I would like to thank the moderator for sort of answering my question regarding LDS. I'm thinking it is a cult???? I also would like to know what is the baptism of the dead regarding the LDS and their temples? This is something I haven't heard of yet?

Thank You,

Nan:p

The "baptism of the dead" is the Mormon practice of having ceremonies to baptize those deceased into Mormonism. Supposedly the dead then have the right in the hereafter to reject or accept that baptism. Mormons believe this is their way to help the dead. This is largely what motivates Mormons to spend so much time tracking ancestors and maintaining historical archives regarding families, births, deaths etc. That is, to identify the dead to baptize. They also often have baptized deceased famous people and Jews. Jewish leaders recently requested that Mormons stop baptizing dead Jews.

Baptism of the dead reflects the Mormon religion's claim that it is the only organization on the planet that represents the truth and that their baptism alone may affect a person's heavenly prospects and position. They believe they are the "restored priesthood."

The LDS organization is an ethnocentric religious structure, and unlike Christians does not recognize the validity of any other religious denomination as its equal. Such as Southern Baptists who would recognize the salvation of the Assemblies of God, despite doctrinal differences.

Again thank you for your response. It all sounds just too weird for me. Do LDS members ever leave this group and if so do they do it successfully. I belong to another message board and there's a girl who left the LDS church but is having a very difficult time. I have lost my only daughter to this religion and to a family who is very nasty. Do you think I will ever have her back again? She will be married next Saturday in the temple in Orem and of course we aren't allowed to go. Can she get a divorce if ever she wanted one? I know that the official position of the church is no and that they would ex-communicate her, but legally from the outside world can she do this?

I do not think my problem lies so much with the nature of the religion (although it's quite strange) but to the family that's influenced her. I realize she's of age and can make her own decisions but I'm wondering if there is any hope?

Thanks,

Nan

Certainly people leave LDS, including those who been raised in that religion. I have heard the joke, that one of the largest categories on Mormon membership roles is, "baptized address unknown."

Be patient and understanding with your daughter. Make sure that she knows you are there for her and would assist her if she needed help. It is vitally important to keep the lines of communication open. One day she may decide that she wants to make a change.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Again I must thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I just wish I had an idea of if she will leave them. Her wedding is next week and it'll be so sad that we can't be there. I suppose I will cope by crying. But thanks for the reply; I appreciate it.

It sounds like your daughter is planning to have her marriage ceremony in a temple, which means non-Mormons may not attend. I am sorry to hear this. It is sad when family cannot attend a wedding. She might have opted to have a wedding outside of one of the Mormon Temples so relatives and family could attend the ceremony.

Yes, she has chosen to have the traditional Mormon wedding. The church has convinced her that after 9/11 the only safe place to reside is in Utah near the church. We were never invited to the wedding and from what I've read I understand we're not "holy" enough to go inside. My husband has always dreamt of walking her down the aisle but that's all that is now, a dream. I wanted to give her a reception but she wasn't into that either. The entire situation is sad; but I don't blame the religion as much as I blame the family she's mixed up with. They are evil and have done everything they could to take her from us. And they have succeeded. Also, I'm sure they are sick of their son's behavior and figure he will be a better Mormon living in Utah and he will become my daughter's burden to bear. He's immature, very irresponsible and quite spoiled but of course, she doesn't see that. I wish it was different but it's not. I have one remaining child left and now I must focus on him.

I would have never thought this could happen to us. We are Lutheran and while we didn't sit in church every Sunday my kids knew God. But obviously not the right version of God.

Nancy, there are many websites and books authored by ex-Mormons and a lot of resources available. I read a book a while back about several individuals and families that left the Mormon church, some who grew up in it and others who joined later. I don't know if it is appropriate to post this info here but you can pm me. I love the v-bulletin set-up, another board I post on uses it. I thought you had to be temple worthy to marry in the temple, not a new Mormon, or maybe the groom's family is well-connected. We have a week to be praying that your daughter's eyes will be opened.

Dear Claire:

Thanks for responding. I would be interested in the book so tell me how to pm you. I wish I could believe love never fails but it appears it has. I wanted to give my daughter a reception when they came back here from Utah but she didn't want it. So, instead she went to his mother and then sent me an email last night on if she could use the wedding cake top I had for my wedding.l She went on and on about how much help his mother has been. Very sad.:(

You do have to be worthy; my daughter is she's a virgin. He has done drugs, drank and screwed every chick in town and yes, his parents are higher ups in the church so exceptions will be made for him as always. He's irresponsible and stupid but he gets everything he wants including my baby. I cannot stop the wedding she refuses to see what's in front of her. Says the stuff on the Internet and in books is "crap". How can you combat that kind of thinking? It's all too much for me at times.

I will go to her reception, they will come back here to Arizona and then I think that will be for awhile. Every email comes with Mormon doctrine embedded in it and I can't stand it. We were going to serve food and give the guests a little something to mark their wedding even though everyone in our families is dying over this. But she wants to serve peanuts, lemonade and wedding cake so that's what it will be. She has made it clear she wants nothing from us but our money. And so, I will go and smile cheerfully while my heart breaks and give her money. But she won't be getting what she thinks she'll be getting. I know most of it will go back to the church.

Thanks for responding, I was beginning to wonder if anyone reads this site since the posts sit there for weeks sometimes. If you tell me how to reach you, I'll pm you for the name of the book. My sister told me to buy one called Secret Ceremony about an ex mormon wife and what she's gone through but there's all sorts of resource material on the web so I think I have a clue. But it's my daughter's life and I can't live it for her. And I have one remaining child that has remained on our side so I have to focus on him now.

Hopefully I will talk to you soon. Hope your weekend is going well.

NAN:p

Nancy I hope you got my PM. I sent you my e-mail address also. Click on the person's name and you will be sent to their page where you can then click on pm. I did a lot of cutting and pasting since you can only send l000 characters, so I hope you got 3 pm's.

I would recommend Jerald and Sandra Tanner's site [www.utlm.org.] They are ex-Mormons and this is a Christian site with a lot of info and links.

The film, "The Godmakers" is a classic about what Mormonism really teaches. There are many good books, but there is so much on the web you don't even need to do that, unless you see something that appeals to you.

I read the book your mentioned and while it has some info about the temple wedding, the girl in the story is very mixed up and disturbed and it is a rather depressing book. She leaves the Mormon church, goes through several marriages, adultery and relationships, spends time in a mental institution ...no happy ending.

Do you know what archeological evidence exists for Mormonism? Zero, zilch, nada.

If you didn't get the messages, let me know. If you have trouble with the website, I'm sure you can get help from the moderator.