Help the Living

There has been a lot written lately about the morg's baptisms for the dead. I do not like the practice.
I disagree with the requirement for baptism as a requirement to be saved for the living, why do the dead have to be baptized?

Here is a link to a PDF that summerizes the history of how the Mormon church is linked to a group called the Campbellites:  http://www.njiat.com/JunePDFs/Campbellism%20and%20the%20Church%20of%20Christ%2004_30_09.pdf

In this, it is detailed why baptism is not necessary for salvation. If baptism is not necessary for the living, it is not necessary for the dead.  Here is direct quotes for the above link:

The Reasons Why Baptism Is Not Essential for Salvation

2. Jesus never baptized anyone. If baptism is essential for salvation, then Jesus
never saved anyone.
3. Paul did not view baptism as part of the Gospel (1 Cor: 1:14-17).
4  John’s baptism did not save anyone, even though it was “unto remission of
    sins” (Mk.1:4; cf. Acts 19:1-5).
5. Since there is only one God, there is only one way of salvation (Rom 3:28-30).
    This means that whatever is necessary for salvation today was also necessary
    during O.T. times.
6. The Gospel of justification by faith alone apart from obedience to God’s
    commands is taught in both O.T. and the N.T. (Rom 1:1-2).
     Abraham: before the Law (Rom 1:1-2).
     David: after the Law (Rom. 4:6-8)
     Habakkuk: in the Prophets (Rom. 1:17)
7. Baptism is the N.T. parallel of circumcision, just as the Lord’s Supper is the
    parallel of the Passover (Col. 2:11-12). Since circumcision was not essential for
    salvation, then neither is baptism.
8. Abraham was saved before he was circumcised in order to emphasize that
    salvation  was by faith alone apart from obedience to God’s commands, and
   that the Gentiles would be saved by faith alone apart from obedience to any
   command such as baptism (Rom. 4:9-11, 16, 23-5:2).
9. Cornelius was saved and baptized by the Holy Spirit before he was baptized
    (Acts 10:44-48). This passage clearly refutes baptismal regeneration.
10. Baptismal regeneration:
a) makes salvation depend on the availability of water
b) makes salvation depend on the availability of a Campbellite preacher
c) confuses the symbol with the reality
d) makes faith and obedience the same thing
e) is based on a superstitious and magical view of baptism.

11. The thief on the cross was saved without baptism. The Campbellite argument
that he was saved under the O.T. way of salvation is not possible, seeing that
Christ had already died on the cross and finished the atonement before the thief
died. The thief belongs on the N.T. side of the cross, and not on the O.T. side.

What if the mormon church used the millions and millions of dollars it spends to build and run its temples on helping people who are alive, to build water wells in Africa, to build housing in Haiti, to feel the poor?

Fear

I sit on the couch, surrounded by 4 men; the estranged husband and 3 church leaders. I thought that one of these men were on my side. Was I wrong. I had been struggling with what to believe about the Mormon Church.; I was having a crisis of faith. I had found out things. Terrible things and am struggling because of what I have learned. I had bishops admit to me that they do not make church callings based on being directed by the Holy Ghost as they tell everyone they do; but in fact what is easy, practical, logical, popular. I had told the estranged husband I wanted to attend some other Christian church. He told me he wouldn't follow me there. I had already decided that the Mormon Church could not be true but was keeping these thoughts to myself. I was not attending church. I was not raising my hand and sustaining these church men as my leaders. I had not renewed my temple recommend. I find out later that these men sitting in my house are not here to help me and support me through my crisis of faith, but to apply pressure. I found out later that the estranged husband has been in private communication with these men, turning them against me. Something he would continue to do with future bishops.

The one with the most power, the one who I thought was on my side, speaks. He tells me that I must submit to the husband and the bishop. I am shocked. He had previously told me that he was in my corner. I feel humiliated and horrified. I have been feeling lost and completely alone and have felt I have nowhere to turn and now the one man I thought would support me has turned on me. I tell him "No." I stand up and walk out. I am shattered. My sister once said that what others perceived as a breakdown was in fact a breakthrough. That is what this moment was for me. I got in my car and drove. I didn't know what I was going to do. My marriage was in a shambles. I didn't know where my faith was going to go from this point. I didn't have anyone to turn to; I felt I had no path to walk, I felt lost and all alone. This was the loneliest and lowest point in my life. In that car ride; I began to forge a new path. I turn around and drive back home.

Nobody likes to be forced into a corner with no options but to submit to another person's will. These men think they can use fear to get me to do what they want when love and acceptance would be the wiser choice. I decide from that moment on that I would not submit to fear; fear of losing my eternal reward (what god would have us follow him based on fear?); fear of losing my family; fear of losing everything unless I submitted to fallible men?

The definition of submit is:

sub·mit

  –verb (used with object)

1. to give over or yield to the power or authority of another.

2. to subject to some kind of treatment or influence.

3. to present for the approval, consideration, or decision of another or others: to submit a  plan; to submit anapplication.

4. to state or urge with deference; suggest or propose (usuallyfol. by a clause): I submit  that full proof should be required.

Why is a man’s opinion, power or authority of any more value than mine? A man is as fallible as I am. Does being male make him more intelligent, his opinion, his power any better than mine?  I cannot understand submitting to another man who is as fallible as I am, who is as easily prone to mistakes as I am.  I cannot understand submitting to someone who is prone to controlling and manipulating.  We can teach each other and learn from each other, but we should not be required to submit to another.