From a discussion on Hacker News on the hacking of genealogy databases:
hangonhn 7 hours ago [–]
Just out of curiosity, is there a reason for Mormons to especially care about their genealogy?
js2 6 hours ago [–]
One of the core tenets of Mormon faith is that the dead can be baptized into the faith after their passing. Baptism of the dead evolved from the beliefs that baptism is necessary for salvation and that the family unit can continue to exist together beyond mortal life if all members are baptized. Mormons trace their family trees to find the names of ancestors who died without learning about the restored Mormon Gospel so that these relatives from past generations can be baptized by proxy in the temple. For Latter-day Saints, genealogy is a way to save more souls and strengthen the eternal family unit. http://www.pbs.org/mormons/etc/genealogy.html
tzs 3 hours ago [–]
That leads to my afterlife nightmare scenario. I die bravely in glorious battle and am chosen by the Valkyries for Valhalla. One evening as we feast after that day’s fighting, quaffing giant tankards of mead and boasting of our deeds, there comes a knock at the door.
Two young men in suits enter, and go to speak to Odin.
Odin then call for me to come over. He tells me that the young men are Mormons, and that some distant relative born long after I died (great-grandkid of a second cousin or something like that) has joined the Mormon church and has been busy baptizing the whole damn family tree.
Odin tells me I’m Mormon now, and cannot stay in Valhalla. I must move to the Mormon afterlife.
(Actually, the Mormon afterlife doesn’t seem all that bad compared to that of most Christian or Christian-adjacent religions, in the sense that if you reject their teachings but still live a decent life you get a decent afterlife).
Which is a) quite amusing and b) a nice discussion about religion not immediately spiraling out of control into deep hatred. So, there’s still hope, even in 2020 (Pandora would agree).
Written on July 23, 2020