The Mormon Church and After Death Baptisms: Opt-Out Needed
May 4, 2008 – 8:38 pm
“The move is ‘an effort to block posthumous rebaptisms,’ according to an article reported Friday by Catholic News Service. CNS cites an April 5 letter from the Vatican Congregation for Clergy that directs all Catholic bishops “to keep the Latter-day Saints from microfilming and digitizing information contained” in parish registers.“
“A main tenet of LDS Church doctrine is to baptize posthumously, by proxy, all who have died without an LDS baptism, to enable them the opportunity to accept the faith in an afterlife. Baptisms for the dead are performed in LDS temples worldwide. The church collects birth, death, christening, marriage and other related information of deceased people, from archives and registers of churches and denominations, when access is permitted.“
This is perhaps the first time I have ever agreed with the any organized religion let alone the Roman Catholic Church. The practice of baptizing individuals who have not chosen to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is disgusting, revolting, and shows an extreme lack of respect. I guess the Mormon Church has not learned their lesson since they stopped baptizing the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. When I die, I know I don’t want to be misrepresented as a member of a religion who is so insecure that they have to store the names of those they baptized before and after death in a vault in a mountain to increase their perceived religious footprint. It is amazing that a church that preaches tolerance of other religions is so intolerant after the person dies. By doing so, the Mormon Church is essentially stabbing their fellow religious and non-religious peers in the back. How about respecting other people’s choice of religion instead of choosing a slimy, backdoor way to increase your perceived past followers.
Recently, I have been curious if there is an opt-out clause as there is in credit card offers. I don’t want to be associated to such an organization even if it is 100 years after my death. If anyone has any opt out information, leave it in the comments.
[Image credit: amyMemeMe]
4 Responses to “The Mormon Church and After Death Baptisms: Opt-Out Needed”
Deceased souls who have chosen not to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints may exercise their God-given agency in the hearafter and choose for themselves not to accept the baptismal ordinance. Those who want to accept it may…no one is forced. The Church does not use posthumous baptism figures to arrive at it’s worldwide membership totals. The Church counts only those members who have been baptized and are still living. As a member of the LDS Church, should I be offended at the Roman Catholic practice of praying for the dead, or deceased ancestor’s souls? Not one bit. I find it comforting to know that someone is praying for my deceased ancestors on the other side. How does posthumous baptisms demononstrate intolerance after a person dies? If anything it recognizes that their soul lives on and that death is not the end. You may simply “opt-out” after you are deceased by declining the ordinance performed on your behalf after you have died…it will take no effect. But I suspect you might have a change of heart.
By Steve on May 5, 2008
You and the Mormon church assume that I believe in god and i believe in an after life. I don’t have a choice after I am dead. I am just dead. I know I will not be counted in the membership, but I will be in the organizations scrolls or records in the mountain. How about concentrating on converting people while they are alive and not when they are dead when they don’t have a choice.
By jeremyfranklin on May 5, 2008
This is the worst piece of writing I have seen in some time. As a Mormon, I couldn’t care less if the Catholic Church does anything on my behalf. I don’t care if Baptists pray for my soul. I don’t care if Atheists don’t think of me at all.
Why?
Because it doesn’t matter to me. It doesn’t bother me…and folks of other faiths shouldn’t give a second thought to what Mormons do with names of deceased individuals. If there is no afterlife, it’s no skin of anyone’s back. If there is an afterlife and the Baptists are right, I guess I’ll burn eternally. If Mormons turn out to be correct, well…
By ACLU Basher on May 7, 2008
@ACLU Basher When I am dead, I don’t want to be perceived as something that I was not. It is as simple as that.
By jeremyfranklin on May 7, 2008