It is my understanding that the LDS folks do not perform their "vicarious" temple baptisms without permission from the closest relative for anyone before 100 years after the candidate's birth. That tells me that after the 100 year mark they do it for anyone they wish, which to me would be everybody. This was told to me by an LDS Bishop who was a close friend of my father and had asked me for permission to baptize my parents in the LDS temple. This is all I care to add to this discussion since the above is all I know about it. Lomfou Cloy Tobola <cloy@tobola.com> wrote in message news:bd11c9dd.0203101653.375b9473@posting.google.com... | Greetings! | | Although the following items are from an old thread, I just came | across it and some clarifications are in order. I'd also like to | continue this discussion, as I think it's imporant. | | The thread began discussing the fact that the French government was | [supposedly] limiting access to some records because they objected to | Mormon church's practice of performing a baptism ceremony on behalf of | people (including non-Mormons) after they had died. | | On 27-Jan-2000, Sithgrani (sithgrani@aol.com) wrote in | soc.genealogy.french: | >Mr Bouvier: | <snip> | >Some won't submit the names because of the fear that the Mormons | >will "do temple ceremonies" on the names. They,(the Mormons) | >of course won't do any such thing if the submitter doesn't | >give them permission (at least the last that I knew). | | I don't know that the Mormon church has EVER asked permission before | baptising anyone. This would be especially difficult since the people | being baptized are deceased. The reason that the LDS church supports | genealogy is to assist in the (vicarious) baptism of the dead. This is | an important part of their faith, not some marginal practice. To my | understanding, the only time they do not baptize a person, is if there | is an objection. | | On 28-Jan-2000, EskyMoe (eskymoe@aol.com) wrote in | soc.genealogy.french: | <snip> | >Could someone please explain this sentence. What is a temple | ceremony, | >and what is its "feared" result?????? | | For individuals who do not hold the Mormon faith (and their families), | the idea of being inducted into another religious tradition without | their knowledge or permission can be offensive. Although the LDS | church purports to be a "Christian" belief system, none of the | mainstream Christian denominations (Lutheran, Roman Catholic, | Methodist, Presbyterian, Southern Baptist, Assembly of God, etc.) | would support this idea. Of course, Mormon beliefs are even further | removed from Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist creeds. | | This is not to cast any negative light on Mormons -- there are many | decent, faithful Mormon people in the world, and the deserve the right | to practice their belief in any way they see fit. | | On 29-Jan-2000, John P. DuLong (dulongj@habitant.org) wrote in | soc.genealogy.french: | <snip> | >I believe you can also write a letter to the Mormon church | >officials requesting that you never be baptized into their faith. | | I've never heard of this. Could someone provide a source for | information on this. | | Thanks! | | -Cloy Tobola