Mormons, why do you baptize the dead against their wishes?

Question

Some of my family are Mormon who never take into account other family members wishes.

As soon as there is a death in the family they beat feet to the temple and have them sealed (married in Heaven) sometimes to an ex-husband the poor woman hated. Then they are baptized for them.

I find this practice offensive and I would like to know: How I can stop this from happening to me when I pass?

I don't want them doing this to me. Period. Is there a way to request it not be done, or is an attorney needed?

Answer 1

I've heard of this practice before, I think some of my wife's relatives found out that they were "sealed" in a mormon temple without their knowledge.

Personally, as long as this practice has no bearing on any of my legal interests, I say they can do whatever they want with my name after I'm dead.

Answer 2

Your question sounds a bit silly as it is worded. How can the dead express that the baptism is against their wishes? If it is against your wishes, that is something different. You can express to the LDS church that you do not wish this ordinance to happen to you. Such should and can be respected.

Mormon doctrine believes that baptisms for the dead/deceased is God's way of allowing those that did not hear the gospel in this life, a chance to hear it and accept it in the next. But since this life is the time to do good works, we cannot receive baptism only other than having the living do it for the dead. This is what the apostle Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 15:29.

The dead still have the responsibility to "accept" or " reject" the baptisms. It is up to them.

One last question I have, just out of curiosity. If one does not believe in baptism for the dead, what does it really matter that another faith group is doing it. If you don't believe in it, it doesn't really matter, does it? just curious and sincerely interested in knowing what the thinking is with that.

Answer 3

I find it offensive, although no Mormon will ever know my true name. The name that appears on my birth certificate, that's just my legal name. My family will rest easy knowing they can never disrespect my memory with their meaningless and powerless rite. What's scary is that the Mormons know it's a rite that's disrespectful of the memory of the dead. That's why, when asked to stop doing it with the names of Holocaust victims, THEY AGREED TO STOP. If it was truly in no way offensive, if it was 100% positive, and did no harm, if it did not dishonor memories, there would've been no reason to agree to stop, especially since they keep getting caught doing it again and again, and agreeing to stop has shown that they either lied when they agreed to stop (in which case they are liars, and that makes them really bad people) or they have no control over the situation (in which case they had no business agreeing to stop and pretending they DID have control over the situation, and doing so was lying about having control over the situation.) The lying thing, that's the thing that gets to me. Lying, Political Malfeasance (guilty on 13 counts in the prop 8 campaign.) When a church starts piling up records like that, a history of public lies they get caught out in, or crimes, it gets hard to take them seriously as a force for good, and I don't care how many thumbs down saying so nets me.

Answer 4

Again, you are generalizing. If you have this problem in your family, you need to talk with them and tell them that you do not wish these ordinances to be performed for you. If you want it done - you will take care of it. These things are not done until long after people pass - so they truly cannot "beat feet" to the temple to do it. You also have to have the baptism done first - no other ordinance can be performed until after the baptism. It truly takes more time than you are relating in this question - so something is a little off here.

Answer 5

LOL.....I'm sure there are plenty of lawyers who would be more than willing to take your good money...(a few thousand dollars to attempt to get a restraining order prior to a permanent injunction) to take on your case.

Be prepared, however, to show how this permanently causes you damage, e.g. mental distress etc....

My suggestion is you wait to see if there is an afterlife, and if so, determine whether or not it is still such a worthy pursuit....hypothetically, if the mormons are correct in their belief, you could just inform whoever approaches you in the hereafter that you're not interested.....

very amusing I must admit...let me know how your legal avenues turn out....

Answer 6

I've often had a hard time understanding how the practice is offensive. If you don't share the faith of the LDS, then what does it matter? I've tried to put myself in a similar position. What if a random person said that they performed a proxy baptism for my dead grandmother in the *insert christian faith here* I don't find myself being offended at all. There is no coersion. If it's right, that's great, if it's false, no harm done.

Answer 7

There is a one year waiting period before work for the dead is permitted. If you are the nearest kin to the deceased, you can politely remind them that the Church suggests they consider you wishes.

Answer 8

When someone is baptised for the dead, the dead are not "forced to accept it" they can deny the baptism if they wish...

You find this practice offensive because you don't understand it...now that I've explained that no temple work is forced on the dead, I hope you can understand.

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Mr. Samsa, temple work is not done for people who are alive, only the deceased who never accepted it.

Answer 9

I have never had a dead person protest against being baptized.

Answer 10

Hey, how do you know it is against their wishes if they are dead?

Don't worry. If they don't want it in heaven, God won't allow it.