This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Erma Carlisle asks what harm is done to those people who are dead to be baptized by proxy by those of the Mormon faith ("What's the harm?" Forum, May 15). The writer states it is up to the deceased person in the Mormon afterlife to accept or reject the baptism.
First, it is offensive to relatives of the deceased who do not wish their loved ones to be baptized. Second, why should Mormons stop with the dead? Wouldn't it be easier to baptize by proxy all those who are alive (as well as those who have passed away)? That would allow everyone who is alive to accept or reject the religion. Since Mormons have found records of the dead, they can find records of the living, so what's to stop them from baptizing everyone? If they started today, in a few years they might not have to be doing baptisms for the dead.
Loni Radmall
Sandy
