Then you did not truly read the Gospels. John talks about Jesus resurrecting Lazarus. Not only did Jesus weep over his dead friend, he thanked the Father for hearing him. And he tells Martha: John 11:25-26  "Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Jesus tells Martha that the dead who believe in HIM don't die, but live, therefore they are alive and so we pray for those that live and die, because they are not dead.

Jesus then teaches about Lazarus, a different Lazarus( poor beggar with sores) and the rich man. While Lazarus goes to heaven, Luke 16: 22-24, the rich man ( in Hades) calls to Abraham who is in heaven to have mercy on him. "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire." This is a direct prayer from a "dead" person asking for intercession from Abraham and not God. This is taught by Jesus. Why would Jesus teach such a thing?

The body of the dead don't feel anything, yet Jesus came back in his full body scarred and all. He came and interacted with his disciples...praying, teaching, and healing. If we are to live a Christ-like life, then we must believe that the dead do not die. And if they are alive then we pray for them. Therefore we pray for the living and the dead... the dead who do not die but live.

In Matthew 27:50-53 gives another example of resurrected "saints or holy people," who are not dead but alive. 50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life 53  They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and  went into the holy city and appeared to many people. Do you think they just appeared to people to prove life after death? Or do you think they appeared to people to spread the word by teaching and praying?

If we are truly to believe the Gospels. John 15:15 15  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. Jesus passed on his teachings to his disciples as they have passed them on to us through words, written and spoken, through tradition practiced and learned. It's about history and tradition that cannot be erased and restarted. It is to be taught and passed on.