Not really. It strikes me that to care very much about it implies Mormon pretend baptisms for the dead have some validity to them. If they had the poor taste to pretend to baptize my parents posthumously, I know that the action has no effect. (As I understand it, even the LDS believes that these rituals only offer the dead the opportunity to be baptized - it's not, theoretically, something forced upon them).

But the practice shows a lack of respect for the faith and privacy of others and ought to be curtailed. I also find it hard to believe that if the President of the LDS, who is considered a prophet by virtue of his office, made an authoritative statement against baptizing all and sundry dead folk that the church membership would blow it off.

I discovered that a 17th century ancestor, a member of the CofE, was "baptized" by LDS in the the 1950s. I was offended, although upon reflection I realize that we have a history of masses offered for the souls of the departed, not necessarily just those who were Christians. Is there a real difference?

When a friend and I did a pilgrimage from Richmond VA to the National Cathedral to pray for the war dead in Iraq, the refugees, the wounded, we wanted to include in our prayers those of other faiths. We went to the Muslim Coalition to 1) ask permission and if permission were granted 2) how best to do it.

We were granted permission and we received instruction how to do it --and it included not praying in a house of Christian worship or praying in the Name of Jesus. So we prayed for the Iraqi dead and those we could identify as other than Christian as we walked --and I personally identified my self to God without invoking the Name of Jesus (I trust God knew who was praying and would sort it all out).

If the Mormons were even half as sensitive as that, it might make a difference. As it is, some of my ancestors have been "baptized" in death. I find it arrogant, at the very least.

I am more concerned about their theology here than their actions. In their agreeing not to baptize the unwilling, LDSers are relegating otherwise noble people to Hell, in their estimation. I think this requires something more from the Presidency, such as a revelation, for instance. There has to become a mysterious God for the LDS that not only may require cultic action but also requires some suspension of certainty.

t_r - we cannot continue to approve you comments if you are unwilling to sign your name or have a reason anonymity. ~ed.

t_r: those of us not baptized into LDS are not necessarily going into hell after death. According to their theology we go to a lesser heaven and do not get to become God (men) of our own world. We will still have a chance after death - or for women a man may call us to his "heaven" and new world.

I have actually studied some of the LDS scriptures and visited various LDS sites and read some of their recruitment materials. I do not believe that their baptisms are valid according to Christian theology, so I do not care if they give me or any of my relatives a proxy baptism. I do not say this out of any sort of agenda against members of the LDS. I'm just saying that to me it doesn't matter, since we view baptism COMPLETELY differently based on ancient tradition versus a relatively modern claim of revelation.

Forgot to add:
Now, to baptize Jews or Muslims is just completely wrong from a respect standpoint, however.

Leslie,

How can you be OK with Mormon baptisms for Christians, but feel that baptizing Jews or Muslims is completely wrong?

The Mormon faith is not Christian in any way other than that they co-opted the name of Jesus in their title. The "Jesus" they believe in is a completely different theological entity than the what I would call genuine Christianity. (And the difference is orders of magnitude larger than any of the differences argued about between mainstream Christian denomination).

Given that, I find their baptizing of anyone without their consent, living or dead, of whatever faith, to be repugnant.

Mormons don't believe Judaism, as a religion, saves. As they don't believe Episcopal Christianity, as a religion, saves.

They're going to believe this, whether they baptize deceased members of other these faiths or not. They are free to do so [As I'm free to believe that Mormonism is a pseudo-Christian new religion.]

I don't know why the action of baptism should be more offensive than the faith behind it.

And accepting that others will have faiths that offend you is part of living in a pluralistic society.

JC Fisher

My parents still pray that I'll turn straight. I told them to go for it, though it will almost certainly not work.

I sort of feel the same way about proxy baptism. Dunk your hearts out, my dears. It doesn't change one little thing.