Below is a question from someone who had just learned about baptisms for the dead that occur as ordinances in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon” Church). The sender’s name is omitted for privacy. The response also follows.

Question

I read about your baptism of people already dead. This is really outrageous. Don’t you have any respect for the will of dead people? If they weren’t converted by you, in life, is because they didn’t want it, or they weren’t meant to. There are other churches and other religions in the world, you are not the only ones. You just can’t pass over the will of dead people. Don’t you see that?

Response

Thank you for your question regarding the practice of baptizing for the dead. You raise a great question. In doing so, do we override the will of those who have passed on? The answer is simply, “not at all.” We believe actually, as you do, that all are free to choose to accept the ordinances of the gospel and the gift of eternal life. Our work by proxy is a labor of love in which an offer is made to those who have passed on to the next life, which they can accept or not.

We believe that those who choose to accept that ordinance, initiated for each of us by the Savior Himself, progress in their sphere and are able to have every gospel blessing available to all.

We believe that God is no respecter of persons, and that He provided a way for the untold millions who lived and died without a knowledge of Jesus Christ, to know about Him, and to choose to follow Him. Since baptism is an earthly ordinance, we provide that ordinance by proxy here on their behalf–for our direct ancestors–leaving their option to choose up to them.

We believe, further, that this was a common practice anciently. Paul himself, when engaged in a discussion with the Jews of his day affirming the resurrection, cited baptisms for the dead, saying, “Else why were they then baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all?” –reminding the people that there would be no need for that ordinance if there were no resurrection, but clearly there is a resurrection. That ordinance is ordained by God and takes place in dedicated temples.

We do not desire to force anyone to believe anything. We love those of all faiths and believe that as each lives according to the light they have, they will eventually have the fullness of the gospel.

We strive to do likewise.

God bless you. Please feel free to contact us at any time with further thoughts or questions.

Personal Response by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is often identified as the Mormon or LDS Church. LDS, in this case, is an acronym for Latter-day Saints, a part of the official name of the LDS Church. When religious bodies use similar names to identify themselves, such as FLDS and LDS, there may be and often is some confusion about the relationship between them.

Just as there are many Christian denominations which believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the long anticipated Jewish Messiah and the Savior of the world, yet disagree upon other significant doctrinal points, including the nature and composition of the Bible, there are individuals and groups who accept the message of the Restoration (the calling of Joseph Smith as a prophet and coming forth of additional scripture, including the Book of Mormon) yet disagree on some rather key doctrines, policies, and practices.

From the earliest period in Mormon history (1830-60) there have been dissenters, some of whom created separate religious communities. Over time, these groups have evolved and, in many cases, they have created a unique theology and history in marked contrast to that of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). In this sense, these dissenters are very much like the first Protestants who were separated from the Holy Roman Apostolic Church, or Catholic Church, when they rejected the authority of the Pope and created alternative Christianities.

The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) is one such group, an independent community with no official relationship to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Most of their members have never been members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS, or Mormon Church). The only connection between the churches is that each shares a common historical past within the nineteenth century. FLDS beliefs, practices, and polices have become so distinct and unique that it is not helpful to compare and contrast them with those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, just as it would be impossible to compare the Baptist Church with the Catholic Church, even though they share a common belief in Jesus Christ and the Bible.

Latter-day Saint (LDS) leaders categorically reject FLDS beliefs and practices about polygamy, priesthood succession, and following and sustaining civil law. Therefore, any Latter-day Saint who supports FLDS doctrines or practices is subject to LDS Church discipline, generally including excommunication. Like most other Americans, Latter-day Saints struggle to understand the religious motives and activities of this fundamentalist group because their practice and beliefs are just as foreign from their everyday experiences as they are from most other Christian denominations. Because of the major differences in doctrine, practice and history, Latter-day Saints are concerned when the media or others attempt to link the churches together.

Latter-day Saints support religious pluralism. One of the Church of Jesus Christ’s Articles of Faith states, “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, and what they may” (Articles of Faith, 11). Latter-day Saints therefore, allow people the right to join any religious body they choose. However, another Article of Faith states, “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law” (Articles of Faith, 12). Therefore, the Church of Jesus Christ (LDS Church) teaches its members that they should support the constitutional laws of the land and believe that the government has the right to enforce laws that protect children and other vulnerable members of society. Like many other people of good will, Latter-day Saints are sympathetic to the plight of the children and women of the FLDS Church and hope that they might be in a position to enjoy life without fear of abuse and with the full freedom to associate or disassociate from any religious body at any time they feel so inclined.