Help from Mormon dopers?

Factual Questions
1

I had to wait to post this. This is post number 667. Had I done this earlier it would have post 666, and more than a bit akward.

Here’s the deal. A well respected friend and coworker invited Edith and me (and Sire O. - the baby) to his daughter’s baptism. As the subject suggests, the family is Mormon. We are honored to be invited to such a momentus occasion. Toward this, however, I have one question and one call for “advice”.

  1. His daughter is 6 years old. I have never heard of this before - baptisms for anyone other than infants and converts (at any age). Is it a “Mormon Thang” or something else? Any Mormon (or not) dopers able to educate me on this?

  2. Does anyone have any gift suggestions? Mrs. MacRoyne and I are are struck with two genres of gifts - religious and secular. Religious may include books or music tapes; secular basically includes cash. Not to sound wacky, but is there something “customary” for Mormon baptisms? Kinda like all the Jewish in-law relatives giving money in multiples of $18 for Sire’s brit? In that Edith is Jewish and I’m sort of Nothing, I don’t think we want to go with the “May the Holiest of His Blessings be bestowed upon your countenance” type of thing (unga-religous).

Thanks in advance!

2

well crap. I thought I was in GQ! Sorry. Could somebody just nudge this into GQ for me? Pretty please?

10-Q-B-D-much.

Hey, post 668 - Neighbor of the Beast!

3

Sure, I’ll help you out. Off you go!

4

I’m happy to respond to your question as best I can, but I am confused. The LDS church does not baptize infants or children under the age of 8 years old. It is church policy to recognize 8 years as being old enough to understand “sin” and excersize control over one’s actions. If your friends daughter is only 6, then they are not in the same church that I am in.

That being said, if you are mistaken and the girl is 8 or older — you will probably find the baptism a more subdued affair than your experience in other religions, and a gift is not necessarily expected. A card would be nice, and if you wanted to get something church related as a gift and you have a little time yet, you could go to the official LDS website and buy something online from the LDS store – there are many inexpensive items there that would be nice for a baptism (themed bookmarks, books on baptism, sticker/coloring books, etc.)

If it turns out that your friends are involved with the Reorganized Church, then I have no idea.

5

thanks, Nancyfish. You’re right; she’s 8. I messed up in the OP. Thanks for the explanation and suggestions, too.

To everyone else reading this, please continue with the wonderful ideas and “edumacation”. :slight_smile:

6

Holden,

Baptism of older children and adults is not uncommon in other faiths. My wifes got-son was baptized at age 8… mainly because his mother was not terribly religious at the time. I have also heard of other christian traditions that don’t believe in infant baptisms for basically the same reason that Nancyfish explained. The one that comes to mind is the Baptist faith.

7

I just have to ask, are you by any chance related to this guy?

:rolleyes: