Ancestry and the LDS

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Millie123

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This is a very trivial question, and is really not all that important.
Does anyone know why the Mormon church puts forth a lot of effort in researching and documentation of a persons family tree? I saw this news article today abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/mormon-church-ancestry-join-forces-20178337 it sparked my curiosity as to why they are spending 60 million dollars to research and document family history with ancestry.com. There is nothing wrong with researching ones ancestry, but I was just wondering if there is something in their belief system that makes them devoted to documenting and researching a persons ancestry. They even have a whole department in their church that is devoted to researching genealogy.
 
It is my understanding that they baptize deceased family members “by proxy” into the Mormon faith so they can be saved.
 
For the purpose of baptizing the dead, plus I think it’s a matter of pride. I also suppose
that it may have something to do with mimicking the Jews who, before the Temple was
destroyed (first &/or second time), carefully recorded their genealogy, which may actu-
ally go back to pride, almost showing off.
 
Whatever their reasons and motives, I’m grateful for them. My father and mother spend a lot of time researching their own family history, and my dad in particular has spent a lot of time at Mormon libraries digging up gems that we didn’t have before. They even once went to Salt Lake City to check out the central library there with its microfiche archives.
 
Millie123 said:
This is a very trivial question, and is really not all that important.
Does anyone know why the Mormon church puts forth a lot of effort in researching and documentation of a persons family tree? I saw this news article today abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/mormon-church-ancestry-join-forces-20178337 it sparked my curiosity as to why they are spending 60 million dollars to research and document family history with ancestry.com. There is nothing wrong with researching ones ancestry, but I was just wondering if there is something in their belief system that makes them devoted to documenting and researching a persons ancestry. They even have a whole department in their church that is devoted to researching genealogy.
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I read it as Family Search (part of the LDS church) is getting 60 million dollars from ancestry.com for the records the LDS church has and maybe those it gets in the future.
 
Another cool thing about the Mormons. They are an interesting and vibrant group
 
Judas_Thaddeus said:
For the purpose of baptizing the dead,
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Correct.
plus I think it’s a matter of pride. I also suppose
that it may have something to do with mimicking the Jews who, before the Temple was
destroyed (first &/or second time), carefully recorded their genealogy, which may actu-
ally go back to pride, almost showing off.
Click to expand...
The authors of the New Testament traced Jesus’ ancestry… nothing prideful about that.
 
The LDS hold family ancestry in high regard as they want to perform as many baptisms for the dead as possible. This all links with the whole ‘families are forever’ teachings. Not only do they do baptisms for the dead, with these records they also perform many other temple ordinances by proxy for the dead such as family sealings & endowment. There are several people whom I know who had non-LDS spouses who while alive did not want to join the LDS faith, so after their death, the LDS widow would have them baptised by proxy.
 
Mormons also believe that in doing proxy work for the dead, they become “Saviors on Mount Zion” and, in essence, are responsible for helping save the dead. They believe that someone cannot enter into the highest level of heaven without Mormon baptism and other ordinances. They do their temple work for.the dead to make everyone Mormon. Except for apostates. Families have to have permission from Salt Lake to do proxy work for dead apostates. Not that I want my Mormon family to dead dunk me after I die, but if it makes them feel better, fine. It’s easier to do proxy ordinances in the temple for Hitler or Stalin than for an apostate like me. Last time I checked, I have not killed anyone nor started any wars.
 
iepuras said:
Mormons also believe that in doing proxy work for the dead, they become “Saviors on Mount Zion” and, in essence, are responsible for helping save the dead. They believe that someone cannot enter into the highest level of heaven without Mormon baptism and other ordinances. They do their temple work for.the dead to make everyone Mormon. Except for apostates. Families have to have permission from Salt Lake to do proxy work for dead apostates. Not that I want my Mormon family to dead dunk me after I die, but if it makes them feel better, fine. It’s easier to do proxy ordinances in the temple for Hitler or Stalin than for an apostate like me. Last time I checked, I have not killed anyone nor started any wars.
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The way i understood it was that A dead person can only receive this baptism by proxy in the afterlife if they would have accepted ‘the gospel’ had they been given the chance whilst they were alive.
 
debbie_h said:
The way i understood it was that A dead person can only receive this baptism by proxy in the afterlife if they would have accepted ‘the gospel’ had they been given the chance whilst they were alive.
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Well, Mormons have the goal to proxy baptize everyone (except apostates) and the dead person has the opportunity to accept or reject the baptism in the spirit world. But why would the dead spouse of a faithful Mormon qualify for proxy work after their death? Didn’t they have an opportunity to hear the Mormon gospel while alive? Why didn’t the Holy Ghost not bother to testify of the truthfulness of Mormonism to that person, especially since he or she is married to a Mormon? The Mormon spouse often tries to convert the non-Mormon spouse at least once. Don’t they reject the Mormon gospel as well, in a similar manner as an apostate? They had a chance to accept it while alive and rejected it. Why do they get a second chance but not the apostate? I guess apostates only get second chances while alive.
 
:rotfl: you certainly asked the questions that ive alway thought hence why I never really believed in it in the first place. Which brings me to another question, why would a person then choose to reject the gospel in the afterlife? If they are in the spirit world, take a look around, they know they are dead… Hmmmmm 😃
 
debbie_h said:
:rotfl: you certainly asked the questions that ive alway thought hence why I never really believed in it in the first place. Which brings me to another question, why would a person then choose to reject the gospel in the afterlife? If they are in the spirit world, take a look around, they know they are dead… Hmmmmm 😃
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Exactly! We apostates are the greatest of sinners! Jesus cannot even save us! He can save Hitler, but not us. 🤷

Not that I want to be in Mormon heaven anyway. Why would I want to share my husband for eternity and be pregnant with spirit babies all the time? I’ll hang out in hell with my apostate husband. We may not be married, but at least I won’t have to share him. Mormon hell sounds better every day!
 
runningdude said:
The authors of the New Testament traced Jesus’ ancestry… nothing prideful about that.
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That’s different, the LDS are trying to imitate the Jews.
Jews have (or *had *rather) a Temple, LDS have temple(S).
Jews kept strict record of their genealogy, LDS do likewise.

What Jesus’ ancestry was about was proving that Jesus was a descendant of King David.

The writers of the Gospels aren’t a modern cult trying to copycat ancient practices.
 
iepuras said:
Exactly! We apostates are the greatest of sinners! Jesus cannot even save us! He can save Hitler, but not us. 🤷

Not that I want to be in Mormon heaven anyway. Why would I want to share my husband for eternity and be pregnant with spirit babies all the time? I’ll hang out in hell with my apostate husband. We may not be married, but at least I won’t have to share him. Mormon hell sounds better every day!
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Has a baptism by proxy actually been done on hitler??? Lol
 
they are also trying to find any evidence that their so called prophets were correct that they come from some jews.
 
debbie_h said:
Has a baptism by proxy actually been done on hitler??? Lol
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According to wiki, Mormons have performed temple ordinances on behalf of a number of high profile people including the Founding Fathers of the U.S., Presidents of the U.S., Pope John Paul II, John Wesley, Christopher Columbus, Anne Frank and Adolf Hitler, Albert Einstein, Irving Berlin, Jewish Holocaust victims, etc. )link
 
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