You ask: why do only choose to agree with the apostle Paul on one of his three points?
Answer: because that sardonic Jewish Carpenter once reprimanded the apostles over such nit picking.(Mark 9 39).
and because most of the LDS that I know are actually seeking to serve God with their whole heart soul and mind. Many are ex christians whose churches turned to follow the world.
And we Catholics believe in “baptism of desire”: That when a person seeks by his actions to follow God in a just life and helps his neighbor, he is really seeking God and serving Him. (Matthew 25:31).
and no, I don’t see it harming a 12 year old to be baptized in proxy...I’ve seen 12 year olds on drugs, being sexually abused, worrying about the lastest stuff they will nag their parents to buy, etc. so why should I worry when the kids offer to get wet help someone in heaven?
as for that “live a bad life and then get into heaven the last minute”: I don’t think it works that way. But then we Catholics hold that death bed conversions will get us to heaven,and that pesky carpenter mentioned the same thing (Matthew 20) so why should I criticize another church that seeks the same chance for someone they love or care about?
So they baptize the dead, and I pray that my loved ones get out of purgatory, and both of us are praying that these folks find salvation and the love of God.
There is a difference between respecting someone’s beliefs and agreeing with them, you know. There will be enough persecution of all people of faith if Obama gets reelected, so I wouldn’t worry about fellow travelers to heaven just because the “deep doctrines” are a bit off...
(Oh sure...the # of gods you worship is some "deep doctrine"...Believing that those who aren't temple Mormons won't live together with Heavenly Father is some "Deep doctrine..." Pure reductionism...)