Abortion and baptism

[beelzebabette]

It's my understanding (which may turn out to have absolutely no foundation so I'm open to correction) that a past abortion is grounds for terminating a baptismal interview and running it up the chain of command. Has a woman ever been denied baptism for an abortion done for purposes of birth control?

[Jeff Lebowski]

It's my understanding (which may turn out to have absolutely no foundation so I'm open to correction) that a past abortion is grounds for terminating a baptismal interview and running it up the chain of command. Has a woman ever been denied baptism for an abortion done for purposes of birth control?

That was the policy back when I was a missionary. We had to get clearance from our mission president. I called him once and he quickly gave permission.

[Surfah]

That was the policy back when I was a missionary. We had to get clearance from our mission president. I called him once and he quickly gave permission.

I ran into it on my mission and the MP would speak to the baptismal candidate personally about the circumstances briefly. I never had the MP deny someone a baptism for having had an abortion regardless of their circumstance.

[beelzebabette]

So, my followup question... Why ask at all?

[RobinFinderson]

This has come up when I conducted baptismal interviews. I would not say a word during the interview, and just wrap it up as if everything was business as usual. At the conclusion I would congratulate the baptismal candidate and say something like, "Just one more interview to go. This time you will get to meet my mission president..."

[Surfah]

So, my followup question... Why ask at all?

Because part of the interview with the MP in my experience is so the MP could explain how grievous a sin it is and to commit them to not doing it again.

[Surfah]

This has come up when I conducted baptismal interviews. I would not say a word during the interview, and just wrap it up as if everything was business as usual. At the conclusion I would congratulate the baptismal candidate and say something like, "Just one more interview to go. This time you will get to meet my mission president..."

That's a very tactful way to handling a delicate issue. I wish I had been so thoughtful when I was 20.

[beelzebabette]

Because part of the interview with the MP in my experience is so the MP could explain how grievous a sin it is and to commit them to not doing it again.

Okay. What else is run up the chain? I know murder is. Is adultery?

[TripletDaddy]

So, my followup question... Why ask at all?

Obviously because some circumstances could preclude baptism. Which is why the MP or higher authority gets involved in cases of abortion, murder, convicted felons, etc.

[TripletDaddy]

Okay. What else is run up the chain? I know murder is. Is adultery?

I am not sure there is some official checklist.

In my mission, we taught a guy that used to be a bigtime drug runner for a local coke cartel. He had killed some people in the process. He left it all behind him a few years earlier, but he was denied permission for baptism. While the MP did not explain to me the specifics, I presume some of it had to do with the fact that because of his past, unsavory people may still be looking for him and want to sever his head from his body, thus potentially bringing undue threats of danger to the small branch in which we were serving at the time.

There is no official baptismal question wherein we ask, "have you ever killed on behalf of a drug cartel?" nor is there a requirement that says that if a candidate was ever part of a drug cartel, the MP must be involved.

You take them as they come and use common sense, at least in my experience.

[cowboy]

Okay. What else is run up the chain? I know murder is. Is adultery?

The big three:

Felony
Abortion
Homosexuality (always a fun one to ask)

[il Padrino Ute]

Okay. What else is run up the chain? I know murder is. Is adultery?

I don't ever remember asking about adultery when I conducted an interview. Abortion and murder were the only two that I can remember asking about.

[beelzebabette]

Obviously because some circumstances could preclude baptism.

My apologies for missing the obvious part.

[TripletDaddy]

My apologies for missing the obvious part.

No problem. I am sure you really thought long and hard about why someone would ask about an abortion in a baptismal interview.

[TripletDaddy]

I don't ever remember asking about adultery when I conducted an interview. Abortion and murder were the only two that I can remember asking about.

I don't think we did, either. At least not expressly. You kind of do because unless I am remembering correctly, don't you ask if the person understands the LOC and commits to live it, currently living it, etc?

I do recall asking specifically about abortion and murder, as well.