Mormon Proxy Baptism Was Performed On Mahatma Gandhi, Researcher Says

[Vehl]

Mahatma Gandhi, who employed nonviolent civil disobedience to lead India to independence after more than a century of British rule, was posthumously baptized by proxy by a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to information provided to The Huffington Post.

Helen Radkey, a former Mormon who has until now has focused on researching incidents of proxy baptisms being proposed for or performed on dead Jews, discovered the Gandhi records on February 16 in a genealogical database restricted to Mormons. She was prompted to search for his name after seeing a statement by a Nevada-based Hindu activist, Rajan Zed, who expressed concern the practice might be performed in the name of many Hindus.

A screen shot of the database page sent to HuffPost by Radkey shows a proxy baptism for Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was completed in a Salt Lake City Temple on March 27, 1996. The record has since been removed and Radkey said a subsequent search came up with "Unknown Name."

To perform proxy baptism to a Hindu is "deeply offensive" because of the belief in rebirth, said Suhag Shukla, co-founder of the Hindu American Foundation and now its managing director and legal counsel.
"Each of us is innately divine, which is diametrically opposed to this concept that we are innately sinful and needing to accept Jesus as our savior in order to cleanse our soul," she said in an interview. "We do not believe there is only one way to salvation."

The history of British colonialism in India was inextricably tied to Christian missionaries who viewed Hindus and other non-Westerners as "heathens languishing in religions other than Christianity," Shukla said. She said many Hindus view missionaries -- whether Mormon or from other groups, as unwelcome "church-planting" operations.

more here
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/24/mormon-proxy-baptism-mahatma-gandhi_n_1299676.html?ref=hinduism

Wow just wow. The arrogance of these idiots is beyond belief. As the old saying goes..."there is a limit to intelligence, but not to foolishness". Not only are they spending Billions on "saving" the "souls" of living people by hook or crook, but are now also trying to convert the dead!. Its good to see Hindu statesmen like Zed and Mrs Shukla protest this despicable practice.



"The irony is that Mahatma had some very specific criticisms about conversion and missionary activities, or "predatory proselytization," Shukla said. "He felt it was at the root of all conflict," she said. "He was interested in interfaith engagement and peace between religions. But he felt it was very important you have respect for other religions and not be coming in with this attitude that mine is better than yours."


PS:
Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Weisel, who is still alive, also was targeted for "posthumous" baptism, as were the murdered parents of Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal. Wiesel demanded Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speak out about the practice. Romney, has performed the ritual of proxy baptism in the past, but has referred questions about the ritual to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

[Journeyman]

1. And why can't these people be prosecuted for desecrating the dead? . . .

[white_wolf]

2. Probably because it is by proxy so nothing is being done to the physical bodies. nt

[Journeyman]

7. But if the families believe in a spiritual afterlife, it's as real as the physical body. . .

You and I may perceive this to all be utter non-sense, but to some people it means something. It must have value to the Mormons, wouldn't you agree, else why do they do it?

I just can't figure why, if the relatives of all these dead who are being "brought into the fold" by Mormon whackjobs are truly incensed by what is happening, why don't they take their "spiritual" battle into the secular realm and hit the Mormon's in the only means that truly count for anything to them, their pocketbook? Charge them with desecrating the dead and force them to pay for all the pain and suffering they cause, both to the living and the dead. (In other words, press their own beliefs to the fulfillment of their anger.)



"Joseph Smith was called a prophet
dum, dum dum, dum dum dum dumb."


Southpark, "All About Mormons"

http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s07e12-all-about-mormons

[rbrnmw]

3. because

they use pimple faced adolescents to stand in the deceased's place

[nobodyspecial]

4. Not that I believe in any of that stuff

But it is very disrespectful of those who do hold such beliefs.

[Booster]

5. Alhough I do find, and have always found, this particular Mormon practice a little more than

creepy, I don't understand people getting all bent out of shape over it. Anyone who isn't a Mormon believes this to be on the same level as voodoo and we don't pay any attention to that. Now, don't flame me; I think we should all just snicker at this stupid practice and let it go. What the Hell do we care what they do?

[cherokeeprogressive]

8. I too am trying to find a rationale for making this my outrage of the moment.

Can't.

[Vehl]

9. Its like claiming an African American ancestor is not African American anymore, but White

We all know that being African American, or White does not mean anything, however, if one group keeps on claiming "Whites are better than African americans", and "only those who profess to be White go to heaven"; there will be outrage. Now add the hypothetical situation where this aforementioned group starts including African Americans who have passed away into their "White" list.

Replace White in the above context with Mormons and African Americans with non-Christians/Mormons and you would see how a lot of people will be very offended.

I dont have any problem people claiming that Christianity is the "only way" to heaven/whatever/etc etc, I dont really have much issues about people claiming that non-Christians go to hell either.....tolerance is part and parcel of the tradition I've been brought up in, where I could be an Atheist and still be a Hindu, like Millions of other Hindus like me and before me. However, I do take an issue with people claiming my ancestors as their own, especially so when their views are markedly different from mine/that of my ancestors.

This entire thing reeks of ignorance and arrogance..no wonder the Jewish people have raised this issue with the Mormons as well.
I'm sure you can see how this whole practice is incredibly offensive to people.


Btw, have the Mormons converted (posthumously) Hitler yet? if not whats the holdup?


ps: I often just ignore these morons who try to waylay me on the roadside with the "good message", I dont bother to even reply to their statements; however I do draw a line when they start bringing in my own family/relatives into this. As they say, "your freedom ends, where my nose begins"

[cherokeeprogressive]

13. Still not feeling the anger... I tried and I just can't. n/t

[Booster]

14. I understand what you're saying and I agree. But rather than show how angry it makes us, I think we

should point out how weird it is, because it really is right up there with voodoo. I mean, Mittens isn't really very well liked in the first place and now we can point out that he's not only stiff and wooden, but he's also just a little insane for believing he can baptize the dead, no matter who they were. That and the magic underwear should just about do it.

[Vehl]

10. check pst #9

I snicker at such antics all the time, but this imho is more than the "you are going to hell unless you join us" crap.



check post #9

[etherealtruth]

12. No flame from me ...

Creepy ... agreed ... I'm with you; what the hell do I care?

[Fumesucker]

6. I bet Gandhi will be a touch surprised..

When he wakes up God on his own planet..

[Vehl]

11. :D

good one.lol

btw on a side note, according to Hindu philosophy an Enlightened being like Gandhi would have transcended godhood itself.