If you believe that your earthly life is a prelude to something greater, this seems quite logical. On a related topic, I seem to recall a thread on this site that an elder body attempted to disfellowship a dead person.
Anyone else recalls this?
Mormon Baptizing the dead??
by James Mixon 14 Replies latest watchtower bible
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James Mixon
"Elder's attempted to DF a dead person", I hope this is not true. Brother announce the DF's of brother Dead. "Brother dead is no longer one of JW, we must shun him to show love" First time visitor ask her JW friend, "what was brother Dead sin???? JW friend respond, "don't know he's dead....Oh boy!! this is the religion for me....
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ShirleyW
I'd like to know just what the procedure is to baptize dead folks. I'm sure they don't dig them up and dunk 'em, do they?
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James Mixon
Mormon baptisms for dead is that each deceased soul accept or reject it, there is nothing in Mormonism that states that the person who is being baptized by proxy must accept the ordinance, he or she is simply given the opportunity to choose. WTH...
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Cold Steel
Baptism for the dead is a very complex doctrine that goes well beyond the salvational aspects of baptism alone.
Baptism is a covenant, and for a covenant to be efficacious, it requires the consent of both parties, so baptism for the dead requires the consent of those on the other side to make it binding. If they refuse it, they can, and no, they won't go to Hell unless they're bad people and then, it won't last forever. Mormons have a compassionate theology and we view Hell as being remedial rather than retaliatory. It's no less pleasant, but it's designed to redeem souls, though there are penalties.
Work for the dead, including baptism for the dead, was widely practiced in the ancient church. See 1 Corinthians 15:29* and:
Baptism For The Dead In Ancient Times
Baptism For The Dead BlogThere was a fierce debate about it in the patristic era of the church, but no one can deny now that the early Christians believed in it, and that they believed men had spirits. The whole soul sleeping doctrine was essentially an Adventist doctrine.
We don't intentionally seek out Holocaust victims, but we occasionally have names submitted from other sources. We believe one of the primary reasons the Millennium will take place is to do work for the dead.
* "Else what shall they do who are baptized for the dead if the dead
rise not at all. Why are they then baptized for the dead?"