Comments on: Baptizing Those Who Are Accountable

By: GeorgeD

GeorgeD — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 15:59:13 +0000

There seems to be some difference between saying that a mentally retarded person can be baptized and saying that they should (or need to) be baptized.

I think the BOM injunction certainly applies to the latter but not to the former.

By: Bret

Bret — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 05:30:43 +0000

This is a good discussion on this. My experience with it tells me the same things, especially in the respect of needing to do more preparation for these individuals if they are planning on getting baptised.
I was working once with a schizophrenic. We had him interviewed by the stake mission president who was a doctor who specialized in schizophrenia. He told us to go ahead and…well, he didn’t show up and he later told us he never wanted to see us again. I tell this to the stake mission president and he tells me he really didn’t think he was ready anyway!!

So, yeah. I’m all for it after MUCH prayer and preparation.

By: Seth R.

Seth R. — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 14:53:54 +0000

Moroni’s discussion is a mere guidepost.

It has been pre-empted by modern revelation setting the age at eight and justifying us before God when we baptize those children.

So yes, Moroni’s logic probably applies to many eight year olds who are baptized. But God has justified us in this matter via revelation.

By: Floyd the Wonderdog

Floyd the Wonderdog — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 12:49:47 +0000

From the 1999 Church Handbook of Instructions:

Ordinances for Persons Who Have Mental Disabilities

When contemplating ordinances for a person who has a mental disability, priesthood leaders and parents prayerfully consider the person’s wishes and degree of understanding. Ordinances should not be withheld if the person is worthy, wants to receive them, and demonstrates an appropriate degree of responsibility and accountability. Living persons whose disabilities cause them to have the mental capacity of little children may not be accountable (see D&C 29:46-50). The saving ordinances do not need to be performed for these persons.

If leaders determine that a person should receive an ordinance, they help him or her understand and prepare for it.

By: Bookslinger

Bookslinger — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 04:10:22 +0000

I used to be in the “don’t baptize someone unless they are accountable” camp. But I’ve changed.

Comments #10 and #11 sum it up well:

“If a child who was mentally handicapped wanted to be baptized because all the other people in his class were being baptized, I wouldn’t oppose it myself.”

“And I just can’t see a loving Heavenly Father telling her, ‘No, sorry my dear little Cami, even though everyone around you is following the Savior by being baptized, you are just too handicapped to do so.’”

And then there’s what Heber J. Grant said in the Priesthood/RS manual a couple years ago: “I’d baptize the devil if he requested it.”

Based on what I’ve seen, bishops have okay’ed the baptism of plenty of healthy normal 8 year olds (children of both totally active and totally inactive parents) who still had absolutely no idea what baptism or church membership was about.

I don’t think requirements should be more rigid for the handicapped than for the average kids.

In fact, I finally figured out that if baptism requirements were meant to be rigid and strict, then the church wouldn’t have 19 and 20 year olds doing the convert baptism interviews.

By: Rusty

Rusty — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 01:09:49 +0000

I’m surprised there hasn’t been any discussion so far about the “becoming a member of the church” part of baptism. That seems to be a pretty decent reason to baptize someone who’s mentally handicapped.

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 23:21:49 +0000

My only worry is that a meaningless baptism would be considered blasphemy in a way, though I certainly don’t think the handicapped children nor their parents fall under condemnation.

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 22:55:24 +0000

Jacob, I was thinking along those same lines. I have a niece with severe mental and physical handicaps who was baptized about a year ago at age 8, which got me thinking about this topic. She was certainly cognizant enough to know her 8-year old friends around her were getting baptized. And I just can’t see a loving Heavenly Father telling her, “No, sorry my dear little Cami, even though everyone around you is following the Savior by being baptized, you are just too handicapped to do so.”

Clearly she doesn’t “need” baptism, but in such cases of mental handicaps, I seriously doubt the parents of these children “are in danger of death, hell, and an endless torment” (Moro. 8:21).

On the contrary, to me it seems that to deny such sweet children the opportunity to follow Christ’s example in this way is, in fact, a perfect instance of “awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them” (Moro. 8:19).

By: Jacob

Jacob — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 20:54:09 +0000

You said that if they don’t *need* baptism they shouldn’t get it. I don’t have any experience with this so I am just thinking it through, but might we consider other reasons (e.g. social) that it would be good to baptize them? Moroni seems to be mad about people saying they *need* baptism, but I don’t think that means we are condemned if we *let* someone be baptized when we are not sure (or can’t be sure) how much understanding a person has. If a child who was mentally handicapped wanted to be baptized because all the other people in his class were being baptized, I wouldn’t oppose it myself. Just some thoughts, some of you with more experience with this may have a better take.

By: Seth R.

Seth R. — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 19:29:46 +0000

My brother was about 13. It was a bit interesting since he didn’t “lean back” the way you’re supposed to, but instead kinda hunched forward which made the “immersion” part tricky.

Throwing protocal to the winds, I put my hand on the back of his neck and shoved him under up to my shoulder. I got a raised eyebrow from the Bishop, but, seeing as no part of my brother remained above water, he apparently felt it was good enough.