JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

11/10/08 04:38 PM

This is a disgrace.  To offer this when such an organization has been nothing but a block to progress for Jews is “smoke and mirrors” at its worst.

11/12/08 12:25 AM

There is much more to this story than can be reported in the space allocated.

Moses and Elijah were great prophets. Did all Israel obey them?  Can we expect more of the Mormon prophet?

But the Church has clearly stated its policies to its members and has gone to great efforts to take corrective action when it discovers violations thereof. And it is spending millions to develop a new online system, the “new FamilySearch,” which will finally make make member submissions more traceable and accountable. The system is about three years behind schedule.

At his advanced age, it is understandable that Michel is impatient, but the Church really is making a good-faith effort to respect Jewish sensibilities.

Interestingly, the Church officially discriminates against its members who have Jewish ancestry. Mormons of “gentile” extraction are permitted to submit ordinances for any deceased relative who was born more than 95 years ago. However, Mormons of Jewish ancestry are supposed to submit ordinances only for direct-line ancestors and are also supposed to submit these to Church headquarters for prior approval. Can we really blame our members of Jewish extraction for feeling a little rebellious, like Israel of old?

I do commend the United Jewish Federation of Utah for its patience in the matter.
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705262336,00.html

Please, everyone, please understand that Mormons do not “posthumously baptize” anyone. Freedom of choice - the moral agency of man—is a fundamental principle of Mormonism, and we believe that the spirits of men retain their moral agency after death.

One cannot choose between apple pie and pumpkin pie unless both can be had. Accordingly, we work diligently to “bake the pie” for everyone who has ever lived, although we understandably work hardest for our own ancestors.

But nobody, nobody, forces anybody, living or dead, to eat the pie.

http://hthalljr.googlepages.com/choice.html

Tracy Hall Jr
hthalljr’gmail’com

11/12/08 09:27 AM

Tracy:

Pumpkin Pie or Apple Pie, when laced with traif are both unkosher.

The Mormons do wonderful things but on this issue they simply do not get it.  Ironically, the LDS and Jews should be the closest of allies on major issues.

We know the LDS strongly supports the state of Israel.  Most observant Jews are pro-life and support traditional family values shared by the LDS (well maybe with the exception of the bigamy thing).  Proposition 8 was a GREAT victory, and you should be proud of your efforts.

That said, when LDS insist on proseletyzing to Jews, it scares the begezus out of us (pun intended) - Christianity has a long history of baptism by fire.  The memory of the Crusades, Inquisitions, and pogroms throughout history should be reason enough for all Christian faiths to declare a “hands off” policy on Jewish conversions.  But it is sooooooooo hard for many of your coreligionists to give it up.

How bout we declare a truce.  When Jesus returns, Jews should be willing to embrace Him, and all evangelizing is fair game.  Until then, lets jointly go forward supporting the State of Israel, and tell your missionaries to stay away from us.

It is the proseletyzing that has probably driven Jewish leadership in this country to embrace the evils of liberalism.  With liberalism comes assimilation.  Perhaps that was part of the master plan? If so, that’s unfortunate, because there is a brighter future together.