How do catholics explain baptism for the dead?

[iepuras]

My understanding is, believing in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the savior of all mankind, doing your best to follow his commandments to love Him and His Father and everyone around you makes you a christian.

Since when has this been the official position of the LDS church? Don’t the LDS believe that baptism by the proper LDS authority is required? Doesn’t the LDS church teach that they are the “true Christians” and that all others are apostate?

If I knew the Catholic Church was true, I would certainly be there in a heartbeat. But from the plethora of people who have given me information about the trinity have either not made sense, and/or they were completely sarcastic with me. I find in the church of Jesus christ of Latter day saints, the doctrine explained makes perfect sense, and everyone is kind and gentle with one another. Plain and simple view of mine. Feel free to change it.

I actually found the LDS teaching of the nature of God and the godhead to be confusing and doesn’t hold up metaphysically. The LDS Heavenly Father is a material god within time and space who has a father-god, who has a father-god, ad infinitum. Who was the first father-god? The LDS also teach that God is co-eternal with all our spirits as well as matter. What did he create then? How did matter get here? How did our spirits get here? The LDS teach that Heavenly Father is bound by the natural laws of the universe and that he is God because he obeys them fully. Who established the laws of the universe? The LDS concept of God within time and space ultimately didn’t hold up for me.

Have you delved into philosophy to gain a better understanding of the Trinity? While it has helped me, I do not have, nor ever will have in this life, a clear understanding of God. Try as I might, He is still quite incomprehensible to me, and that is ok with me because I know that He is love (1 John 4:8).

 

[virgo]

From a Catholic view, if the dead can be saved after they are gone, then all we believe is moot. All we need is just get someone to baptized us after we are gone and voila clean slate to enter heaven?? Isn’t that nice? No need to do all the things that God asked us to do or not to do.

I think not.

Then why do we pray for those in purgatory?

 

[Brandon_Cal]

When I saw this thread, I remembered something that was posted on another thread earlier this year that provides an explanation of these verses in 1 Corinthians from St. Francis de Sales that is consistent with ancient Christian teachings.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=12051367&postcount=92

Thank you very much for this!

I’ve read most of the other Christian apologetics concerning this verse and I’ve always found them a bit lacking. St. Francis de Sales’ reasoning makes more sense to me than “just because St. Paul is mentioning a possible practice of early Christians doesn’t mean it was commanded or licit”. That has always left a rather sour taste in my mouth, not unlike a hypothetical Catholic citing a liturgical abuse or even a heretical belief as justification for an orthodox teaching. Why would St. Paul point to the practice of the heterodox in order to demonstrate their orthodoxy in another matter?

 

[iepuras]

Thank you very much for this!

I’ve read most of the other Christian apologetics concerning this verse and I’ve always found them a bit lacking. St. Francis de Sales’ reasoning makes more sense to me than “just because St. Paul is mentioning a possible practice of early Christians doesn’t mean it was commanded or licit”. That has always left a rather sour taste in my mouth, not unlike a hypothetical Catholic citing a liturgical abuse or even a heretical belief as justification for an orthodox teaching. Why would St. Paul point to the practice of the heterodox in order to demonstrate their orthodoxy in another matter?

You’re welcome! I, too, find St. Francis de Sales’ reasoning to be superior to every other explanation I have read and entirely consistent with orthodox Christian beliefs and practices. No mental gymnastics necessary! I swore off mental gymnastics when I left the LDS church!