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Baptism For The Mentally Disabled

What is your view, should the mentally disabled be baptised too? If no or yes, what would be the measuring line? Have you met members that 'did not seem all there' and wonder how they became members?

Disabled Mentally The Baptism

I think it depends upon the level of the disability. If they are slow to learn but still can learn, then yes, but probably not as early as someone without the disability. So, for a child raised in the Church probably not at 8. I think it has to be decided on a case by case basis. Also, I think sometimes it is better to err on the side of caution. In other words, if you aren't sure if they need to be baptised or not because you aren't really sure of their accountability level, then baptise them. The Lord knows them and he won't punish them for being baptised because someone on earth made a mistake.


There was a woman in my ward who was developmentally delayed. She raised in the Church. She was baptised, I don't know at what age. Eventually she moved out of our ward into a group home to learn the skills necessary to live on her own. She had held a full time job for years before this and still does so she has some level of accountability. Certainly more than an 8 year old so she does need baptisim since 8 is the age of accountability. She has actually progressed to the point where she went to the Temple and was endowed. I don't know how that decision was reached, but I know it was something she wanted and she spent a lot of time working with the Bishop in her new ward to become prepared for it.

Baptism For The Mentally Disabled Studies Doctrine Mormon

If the person can basically comprehend the missionary's discussions then I don't see why he/she should not be baptized. It all depends on the level of mental disability.

Yes, several, one particularly I remember in my ward in Argentina. The guy was so bad that he said one day that he would get up in Sacrament meeting and tell everybody how the missionaries are paying him to have sex with them. Of course everytime he would get up, the bishop was right there talking to him. The guy would have periods of being 'well' and other periods of being really 'bad' on his mind.

Disabled Mentally The Baptism

There is a man in our stake (I'm not sure which ward) who is adamant about being included in the Single Adult activities. He's got the mind of a 6-yr-old, and I don't believe he's been baptized. He does have the mental capacity to learn, because he's deaf and he can speak and read lips and sign, and I believe he's got a job. But in my opinion, he is not an adult and should not be included in activities for marriageable people. He's been known to "stalk" single women and become violent if he doesn't get the attention he wants. He wants to find a "nice girl" and get married, but any "normal" woman isn't going to have anything to do with him. I understand the current stake single's rep has recommended a group home in another city, which also has a deaf ward, that would probably be better for him. But everyone is reluctant to point this out to him, for some reason. Should he be baptized when he can't seem to understand the consequences of some of his actions? I don't know the answer to that.

As tena pointed out, it should depend on the level of mental disability. If they can understand right from wrong, and try to follow those precepts of accountability, then I think they should be baptized to allow their progression in the kingdom.

In my opinion, of course.
Roz

Disabled Mentally The Baptism

I know a guy exactly like that in Argentina, he has a mental disability not as bad as you described, he used to attend the Single Adults activities but he used to harrass all the girls there! it was awful! he even read pornography material

I think that it is hard for them to find a place to 'fit in' but at the same time, if their disability is so bad that they cannot comprehend the consequences then they should not be baptized.

Baptism For The Mentally Disabled

This is coming from a mother of a boy who struggles with mental illness. From everything that I have understood, those who struggle with being handicapped emotionally and mentally and who do not have the capacity to fully understand, have total self control, and cannot help their current state of mind is that they are like children and will be held to a different degree of accountability. As we know, we should all be baptised like our Saviour was. Does it make any difference if someone is physically handicapped?? Can they be baptised if they are missing both of their legs? I think yes, and accommodations would be made to help that person. I feel that it is no different with someone who is mentally disabled. The exception to that, as in anyone not suffering handicaps, is if there is sin involved. Do I think that a serial rapist, who is found to be insane, should be baptized? Definitely, NO. All questions as to actions that are borderline sin would be determined by the bishop if they were worthy to be baptized or can work towards being worthy. My bishop had no problem with the baptism of my son. He was and is doing his best, has a testimony of Jesus Christ, and why would he need to be with-held from baptism? I think they are all individual cases and cannot be generalized due to the wide spectrum of mental illness, levels of understanding , and ability to make a baptismal covenant. This is all just my opinion and I do not claim to know everything, so I would love to hear from others on this topic. Are there any scriptures or guidance from the general authorities on this subject? Thanks for any replies.

Baptism The Mentally Disabled

If a person can comprehend the gospel at the level of an 8-year-old child, he or she can be baptized. That pretty much entails a moral understanding of a difference between right and wrong. The gospel is not so much concerned with mental capacity as moral capacity. The Church is as much for the mentally disabled as for anybody else, and they should be invited to participate (including those who do not qualify for baptism).

When it comes to mentally ill or handicapped individuals who pose a threat to the safety of other members, this is a different matter. Protecting the virtue of the innocent must be held as the highest priority. If that means the offending individual cannot participate, so be it. Even if the offender cannot understand his or her actions, he or she must not be placed in situations that invite trouble. These people should be loved and given support and friendship, but their contact with the Church may need to be limited to Sunday meetings only, or to home teaching contact, or whatever else is deemed appropriate to the situation.

Baptism The Mentally Disabled Mormon Doctrine Studies

As Howe said, I think it comes down to whether or not they have the comprehension of an average 8 year old. Since that has been determined as the age of accountability. It seems to me 8 is the age because once you have that level of understanding, you are accountable for your actions. Of course, I think you are held accountable at a level as one would hold accountable an 8 year old not an adult.

I should think this would be the same for a person with a mental disability. Do they have the ability to understand right from wrong at the level of an average 8 year old? If so, they should be baptized. I think, what happens is we see an adult who has been baptised and clearly doesn't have full mental capacity so we think they are not accountable, why were the baptized. Perhaps, we should think instead, does this person have the intellect of an 8 year old not does this individual have the intellect of the average person of their age. This can be hard to do. As an adult, we see another adult who is clearly not "normal" and so we consider them not to be accountable rather than consider at what level they might be accountable.