Question for Mormons?

Question

I just watched a documentary about the Mormon faith and in the program they stated that they baptise the dead. I know that they don't actually baptise a dead body but what I wanted to know was, they don't just take a deceased persons name and bapise them? I am worried that my grandparents and relatives might be rebaptised Mormon. Is this a concern? And is there a way to find out if they have?

In the program I watched, they said that they had done this to some of the people killed in the Holocaust. And that the Jewish weren't to happy about it. It really didn't sound like it was a "familly" thing. They said that they were trying to save the worlds dead.

Answer 1

As has been mentioned above, it's done via proxy work, which means that a living person stands in for someone who's died. It's in accordance with the 15th chapter of the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians (KJV, particularly verses 15-17 and 29).

As for whether or not it's a concern for you, let me put it this way...

There are churches out there that say that unless you're baptised, while alive, by the process that their church's doctrine, you don't get saved (and I think I'm relatively safe to think you don't believe every church out there is true). If that doesn't bother you, why should the Mormon Church's doctrine on baptism for the dead bother you? After all, it's just another form of baptism done by a church with doctrine that you don't believe in. If the Mormon Church is false, it doesn't really make a difference, right? (On the other hand, if the Mormon Church is correct...)

Answer 2

Basically, we perform the ordinance, which the name is usually given to the temple by family member's of the deceased to avoid any issues, and by proxy, we stand in for that person. The ordinance is performed. The person's name is never recorded in the church membership records and we believe that person also has the ability and right to choose to accept or reject the ordinances performed for them. They are not 'automatically' mormon. We really have no idea whether or not they will accept the ordinance, but we have been commanded by the Lord to do temple work, so we try our very best.
I heard someone say, think about it like this:
If the church is true, then that person has had the most wonderful ordinance performed for them and would be eternally grateful. If the church is not true, then the person performing the ordinance just got dipped in water.

I am not sure of the way to find out if ordinances have been performed, normally a family member needs to submit the name unless the person has been dead for more than 100 years... then I think the names are extracted from records and submitted to the temple...but I could be wrong.
Whenever I go to the temple, I perform ordinances for people I do not know and were not in my family "line" because I have never submitted any.

Answer 3

I use to be Mormon, when I got the names for the church, what happened was, the church would go to old churches in England or other countries and go to the churches there and get there babtism records, there marriage records and their records of who died, the records that the pastors or preachers or Father's would keep. They would take a picture of it, turn it into a microphish, which I would then have to desipher, by hoping I could read their handwritting (some of the handwritting was like a doctor's handwritting). Then My handy work would be sent to the temple, a person who was standing in for that person would have their name mentioned and say "In proxy for" and then they would mention all the names of the people I had written down off of the preist's records and they would babtize them or seal the Marriade cople in a temple marriage in the church. I do not believe this is binding in heaven, as I do not believe that anyone can capture anyone's soul in their church and keep it just because they perform a rite or ritual. Thats a pagan belief liek if you drink someone's blood you have taken on that person's essence. It just shows off the chruches pagan side, that they can catch and capture souls and horde them into their church, even tho they say the spirits have the right to deny or except the babtism or marriage being performed. You also have to relize they believe in talking to the dead, alos a pagan belief or a kind of ancetral worship. they belive that when these babtisms are being performed that sometimes the dead will come back and thanks them for doing the babtism for them.

Answer 4

Many good points written above. I did the "baptism for the dead" when I was a teenager. I went into the font and was dunked for each name. I don't remember exactly how many, but it was at least 20. Each name was read, then dunk, then on to the next name. I didn't know any of the names. Yes, they are baptized "Mormon", why else would a Mormon church be doing it? The family of the deceased does not have to give consent to have this ceremony performed, and will not be notified. I remember that a few years ago Anne Frank's name was on the list of those baptized! I don't think that it is a concern, but you could contact your local LDS church and ask for information.

Answer 5

I used to be mormon -I think there is a way to find out if they have done this "ceremony" for an ancestor, but I am not sure exactly how to go about that (you could call a local church for more information I suppose). Just so you know, when they do those "by proxy" baptisms for the dead, they still believe it's up to that person to accept or not accept the ritual. so, if they do a baptism for a deceased relative of yours, in theory that doesn't mean much unless that person accepts the baptism in the "afterlife."

Answer 6

No, we don't baptise corpses. It is done by proxy. A living person is baptized in the deceased person's name. And then the deceased may choose to accept or reject the baptism, as they see fit. So if your grandparents' work has been done and they choose not to accept it, there is not a problem. It is their choice.

Additionally, a person must be deceased for minimum of one year and some member of their family gives permission for the baptism to take place.

You can look on the Church website to see if their records are on there.

Answer 7

First off, they don't just pick people at random for the baptisms. They pick people from the list of geneaological records...in other words, we do baptisms for OUR own families, so you have to be related to those people in some way to have their names baptized.

Also, When we do Baptisms for the dead, it doesn't make the person Mormon (like so many people believe).. ..it doesn't change anything for the person unless they choose to accept that ordinance. The reason we do it is because there are so many people out there who lived their lives, but never had an opportunity to know who Christ was. As John 3:3-5 states that we must be baptized to enter a covenant with Christ...what about all the ones who never had that chance when they were alive? Through the baptisms we feel we are giving people an opportunity to accept the Gospel...not to baptize them into our faith.

Answer 8

If I baptize you and make you a Smurf, does that make you a Smurf?

Would you be offended that you're now a Smurf or just think "That dude is weird...he just baptized me a Smurf"

If the Mormons are wrong, and wasting their time and money saying silly things in their buildings, why should you care? Why waste your time trying to get them to change their ways?

In the event that in 100 years you find out that they're right, it might actually help you out.

Either way you have nothing to loose, and everything to gain. After I get done writing this, I might just turn you into a Smurf!

How do you feel about being a Mormon Smurf???

Answer 9

I know this sounds wierd, but im mormon, and i have done this before. What they do is take a group of young, clean teenagers to baptize for the dead who didnt get a chance to do it as they were alive. Its an honor to do it, and very nice. You get to do something for someone who is dead. Ofcourse, the people you baptize for must have been mormon or with family members that agree to this. They cant just randomly baptize dead people. Any other question?

Answer 10

My family are Moormans, not Mormons, but I have several Mormon cousins as well as Morman cousins, and I will tell you what I know about it.

If you have any Mormons in the family tracing your family tree, there is a chance that all of your deceased relatives could be baptized in their church. I think my grandparents were, etc. I really don't know how you would find out if any members of your family had under gone one of their ceremonies. I just know that they seem to be engaged in this practice.