I believe in one baptism for the remission of sins. By my baptism, I died with Christ so that I may also be risen with him. What Mormons do or do not do does not affect my relationship with God or that of my past family.

Posted by Donald Orlando, Friday May 30th, 2008 @ 9:08 pm

I found the discussion and comments made on proxy baptism aired on the 30th of May of great interest.

Religions and other individuals were portrayed with having a problem specific to baptism for the dead, and other proxy ordinances performed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My question regarding the same would be this. Why has this become an issue all of a sudden?

Baptism for the dead was performed in biblical times. Any theologian would know this. Could the belief that some truth has been restored through modern day revelation really be the problem? Could it be that the light of Christ, within some individuals, tells them there is some absolute truth to the practice and thus it bothers their senses?

Bottom line, why should anyone really care? The individuals ARE dead. If anyone wants to baptize me, my dead parents, my family offspring after death be it Catholic, Baptist, Protestant, or “whatever” go right ahead. At the moment, I choose to keep my baptism and not accept another baptism. After I die or move on over to the other side so to speak, and if I find a greater light and knowledge with regards to my relationship with God and Christ, I’d be happy to be given that opportunity to make a change if I felt it important.

Posted by Brian Davis, Friday May 30th, 2008 @ 9:49 pm

I found the airing of the program on proxy baptism weak and faulty. The Mormon Church does not get names of ONLY those people who they believe are ancestors. Those people doing the proxy baptism wear a name on their clothing. They don't know who this person is they are baptising. I know for a fact that they rebaptise people who have formerally been excommunicated from the church by their own volition.

The Jews have asked many times for the Mormon Church to stop this procedure. I think it is an unmost arrogant activity. The Mormons have a hard time believing that other people don't want to be part of this "cult". They have no respect for other religions.

Posted by Shirley S. Lee, Sunday June 1st, 2008 @ 11:23 am

i don't think proxy batism is a bad idea. As it was said it gives people that are in the other life another chance to except this great choice. I can understand how it can be disrespectfull to some poeple because they may find it offensive and don't partically like the idea, that is understandable. I am mormon and I think it is great but i don't speak for everyone but we do not mean to offend anyone what so ever.

that is my comment
thanks for reading

Posted by charles sonntag, Sunday June 1st, 2008 @ 12:07 pm

I'd like to start off by saying I was born and raised in a strong Italian Roman Catholic family in New Jersey, I went to Catholic school, my parents did, my grandparents did and my great grandparents were baptized as infants in Italy. Our name is so rare that everyone with it in America I have personally met. I met the man of my dreams who was born and raised in West Valley and baptized into the LDS church. Although neither of us are christains anymore, his family is still mormon. I read up on mormonism and I find out new things every day. I did not about know the practice of proxy baptism until we were already married and I have to tell you if I had known before I don't think I would have married him until we sucessfully got his name taken off the records. I don't think utah iunderstands this, (well I know they don't), but to the rest of America mormons are freaks. Straight up freaks who have secretive religious practices and follow the word of a man who had about a 6th grade education. To have my family name in the records would be devistating, if my ancestors wanted to be baptized when they were alive they would have been, because at least once a year we had a 19 year old boy come to our door preaching about accepting jesus. It is a discrace to my name to have my grandfather, the most staunch catholic man, who never preached a word nor looked down to anyone a day in his life be forced into a religion. Though you say his spirt gets to choose, in life, he's known as a mormon til that day on. And then to have their wedding discrased and redone so my grandparents are "sealed" is a disgusting thought. It ties my stomach in knots and makes me cry. I'm am proud of my heritage, and my family name, and I won't have it put in the records of some cult.

Posted by ali dolceamore, Sunday June 1st, 2008 @ 12:12 pm

As with most things, the real issue in this case comes down to context and value. If your perception or the context in which you view proxy baptims is "negative", you will naturally find the practice distasteful or perceive it in a way that de-values you and/or your beliefs. In a different context, or different way of perceiving the practice, you would naturally see it as a beautiful practice that increases your own value. Mormons view the practice in the highest, greatest, and most value enducing context--where they can help offer the thing(s) they most highly value to those who do not have it.

If Reality exists in the way that mormon doctrine describes, then the practice is good and beneficial, so the real issue then boils down to whether or not the church is what it claims to be, i.e. God's kingdom on Earth. And of course, the only way to know if it is or not, is through revelation--so the core issue then becomes one of revelation (and revelation is always a tricky thing...)

Posted by Jeff Hirschi, Sunday June 1st, 2008 @ 12:18 pm

I, feel that the L.D.S. church should refrain from baptizing the dead. If there is a God, and that God, is so thoroughly adamant that people should have had the wisdom to-of chosen the correct religion before they died or suffer in purgatory for all time is not a God, that I would like to be party too. Of course, if there is a God, then that being, should be confident that we will all be before "It" anyway. We will all be in the perfect religion at that point in time whether we have been baptized or not!

Thank You,
Brad Thomas

Posted by brad thomas, Sunday June 1st, 2008 @ 12:20 pm

Mon. 2 June 2008 Because I missed the program when it aired, I was pleased to have the opportunity to listen to the show "Proxy Baptism" via my computer.
The show was not slanted and allowed me to clear up my unknowns about my neighbor and friends who are Mormon re the practice of proxy baptism.
Three of my grandfather's sisters have been proxy baptised into the LDS faith even though they probably died with a Roman Catholic rosary held in their hands. Thank you for enlarging my viewpoint.

Posted by Patricia A Sutton , Monday June 2nd, 2008 @ 12:47 pm

June 2, '08

Records in the Mormon genealogy libraries are geared toward Mormons. Such is why records are falsified which is to say records are forged for Mormons and their purposes.

Never will I forget the stink I raised in the main Mormon genealogy library in Salt Lake City the time I discovered some of my Roman Catholic ancestors had been "baptized" Mormon after they were buried Catholic. I was livid, and immediately demanded the so-called baptisms be reversed.

Of course the Mormon church since has refused to reverse these pagan rituals that were unwantonly heaped upon my good Catholic ancestors who were born, lived, died, and buried Catholic. It's a travesty to do this to people after they were buried according to the customs of their faith.

Talk to David McConkie of Kirton & McConkie who's one of the Mormon church's lawyers who "advises" the Mormon church religious leaders it's okay to falsify records to suit the whims and fantasies of Mormons. Since myself and my family are among the many the Mormons have victimized with this heathen ritual of proxy baptism I have nothing to say about the Mormons and/or their pagan church. And this church's lawyers like David McConkie only worsen the Mormon church's bad reputation. Thank you.

Posted by Kathy Caudle, Monday June 2nd, 2008 @ 8:50 pm