Quote:
Originally posted by MysticCat81
Proxy baptism doesn't "force" anything, even if the Mormon understanding of it is accepted. Again, the Mormon belief is that the dead person must both accept the Gospel (as understood by the LDS) and be baptised in order to enter to "higher" levels of paradise. Proxy baptism satisfies the second requirement but not the first. So if Observant Mormon undergoes a proxy baptism for John Doe, who has been dead for 20 years, but John Doe, "on the other side," still does not "accept the Gospel," the proxy baptism alone has not done anything. Even under Mormon theology, the choice is still up to John Doe -- it's just that the fact that he was not baptised (according to Mormon rites) while on Earth is not an impediment should John Doe, after death, choose to "accept the Gospel." On the other hand, should John Doe "accept the Gospel" after death, that alone will not do him any good until a proxy baptism is performed for him. [/B]
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This might sound like a really dumb question, but if they know what you just stated, why do they waste their time proxy baptizing people?
If they are baptizing the Jews who died in the Holocaust, one should expect that these people "on the other side" are not going the accept the gospel of any other religion. And I say this because thousands of Jews did convert at the true beginning of the Holocaust (this is prior to the move to the Ghettos and Death/Concentration camps, this is when the persecution was just starting). They knew that it was "easier" for them to move to a city where no one knew they were Jewish, convert, and then secretly pratice their Judiasm beliefs in private. With that said, there are the MILLIONS who refused to give up their beliefs and faith because that is who they were.
If these people were refusing to give up their beliefs and faith prior to the Holocaust and their untimely death, it seems quite arrogant of the Mormans to assume that they will suddenly "convert" in death. IMPO.
I'm not sure I'm making sense, I'm just trying to pull the historical context out.
As I usually say in highly contraversial situations; agree with me, disagree with me, please just respect my opinion.
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