[af_vet_1981]

If God got the Jews to pray for the dead, then why would we not consider it an important thing?

If you are Catholic/Orthodox you probably would. If your religious tradition came from Luther/Calvin, not so much.

A record of Jewish prayer and offering of sacrifice for the dead at the time of the Maccabees is seen being referred to in 2 Maccabees, a book written in Greek, which, though not accepted as part of the Jewish Bible, is regarded as canonical by Eastern Christianity and the Roman Catholic Church:

...

A passage in the New Testament which may refer to a prayer for the dead is found in 2 Timothy 1:16-18 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.

[CynicalBear]

Is that the Maccabees that says money replaces the blood of Christ?

2 Maccabbees 12:43, "And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection."

The Holy Spirit says this.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Quoting from books that disagree with the Holy Spirit is deadly.