In the morning mail...

I just thought I would add a comment with regards to the campaign to give deceased Mormons gay afterlives. As a practicing Mormon, I can understand how the idea of baptizing the dead seems strange. However, we do not, as you claim, believe that this baptism forcibly makes people members of our faith; rather, we believe that the deceased have the choice whether or not to accept such proxy baptisms. We believe that a physical body is necessary for baptism, and if such people (usually ancestors of church members) did not have the opportunity to choose to be baptized in their lifetimes, they can have the choice after they have died.

Also, as a lifetime member of the church, I can tell you that I have never heard any officially preached doctrine about whether being gay is a choice, and honestly despite what Prop. 8 and other such incidents suggest, such ideas are not at all central tenets of our faith—definitely not as central is they are to Rick Santorum's (excuse me). I fully support equal rights for people of all sexual orientations, and my faith does not discourage this. If anything, Mormonism has taught me to love all other human beings, regardless of any single aspect of their lifestyle or personality.

I just thought I would give a little perspective. Thank you for your time.

H.T.C.

Um... does Anne Frank—who has been proxy-baptized nine times—have Mormon descendants? That seems highly unlikely. You know, considering.

As for the "officially preached doctrine" of the Mormon church not discouraging equal rights for all regardless of sexual orientation (Prop 8—that trifle!—notwithstanding), I'm going to leave that one for the ex-Mormons, gay and straight, who haunt Slog. But it sure doesn't square with my impression of the officially preached doctrine of the Mormon church—or the with the psychological and spiritual abuse LGBT Mormons have been subjected to by their families and "faith leaders."