Mormons believe there is a waiting period between death and the resurrection/final judgement during which waiting period the spirits of the dead are in various states of waiting depending on the state of their soul at death.
Mormons believe that the gospel will be preached to all who did not accept it during this life, whether out of rebelion, ignorance, or anything in between. Baptisms are performed on behalf of all deceased, who, according to mormon belief, can choose to accept it or not. Even the mormons believe that the baptism is meaningless unless the deceased expressly accepts it.
Of course anyone can choose to be offended at this practice if they wish. But it is entirely unintrusive and done only out of sincere love for all people. You would actually have to go out of your way to even know if it had happened.
If people feel it is condescending, well it is no more condescending than someone trying to share their faith with you in an unintrusive manner. I've had people try to share their faith with me, I find it endearing, even if the tacit implication is that they think my beliefs are wrong, heretical, stupid, etc. I don't see how it is really effing rude.
Mormons believe that the gospel will be preached to all who did not accept it during this life, whether out of rebelion, ignorance, or anything in between. Baptisms are performed on behalf of all deceased, who, according to mormon belief, can choose to accept it or not. Even the mormons believe that the baptism is meaningless unless the deceased expressly accepts it.
Of course anyone can choose to be offended at this practice if they wish. But it is entirely unintrusive and done only out of sincere love for all people. You would actually have to go out of your way to even know if it had happened.
If people feel it is condescending, well it is no more condescending than someone trying to share their faith with you in an unintrusive manner. I've had people try to share their faith with me, I find it endearing, even if the tacit implication is that they think my beliefs are wrong, heretical, stupid, etc. I don't see how it is really effing rude.
A little learning is a dangerous thing.
Do you know the best way to anger an atheist?
28/02/2012 07:10:57 PM
- 1968 Views
Or, you could baptize one of them, posthumously.
28/02/2012 07:32:48 PM
- 1308 Views
I can't think of any reason for an atheist to be annoyed by that.
28/02/2012 11:08:44 PM
- 1050 Views
Well, for starters, it's really effing rude.
28/02/2012 11:31:36 PM
- 1103 Views
It is an act of love.
29/02/2012 12:34:03 AM
- 1100 Views
Everyone does it for that reason? (edits for clarity)
29/02/2012 10:27:02 AM
- 997 Views
I have some disturbing news for you...
29/02/2012 06:42:41 PM
- 1034 Views
For anyone reading this: the guy above is wrong, and I am admitting that to you on his behalf, so
29/02/2012 07:15:38 PM
- 1072 Views
Maybe without realizing it, you have articulated....
29/02/2012 07:24:13 PM
- 893 Views
I actually find that conversation quite interesting.
29/02/2012 08:18:35 PM
- 1018 Views
Re: I actually find that conversation quite interesting.
29/02/2012 09:07:06 PM
- 1074 Views
I cannot possibly agree more with these two paragraphs of yours...
29/02/2012 09:28:09 PM
- 1051 Views
I find the Fall perhaps the most interesting part.
02/03/2012 09:05:29 AM
- 1438 Views
Re: I find the Fall perhaps the most interesting part.
02/03/2012 06:26:06 PM
- 1204 Views
There are 3 critical distinctions: 1) Ability to sin, 2) Awareness of sin and 3) Appreciation of sin
05/03/2012 04:08:36 AM
- 991 Views
It is not an act of love to defy the beliefs of a loved one.
29/02/2012 02:32:45 PM
- 1143 Views
Rape? That is ridiculous.
29/02/2012 05:26:13 PM
- 1053 Views
It's a bit of hyperbole, but not too far from it, imo
29/02/2012 05:45:39 PM
- 1081 Views
"Spiritual rape" might be going a bit far, but otherwise that sounds about right.
02/03/2012 08:06:48 AM
- 1118 Views
Isn't religion different than faith, though?
28/02/2012 07:44:07 PM
- 1107 Views
Yeah that's pretty much what I said
28/02/2012 08:21:56 PM
- 897 Views

that won't work on Buddists
28/02/2012 09:21:48 PM
- 1038 Views
For some reason I always imagine Buddhists as the monk class on RPG games... *NM*
28/02/2012 10:13:27 PM
- 511 Views
That's always been my view of the issue. Half-assed non-religious types are just as obnoxious too.
28/02/2012 10:34:12 PM
- 1269 Views
Seems a got both a pat on the back and a scathing rebuke. I call that a good day
28/02/2012 11:57:45 PM
- 1325 Views
Best way to anger an atheist, by declaring all atheists are the same. *NM*
28/02/2012 10:38:51 PM
- 654 Views
Common error number 1: "Atheism isn't a lack of belief, but rather a belief that God doesn't exist."
28/02/2012 11:18:23 PM
- 1197 Views
Curiously, anger at statements of simple obvious facts is a hallmark of religious fundamentalism.
29/02/2012 10:27:29 AM
- 1127 Views

What you're doing there is defining "atheist" and "agnostic" in a way that suits you, but...
29/02/2012 11:50:27 AM
- 929 Views
What I am doing is using the terms as they were universally used until about the time I was born.
05/03/2012 01:11:21 AM
- 1053 Views
So what do you call this position?:
05/03/2012 08:43:20 AM
- 1025 Views
I call them both agnostic, but the former leans toward atheism while the latter has no lean.
05/03/2012 10:53:02 AM
- 1090 Views
See, there you go again, defining atheism in such a way as to make it sound ridiculous.
05/03/2012 11:21:17 AM
- 905 Views
Well, is unswerving belief a good thing, or not?
05/03/2012 11:57:05 AM
- 1120 Views
What's happening
05/03/2012 02:24:41 PM
- 1105 Views
Conversationally, DKs use of "atheism" at the start of this convo is the only practical definition.
07/03/2012 03:10:18 AM
- 1430 Views
Oh really? The guy who was doing it to annoy people?
07/03/2012 09:53:38 PM
- 1013 Views
The guy who was doing it to annoy atheists based on the terms technical and popular meaning, yes.
11/03/2012 04:04:36 AM
- 900 Views
Whatever.
12/03/2012 12:39:24 AM
- 1362 Views
I understand that as "I completely agree."
13/03/2012 12:11:18 AM
- 1203 Views

I have known very few people who "believe" their religion from rearing and actually understand it.
29/02/2012 12:08:01 PM
- 1258 Views
I thought that was "best way to make an atheist roll his/her eyes at you"? *NM*
29/02/2012 11:05:21 PM
- 673 Views