Posted on 05/08/2009 7:31:47 AM PDT by Colofornian
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - President Barack Obama’s mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, was baptized posthumously in a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. An ordinance record obtained from the LDS Church’s family search website shows that the ordinance work was performed in the Provo temple last June – right in the middle of the presidential campaign.
Helen Radkey, a, genealogical researcher, former Mormon and self-described minister, found the record last week while doing work at the LDS Church’s Family History Library. Radkey said, “I was mildly surprised because it seemed as though she was too close to the living president of the United States.” Radkey contends that the record was not submitted to the LDS Church for temple work by a relative which is required of Church members. “The thing is...You've got the Mormons breaking the rules (by) putting in names of famous people, celebrities...Lists...You name it. There's nobody to defend the dead except the living.”
But Mormons would say that’s exactly what they do in their temples – defend the dead by performing what they believe are soul saving proxy ordinances that the dead can’t do for themselves. What’s more, Mormon doctrine says, "A departed soul in the afterlife is completely free to accept or reject such a baptism – the offering is freely given and must be freely received." Radkey argues, "There’s a judgment here and it's the judgment I don't care for. It reminds me too much of the LDS court system where you either do this or you don't spend the rest of eternity with God. I don't like it."
On the proxy baptism of Dunham, the LDS Church issued this statement: “The offering of baptism to our deceased ancestors is a sacred practice to us and it is counter to Church policy for a Church member to submit names for baptism for persons to whom they are not related. The Church is looking into the circumstances of how this happened and does not yet have all the facts. However, this is a serious matter and we are treating it as such.”
Many ex-Mormons rebel against the vast legalism that defines the religion.
True enough. I think it's funny though that people get so offended by this posthumous baptism thing. Either it's a silly exercise that means nothing and has no real effect on the deceased person (my view), or it really does give them a chance to be saved. If the former, it deserves merely ridicule, and if the latter, it deserves thanks. Nowhere in there is there a reason for anyone to get upset.
For my part, I choose ridicule.
How does she know the submitter, George Larsen, is not a relative of Dunham’s?
If the LDS are correct, then they 'helped' her; if they are wrong, then a lot of hoopla was done for no purpose whatsoever. Sort of like a Catholic lighting a candle - if it helps, then it's good. If it doesn't - it was an act done out of love, and simply generates a few more BTU's.
LDS: Taking over the world, one dead person at a time.
What a cult.
The church would have already been defending this if it had been done on proper policy grounds.
Didn't that smell up the place?......./s
Its wise to hedge ones bets, as its too late to repent once
your feet feel the warmth of the hot place...
My wife’s Jewish Methodist aunt got a posthumous baptism by the Mormons. I doubt she cared. Before she died, she would look out the window into our yard, and tell my wife that the angels were standing there waiting for her.
Of course it doesn't. It's the same as when someone says that they'll pray for me; while I don't believe it will have the slightest effect, I'm certainly not offended.
1. You die.
2. You stand naked with empty hands before God.
3. You are judged.
4. You live out eternity under His decision, happily, or unhappily.
Where does a post-death baptism fit in this scene? Does God suddenly say, "Oh, so you WERE baptised after my decision, well, I guess I made a mistake, didn't I. Ok, you can come up out of hell now."
Umm, humbly folks, I don't think this is the way it works.
An original Birth Certificate is the only acceptable proof of ID for any direct relatives.
Well, I think in part it depends upon how much energy a person devotes to the memory of the dead. If it's significant, they are more likely to be offended by this. (After all, to some degree, putting "proxy substitutes" on behalf of a real personal identity is a form of "identity theft.") I guess I could understand why Jews object to the Lds church running holocaust victims through the necro-baptism process. Can you?
As an FYI.
Only if your name is submitted by a relative asking the church to do so, and you have been dead at least 2 years. The 2 year ‘cooling off period’ is done out of consideration for the living, as not to offend anyone.
As in life, just because you were baptized, does not mean you have to ‘accept’ it. You can be baptized into any church, and reject it at any time of your choosing. Your call.
And Stanley’s son is the first mormon president...
Eventhough, as a black man, he was not allowed to become a Aaronic priesthood holder at 12, like 12 year old mormon boys who are white...
And his Dad has yet to be baptised as a mormon...
Although his Dad is in excellent standing to be a mormon...
He was a polygamist ...
He lived the “principle” and therefore was in better standing than some modern day mormons !!!!!!
Mr Obamas is elegible to sit with Joey Smith in the celestial kingdom...
Methinkls it has come to pass that there may be some envy and bigotry going on there...
Stanley being baptised into mormonism is strange, because
1. Mormon doctrine states she should be killed because she “mixed her blood with a black man” (Brigham Young)
2. There was no blood letting in her death (she died of cancer) and therefore was never (atoned) by having her throat cut...
Have you seen Stanley Ann’s acceptance letter ???
I would think such an important step would require that the offering and the acceptance be in writing...
I think I saw a post where we were told that the dead dunking is not done against the will of the person ???
When is Obama going to get baptized?
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