Did Steven Colbert do a decent job of articulating some of the absurdity of the Mormon religion on his show The Colbert Report on Comedy Central?

Answer 1

Of course Mormons don't appreciate being the butt of jokes or being considered absurd, but Stephen Colbert has done a pretty good job of being both humorous and respectfully fair on his show. Of course some things he says will be offensive to some people, but for the most part it is accurate and many Mormons enjoy watching.

Assuming you are referring to the most recent episode of February 23, 2012, in which he discusses the Mormon practice of proxy baptisms, I would say that he did a decent job, yes. It wasn't totally accurate and while mocking sacred religious rites is not something I agree with, he did make some funny jokes that most Mormons would appreciate.

Here are just a few facts to add to Stephen Colbert's comments:

*The Mormon Church banned it's members from baptizing Holocaust victims in 1995, but as there are over 14 million Mormons, it can be difficult to keep track and occassionally one seeps through the cracks.

*It is against church policy to submit names that are not direct ancestors unless they have been dead for over 100 years or you have permission from living relatives.

*Mormons believe that the dead are given the opportunity to accept or reject the baptism performed in their behalf - they are not being forced to convert against their will.

*Stephen said that those baptized posthumously will not go to the Celestial Kingdom, but to the "business class" Terrestrial Kingdom. This is not true. Those who accept their posthumous baptism are just as eligible for the Celestial Kingdom as any other Mormon.

*Stephen said the teachings of the Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial Kingdoms are found in the Book of Mormon. They are not. This doctrine is actually found and explained in the Doctrine and Covenants, a collection of revelations to modern-day prophets.