Something else exploding in this cults' faces...

Ordinances performed for Obama's mother in Provo LDS temple

Joe Pyrah - Daily Herald

At the same time that Barack Obama sealed the Democratic nomination for
president last year, someone in the Provo LDS temple was performing a
baptism and temple rites on behalf of his deceased mother.

The move is a serious breach of protocol for members of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who in the past have been criticized
for performing such proxy baptisms for victims of the Holocaust.

Records on the church's FamilySearch.org genealogical site show that a
Stanley Ann Dunham received proxy rites in the Provo temple on June 4
and June 8 of 2008. The birth and death dates of the person for whom the
rites were performed match those of Obama's mother.

"The offering of baptism to our deceased ancestors is a sacred practice
to us, and it is counter to Church policy for a Church member to submit
names for baptism for persons to whom they are not related," said church
spokesman Scott Trotter in a prepared statement. "The Church is looking
into the circumstances of how this happened and does not yet have all
the facts. However, this is a serious matter and we are treating it as
such."

When asked whether the church had been in communication with the White
House about the matter, officials referred to their original statement
as "all of the information" they'd be releasing Tuesday. The White House
did not immediately return calls seeking comment on Tuesday.

Names submitted to FamilySearch.org are not used in religious rites. The
church has a separate software confirmation system that reminds users to
check with next of kin before performing any rituals on behalf of
individuals who have died.

"Baptisms for the dead" is the common term used to refer to the Mormon
belief that those who do not receive essential priesthood rites in
mortal life can receive them by proxy -- meaning by living members of
the church who stand in their place.

Baptism alone doesn't make the person a Mormon, according to a church
statement.

"The Church does not list persons as members of the Church or 'Mormons'
merely because proxy baptisms have been performed. Church doctrine
teaches that at some point the spirit of the deceased person will be
informed that a baptism has been performed on his or her behalf and will
be given the opportunity to accept or reject it."

The church has run afoul of Holocaust groups multiple times over proxy
baptisms for the dead. The groups felt the practice was disrespectful.
LDS church leaders said in November that they are making changes to
their massive genealogical database to make it more difficult for names
of Holocaust victims to be entered for posthumous baptism.

In 1995, the church agreed not to perform baptisms or other rites for
Holocaust victims, except in the rare instances when they have living
descendants who are Mormon, according to The Associated Press.

Popular liberal blogger John Aravosis posted one of the initial mentions
of the baptism on his AMERICAblog.

Aravosis, a Christian and political consultant, said from an outsider's
perspective that the situation isn't good politically or spiritually.

"If you care about relations with Washington, that may be an issue," he
said.

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/307876/17/

--- Xnews/5.04.25