Holocaust Survivors to Mormons: Stop Baptism of Dead Jews (AP)

I was appalled, when I read this! I am not Jewish, so my personal feelings that this is ‘overstepping’ a boundary, comes from deep within me. Along with ‘freedom of religion’ , there is what should be, a respect for each and every person to be allowed to believe in who they are—-without fear that someone else will judge them, as needing to be ‘saved’ from their core selves, without permission,

My disgust at this attempt to ‘rule over’ the very essence of a persons’ being, using religion as the sword, is getting in the way of my words….reminds me of Hitler all over again.

It seems absurd to me that anyone would care what the Mormons do in this or any other regard. If the church is bogus, their actions mean nothing. If the church is true, then well-meaning people are doing something for their ancestors (as the article notes, the Church has complied with the requests of the Jews, except that Mormons continue to do temple work for their own ancestors, some of whom happen to be Holocaust survivors). Some people’s sense of outrage seems always to be set to “Super Sensitive.” If I learned a Catholic friend had prayed for me, or a Jewish friend had remembered me in a ceremony, I would be grateful and honored. What’s the difference?

The difference is in this being just one of many, many instances of self-righteous hubris taking up the time and energies of so many people who could better serve our species by being out actually giving aid and succor to the hungry, homeless children right here in our own nation and throughout this world.
The idea, of course, is not religiously inspired, but a power plan to keep the Faithful busy with their heads down and not reading the newspapers or listening to the news. My Mormon friends spend hours traveling to their nearest temples frequently and Salt Lake City at least once a year in order to complete their lists and their personal tasks of baptizing and entering into the rolls. The whole point is their not having time for getting into some kind of mischief that might lead them to stray from the fold!
It is just SO obvious, yet people do devote themselves to these totally useless tasks and ignore real needs out there.

Ms. Drake, if you actually have Mormon friends, I find it impossible to believe that you have not seen them also serving their communities in countless ways, including all the ways you cite. Every Mormon I know gives money and time to serve the less-fortunate in selfless, Christian ways, including donating time and money at food banks and all the rest. If you were to do a little research about the billions their Church gives away in conjunction with other faith groups, you would be shocked. Wow, a comment by you about self-righteous is ironic in the extreme.

Dropping By - I married into a Mormon family - their missions are totally for creating more Mormons and pushing their beliefs. Ms. Drakes description is quite accurate.

Dropping By, I lived in Utah for twelve years. Several of my friends and neighbors participated in the baptism rituals. I thought then that seemed arrogant. To chose a religion for someone who has no say - and whose families have no say.

Yes, the Mormon people do lots of good works, just as the rest of us do. That doesn’t change what they are doing by baptizing the Holocaust victims.

And which religions are called “extremists” ?

There are many aspects of Mormon rituals, which I don’t understand, especially baptism of the dead who are of another faith. Also, I wonder why the Mormon church spends more money on the poor OUTSIDE this country, rather than here in the USA in our poor inner cities and rural communities. Most puzzling of all, is how the Mormon church (fails?) to deal with their ‘own’ wayward believers who still practice polygamy .

I have an acquaintance who was a supervisor of Social Service (circa 70’s - 90’s) in Mesa, Arizona; a city which has a large population of Mormons. I was told there were more Mormon (female heads of household) receiving welfare benefits than any other group. I wondered why the Mormon church, noted for charitable donations, fails to support their ‘fundamentalist’ followers who still adhere to plural marriage beliefs.

I’ve also read that there still remains a large percentage of Mormon female heads of household who receive state aide in places like Nevada, Texas, and Arizona. Just curious.

Ernest Michel knowingly misrepresents LDS teachings on freedom of choice. We neither believe nor represent that our proxy baptisms turn the dead into “Mormons.” It is a free-will offering of love that has neither validity nor meaning if not ratified by the free informed choice of the dead.

In respect of Jewish sensitivities, the Church now actually discriminates against Mormons who have Jewish ancestry. Members with Jewish ancestry may submit ordinances only in behalf of direct-line ancestors, and these must be submitted to Church headquarters for pre-approval.

It is actually those who seek to interfere with our private religious practices that want to force their will on the dead — by denying them ever any opportunity for choice.

For more: http://hthalljr.googlepages.com/choice.html

Tracy Hall Jr hthalljr’gmail’com