Dutch 'distaste' at revelation that royals were baptized as Mormons by proxy

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2012-05/dutch-distaste-revelation-royals-were-baptized-mormons-proxy

May 14, 2012 by Andreas Havinga

Utrecht, The Netherlands (ENInews)--There is public criticism in the Netherlands of the Mormon practice of baptism by proxy after a Dutch newspaper revealed May 9 that several members of the royal family were posthumously "baptized" into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, colloquially known as the Mormon church.

The daily newspaper Trouw quoted unpublished documents in the Mormon church's global genealogical database that show the late Queen Juliana, her husband Prince Bernhard and Queen Beatrix's late husband Prince Claus were all baptized as Mormons after their deaths.

Mormons believe the proxy baptism ritual allows deceased people from other religions to enter the afterlife. The church has urged Mormons only to posthumously baptize their own ancestors.

However, last February, Jewish and Hindu groups reacted with anger at revelations that Jewish Holocaust victim Anne Frank, Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi and the parents of Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal had been baptized Mormons by proxy.

Related Articles at link:

Mormons, Jews reach pact on baptisms for the dead».

Why do Mormons baptize the dead?»

.Mormons agree to no LDS proxy baptism of Simon Wiesenthal».

Belgian football club declines Catholic shirt deal as 'too sensitive'».

Mormons warned against baptizing Holocaust victims».

[no_hypocrisy]

1. I read that Mormons baptize dead non-members in order to increase the number of their religion.

In other words, they count the dead as well as the living and their members and involuntarily-baptized dead members for a cumulative total as opposed to an annual head count of churches.

[IDemo]

2. For those who tend to dismiss this as harmless

The practice is essentially a posthumous advisement that whatever religion, or lack-of, that a person has embraced during their lifetime was a falsehood. It's not a kind n' gentle insult because they pretend to offer the chance for eternal life -- it's just an insult, plain and simple.

[Blue_Tires]

3. I don't get it...

Why even piss people off more by broadcasting it? Would it kill the LDS to do it and just keep it under wraps?

[riderinthestorm]

11. They do try to do it in secret but ex-Mormons and inside Mormons who disagree with this practice

put this out there.

Honestly, the church should start excommunicating members who do it if they were really serious about stopping it.

[freshwest]

4. Did it to my ancestors to get faux legitimacy before the Revolution and founding of their church.

Really, I don't give a flip because It didn't change my family's history, as I know who and what they were. There are so many wacky cults loose in the world today, we need much more secularism. If for no other purpose than to reduce the power of these groups, because they are distorting everything.

[truebrit71]

5. Further proof that they are just as fucking nuts as the rest of the sky-being believers...

...only with slightly more nuts...

[Nye Bevan]

6. How DARE those Mormons yank those poor spirits out of regular Heaven

and into Mormon heaven. I would be FURIOUS if someone did that to my ancestors. These people need to be unbaptized immediately, restored to their original fluffy clouds and reunited with their harps.

[lumberjack_jeff]

7. Yesterday, someone made the case that mormons and fundy christians should eat one another.

"tie the cats tails together and throw them in the same gunny sack" I think were his words.

This is how you do it.

I heard that the Mormons posthumously baptized Jerry Falwell, and Joseph Smith cured him of the sins he acquired worshiping false Southern Baptist idols. That's what I heard.

[silverweb]

8. Arrogant.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]While I don't believe for a second that their little rituals actually do a damn thing, the unmitigated arrogance of their actions speaks louder than anything else.

Then they lie, promising to stop but continuing anyway, convinced of their superiority and entitlement to do whatever they damn well please, no matter what the wishes of the families/faiths/organizations involved are.

Remind you of anyone?

Mitt is their poster boy and has the same arrogant, bulldozing attitude. Fundies, especially, need to get the word loud and clear.

[riderinthestorm]

10. Really insightful post... K&R and +1 from me. nt

[silverweb]

12. Thanks.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]It just seems obvious to me.

[riderinthestorm]

13. Lying for the Lord

I just googled whether Mormons are given a pass on lying to outsiders and discovered "Lying for the Lord' on Wiki.

Yup, perfectly fine to bold faced lie... I know, I know, politicians lie all the time but most of them who profess to have religion at least have a religion that frowns on lying. Not so with Mormons where it's permissible.

Learn something new every day on DU....

[silverweb]

21. Not just the Mormons "lie for the Lord."

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]That's perfectly okay among other fundie types, too.

As far as I'm concerned, they've all lost any credibility they may ever have had, which wasn't much in the first place.

[Amaril]

9. I share their distate

This practice is offensive, disrespectful and repulsively intrusive.

I'm really surprised somebody, somewhere, hasn't figured out how to sue them over this yet.

[TuxedoKat]

14. Interesting thought...

That's probably the only way they will stop, if it starts to hurt them monetarily.

[mulsh]

15. How does one find our if one's ancestors have been baptized by

Mormons?

[Doremus]

16. The other religions should come up with their own posthumous 'rules' in retaliation

LOL Let all the religions spend all their time devising new ways to retaliate.

You posthumously baptized Queen Juliana? Well, we just sent Brigham Young to pergatory to contemplate his sins!

You did? Okay, now we're putting a photo of Prince Bernhard in our holy book ... in his magic underwear! Mess with us again and Queen Beatrix is next!

[4th law of robotics]

19. I've got a feeling that would go a lot like this:

[4th law of robotics]

18. Yeah it's weird and dickish, but I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it

If they're right you get in to heaven, if they're wrong no harm.

[Amaril]

20. Ah, but what if they don't also..........

swoop in and carry off your loved ones to the same heaven they take you to? Mormons believe there are three levels of heaven, and there are criteria that must be met which determine the one you will go to:

* Celestial kingdom -- people who accept Jesus as their savior, live according to his gospel and their (i.e., Mormon) teachings.

* Terrestrial kingdom -- people who refuse to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ but who live good or honorable lives apart from these beliefs.

* Telestial kingdom -- people who continue in their sins and do not repent until after they have died.

So, if they baptize you posthumously, you obviously aren't going to make it to the celestial kingdom ('cause you didn't live by their teachings)........may not even make it to the terrestrial one. Meanwhile your wife, parents, friends, etc. -- everybody that didn't get that posthumous Morman baptizm -- are hanging out in "normal" heaven wondering what the heck happened to you............and you're stuck in telestial kingdom wondering why everybody you ever loved has abandoned you.

Not that I buy any of it -- agnostic with atheist leanings -- but I'm just sayin'.........