They'll make you a Mormon whether you want it or not!

[crabcake]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
It takes away the identity of the deceased person and is an invasion of privacy. A non-religious example would be if Larry died tomorrow and John Kerry went in and changed his voter registration to say he was a Democrat. Or signed him up to be a PETA charter member. It changes the person's legacy without their consent.

It's fraud and it should be prosecuted.

Actually, Vrai ... Privacy laws state that once a person is deceased, they lose their rights to privacy. I know, it sucks, but that's the way it is. And these boneheads will probably use "separation of church and state" as an argument against having some gov't telling them to stop.

 

[Tonio]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Well, Hessian, I'm glad you're not bothered by religious zealots pushing their beliefs on complete strangers. I, however, am bothered by it. And obviously the Jewish people whose ancestors are being converted post-mortem are bothered by it.

It takes away the identity of the deceased person and is an invasion of privacy. A non-religious example would be if Larry died tomorrow and John Kerry went in and changed his voter registration to say he was a Democrat. Or signed him up to be a PETA charter member. It changes the person's legacy without their consent.

It's fraud and it should be prosecuted.

Excellent point! The only thing I'll add is this--the zealots assume that not only are their beliefs are better than everyone else's, but that everyone should believe as they do. This may sound like hyperbole, but that attitude is how holy wars get started.

 

[Hessian]

He better NOT change his voter registration!

Interesting analogy...I suppose when you consider altering a person's legacy...there are very serious issues here.

Some Jews do not believe in any afterlife at all so "baptism for their dead" is truly a wasted effort...(will Jews convert because of this? no.) Will someone alter their grave stone or assign some new spouse to them...No.

I suppose I do draw a line: They can wear their holy underwear, baptize for the dead, simulate multiple wives, belief in a gold-digger as a prophet, believe that the Indians are the lost ten tribes of Israel, and reinterpret the Bible...I really don't care that much...but if there is an attempt in the public record to distort a person's legacy to the offense of the kin...that is clearly crossing the line.

 

[Tonio]

Re: He better NOT change his voter registration!

Originally posted by Hessian
belief in a gold-digger as a prophet, believe that the Indians are the lost ten tribes of Israel

Whoa! Who's the gold-digger? Could you imagine a ho-bag like Courtney Love or Drew Barrymore being revered as prophets 300 years from now?

There are some American Christians who believe that the US and England are descended from the 10 lost tribes. I once read "The United States and Great Briain in Prophecy" and tossed it aside in disgust, because I detest eschatology.

 

[Hessian]

Gold digger in the traditional sense...

Joesph Smith's Family ran the hills of W. NY trying to get farmers to pitch in because they claim to have found gold on their property...then when the gulliber farmer has scrapped up enough $$ for a serious dig..they hit the road.

Funny that Smith claims that the angel Moroni gave him those two "GOLD" tablets that only he was allowed to see...and he needed special glasses to record their translation..Hmmm

I have never come across that belief that Anglo-America was the 10 lost tribes...odd.
Mormons teach to this day that the AmerIndians were the 10 tribes and God cursed them when they rejected Christ's visit (30 AD or so). To this day they are trying to connect Mayan glyphs to Judaic symbols.