WHAT? Don't they want to help Romney? I thought Mormons were conservative. How did they come to baptize Obama's mother who surely would have rejected this if she could have? It just seems ridiculous.
This is the way I remember it. An LDS member in good standing can “nominate” someone, usually a family member, to be baptised by name after their death. An actual baptism takes place with a standin person who may get baptised for many people that day with an elder of the church reading part of a scripture and naming each person and “dunking” in a pool for each nominee.
The thought is the person who has died “had they known” of the church and its teachings would have chosen to be LDS” and then all family members can be together in heaven. That is why it is usually a family member who nomnates.
I know ‘cause when I was a kid I was one of the “standins” for about 6 separate baptisms (took maybe 1/2 hour). It was considered quite an honor to do this.
I think Romneycare may have turned them off.
I hate that Mormons do this..They did it to Jews who died in concentration camps...I find it insulting that People who died for their religion have their names used for something the would NEVER agree to in life. In fact, I’m furious just thinking about it.
That's just it: you don't know what she would have decided. Nobody does.
Mormons believe that baptism by the proper, restored authority of the Holy Priesthood is an unalterable requirement for eternal salvation. It is our goal and mission to make that crucial ordinance available to every single human being ever born.
By performing a vicarious baptism for a deceased person, she is not FORCED into anything, but is given the opportunity to accept it as her own. Without the vicarious baptism, she would not even have that choice.
I wish people would better understand the doctrine and calm down. Nobody is being forced or coerced into anything here. You don't automatically "become Mormon" when a vicarious baptism is performed for you after you die.