Elie Wiesel Pleads with Romney to Make Mormons Stop Proxy Baptisms

On February 14th, The Washington Post featured an article with the following headline:

Elie Wiesel calls on Mitt Romney to make Mormon Church stop proxy baptisms of Jews

Mr. Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor who was imprisoned in Auschwitz and is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, had recently discovered his name was on a list of people to be baptized into the Mormon faith after their death.

Mormons believe, as do many Western religions, that if you are not of their religion, you will not attain eternal peace in Heaven.

Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, described Heaven as a “celestial kingdom” that is divided into three “heavens” or “degrees.” Mormons who are sealed in “celestial marriage” to a spouse in a temple while alive, or by proxy after death, are allowed to enter into the highest degree, and become gods themselves. The Mormon description of Heaven takes a bit from the Bible, but in general, it is unlike any description of Heaven in other Western religions.

Lawrence O’Donnell of MSNBC spoke to Elie Wiesel after the Washington Post article was published. O’Donnell contacted the Mormon church for a statement, and received an email from Dale Jones that described Joseph Smith’s doctrine on baptisms by proxy.

“…but the foundation of the doctrine comes from Latter-Day revelation through Joseph Smith. By standing in as proxy for someone who has died-often one of his or her own ancestors-a church member may be baptized on behalf of that deceased person. In Latter-Day saint belief, a person who has died retains the right to make choices in the next life, and acceptance of the baptismal rite opens the way to continued progression. Baptisms for the dead are performed only in temples.”

Elie Wiesel learned of the baptism by proxy practice a few years ago through a friend, someone who was with Mr. Wiesel in Auschwitz. While researching baptism by proxy, Mr. Wiesel discovered between 600,000 and 650,000 Jews who had been “converted” posthumously to Mormonism. Some of the more recognizable people who have been baptized by proxy are Anne Frank, Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler.

Mr. Wiesel and others spent two years protesting the Mormon baptisms by proxy and they won. Or so he thought. This week, a researcher found Elie Wiesel’s name on a list of people destined for baptism by proxy. In other words, Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor and prisoner in Auschwitz, founder of The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was thought by the Mormon church to be inferior and in need of posthumous conversion to Mormonism so he could gain eternal life in Heaven.

Elie Wiesel told Lawrence O’Donnell that he respects all religions. However, he said that Mitt Romney is running for president, and this issue is too serious to ignore. Mr. Wiesel does not believe that Romney is involved in these baptisms personally, but he does think Romney needs to address this issue. Mr. Wiesel was contacted by the Mormon church and told he and his family were removed from the list, and that “this” won’t happen again. One can only hope that the Mormon church will cease this extremely troubling and hurtful practice altogether.

Elie Wiesel, in his last remarks to Lawrence O’Donnell, expressed disbelief that he and other Holocaust survivors were included in a group with Hitler and Stalin. Mr. Wiesel looked at the camera with a sad smile and said “Really, really.” Mr. Wiesel respects all religions, including Mormonism. It is a shame that Mormonism does not show other religions the same respect.

Thanks to MSNBC for video of Elie Wiesel and Wikipedia for information on Mormon heaven.

Follow MadMike’sAmerica on Facebook and Twitter!

Happy

0 0 %

Sad

0 0 %

Excited

0 0 %

Sleepy

0 0 %

Angry

0 0 %

Surprise

0 0 %