about. (Pardon me Catholics but you kinda do the same to your children. It's baptism without knwing too.) Now going back to the Latter Day Saints it's their belief....and why are you worried if your religious orientation is different? Shouldn't you just be laughing this one out because it is supposedly not true? I guess for the LDS this is an act of faith and a hope that their ancestors would also in turn be baptized and saved so they can move to the higher level of heaven they are in. For a non-LDS I guess it is arrogance for them it's a pursuit of faith.
2007-05-03 10:03:48 · answer #2 · answered by meredith 3 · 6⤊ 0⤋
I think you might be missing the point. When we do Baptisms for the dead, it doesn't make the person Mormon. We aren't trying to convert dead people, ha. We do it because there are SO many people out there who lived their lives, but NEVER had an opportunity to know who Christ was. I mean, if we have to be baptized to enter a covenant with Christ (see John 3:3-5) what about the ones who never had the chance when they were alive? An arrogant thing to do? No...I think it's actually a very unselfish and unique thing to do. Our Heavenly Father makes the final judgment, of course, but through these baptisms, we feel we are giving people an OPPORTUNITY to accept the Gospel...an opportunity they never had when they were alive. We don't do it to convert people.
2007-05-03 09:17:32 · answer #3 · answered by Daniel 4 · 8⤊ 1⤋
Imagine how uplifting for their descendants will be the fact that all major scientific discoveries were made by the Mormons, for example. The practice is not new, other religions did it too at some point in history. Many colleges required that the famous philosophers, scientists, for example, converted prior to employment. Many were added to the faculty ranks posthumously, after a posthumous conversion by a family member--a grand child for example.
2007-05-03 08:34:03 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It may seem arrogant to the world, but aren't Chritians or Jews
believe in Adam and Eve, aren't we all brother and sisters in gospel sense.
Is it really that wrong to be concern about the salvation of my fellow brother and sisters?
Further more, our church spokesman already explained, we only baptized those name that brought up by LDS members, and no longer baptized any that is Jewish without permission.
2007-05-03 16:48:31 · answer #5 · answered by Wahnote 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I feel this is pointless. If someone wishes to baptise me in my absence and without my consent, it has no effect on me.
But perhaps it would be justice to retaliate. I'm an agnostic, but maybe people of other faiths - specifically with other gods - would like to proxy baptise mormons into their faith?
2007-05-03 08:25:12 · answer #6 · answered by Dharma Nature 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I fail to understand your concerns. If those deceased persons do not believe in the ordinances that were performed for them vicariously by mortal men and women, then the ordinances will have no efficacy for them in the spirit world.
In essence, any ordinance performed in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for a deceased person must either be accepted or rejected by that person living in the spirit world. They are never forced to accept or to submit themselves to a belief system not their own. Nor are such ordinances automatically valid unless accepted.
Conversely, if those persons, having been informed that such ordinances had been performed for them vicariously, and had also received instruction from priesthood authorities while residing in the spirit world and then accept this Gospel as we LDS know it, then how better is it for them and their acceptance?
Therefore, I think that the only valid concerns that one could have for the situation that you elucidate would be a simple lack of concern if you, and the departed spirits, don’t believe, or unbounded joy and happiness if you do.*
Also, the Church does no vicarious ordinances for departed spirits of the Jewish faith unless their names had been submitted by their descendants--Jews themselves, but understanding the primal reason for such ordinances.
2007-05-03 12:15:24 · answer #7 · answered by Guitarpicker 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
It's not forceful in any way. We believe that one must accept Christ and be baptized to receive salvation. We do it out of love.
It is more of an offer, really. We do not force them to do anything. We merely perform the ordinance, and they can accept or decline as they wish. It's just giving them a chance. Is wanting everyone to receive salvation arrogant?
2007-05-03 08:26:09 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 1⤋
See 1 Corinthians Chapter 15. It's been practiced for a very long time.
2007-05-03 10:53:29 · answer #9 · answered by Michael H 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I wouldn't worry too much, it doesn't make sense....... surely, in order to baptise someone, the person intended to be baptised should be present and have given their consent. Otherwise, anyone and everyone could go round saying I've baptised this person and that person........bloomin' heck, someone could even claim to have baptised Hitler, but it doesn't make it significant because the act of baptism must be carried out literally in order for it to mean anything.
I'm Muslim, (with a Christian past) and if someone claimed to have baptised me in this way, it really wouldn't bother me because I know that, to me, it has absolutely no effect because in my own personal faith, baptism is not required and even if I had been baptised at birth, it has no effect later on in life when I embraced Islam...
2007-05-03 08:35:26 · answer #10 · answered by Muslimsister_2001@yahoo.co.uk 4 · 4⤊ 4⤋
Yes the Mormons do baptize people by proxy, including the dead.
I can't imagine how that would hurt anyone. Baptism is not a magic charm or spell that can do something to people without their consent.
What concerns me far more is the practice of polygamy and the oppression of women.
2007-05-03 08:29:54 · answer #11 · answered by Linda R 7 · 5⤊ 4⤋