Why do the Mormons keep geneological records?

Question

I understand they keep extensive records, especially of Jewish families.
Why is that?

Answer 1

Mormons believe everyone must be baptized. Death does not excuse anyone from this ordinance, and God has prepared a way for us to be baptized by proxy for those who passed on without the knowledge of Christ. We also believe families can be sealed for eternity, and we can be sealed for those who have passed on.
This is why we keep geneoligical records, so we can find those whose work has not been done, and so we know who has received these ordinances already. Also it is the deceased choice if they will accept the baptism.
Furthermore, I believe the Jewish family has to have a Mormon relative for them to be baptized for the dead.

Answer 2

It ties in with Malachi 4:5-6 (the last two verses of the Old Testament):

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the Earth with a curse.

Mormons believe that the family were meant to be eternally sealed together (which is what's meant by the turning of the hearts of the fathers and children to each other). Normally we have the chance to make those covenants that seal us together as a family while we are in mortality (those sealing ordinances take place when a husband and wife are sealed in a Mormon temple; any of their children born before they are sealed in the temple are also sealed to them at that time, and any children born to them after that are then automatically sealed to them and any siblings at the time of birth). The geneological records are kept to help us know who didn't do their work done while they were in mortality (either because they weren't members in life or they died prior to the Church's founding in 1830); if the person's work wasn't done by them while in mortality, Church members (usually a living relative who's a member, though not always) may do proxy work for the deceased person (who is then given a choice in the hereafter to either accept or reject the work that was done for them).

That, and it's really cool to find out about one's ancestors (where they came from, what they did, etc.).

Answer 3

Latter-day Saints believe that the principle unit within the Church is the family. We also believe that if sealed together, families can be together throughout the eternities. This privilege is extended to both the living and the dead, who didn't, or did not have the opportunity to receive the Gospel.

As far as Jewish family history goes, I think that Jews just kept better family history records throughout thousands of years than most any other ethnic group.

Hope that helps.
BG. KtC. RwuR.

Answer 4

There are 2 center varieties of "information". One is the international Genealogical index, which includes information the two approximately church members and ordinances (ie baptism, sealing, church correct ceremonies), yet additionally what's observed as "extracted" information. that would desire to be the place volunteers index information ie county marriages, wills, so forth. those are church based information. The 2d type is the place volunteers/missionaries have long previous, around the international, and MICROFILMED hundreds of thousands of hundreds of thousands of unique information ie will books at a courthouse, land information...or regardless of replaced into accessible. no longer something in those unique information have any "selection" in terms of the religion of the content. the outstanding thing approximately those videos is they attain information that are no longer online, could be distant places. YOU view the flicks..you identify the validity of a connection or checklist. they do no longer look to be carried out initially for the point of kin tree. there's a small dealing with cost for sending those videos from the crucial storage to the place you're (an LDS kin historic previous midsection). Or, the "mecca" of analyze is the main library in Salt Lake, the place all videos are on website for instantaneous use. With some uncommon exceptions, any of this fabric is open to you. In ANY analyze...you discover ways to understand what's somebody else's conclusions (ie who truly is the father of so and so)..and what's A checklist (think of..a will names a individual's kin/ heirs). you will locate, online and offline, that anybody isn't meticulous of their analyze, so "information" could have blunders. No..the church does not artwork to be sure anybody's analyze. the expectancy is that family finished the analyze, then placed up the information for baptism, so forth. that's continuously extra effective which you realize the thank you to apply documentation, quite of in keeping with others. different analyze may well be used..yet once you do not have difficulty-unfastened understanding, you have a tendency to settle for any analyze as "valid" and not spot blunders. The components are open to all for use. i'm no longer LDS, yet I did volunteer at a FHC, by using fact i admire what I do. Volunteers are there that can assist you you learn the approach..yet no longer do the actual analyze for you.

Answer 5

The deceased need to receive Mormon Baptism if they are to progress on to the next level.
Proxy Baptism for the Dead is done for people in a Mormon's family tree so that ancestors may unite forever with the Mormon members of the family.
Mormons gather genealogical information to cover all those not baptized in life as Mormons since they only recognize the power and efficacy of Mormon Baptism.
It is also a devout practice to be proxy baptised for people who are not related to the Mormon in good standing who acts as proxy.

Answer 6

They keep them because supposedly they can date back their ancestry of baptisms to the hand of Jesus Christ. They believe that baptism should be a choice to pursue the Lord, unlike other religions that baptize babies with NO concept whatsoever of what is happening. Jesus got baptized as an adult, so that makes sense. And because of this, Mormons believe that all other baptisms by other religions are not valid as they have no authority to do it. BECAUSE they keep records of that apparently. These Mormons trying their hardest to convert me (I like to talk to people who like Jesus)said to me I shouldn't baptize my son because do you think babies need to be baptized to go to heaven? I said no, I figure babies have a free pass to heaven like the maimed and mentally retarded people, basically because they don't know any better. He says what if some random guy pulls you over for speeding & gives u a ticket. What are you gonna do with that ticket? Throw it out, right? Now what if a cop gives u a ticket? We either pay it or mark it on our calendar, why? because of the authority. They are very accepting tho.

Answer 7

I thought the Watchtower society kept details on the JWs

Answer 8

The same reason Baptists kneel at the preacher's altar and do the special incantation, and get a holy pass for Judgment Day.

CAUSE JESUS SAID TO.

Answer 9

for baptizing their forefathers....was it Smith or Young that first taught a Mormon could go back and baptize his forefathers, saving them from hell and helping them become better mormons.

wow! wouldn't that make everyone happy. Sorta like saying "screw God, let me a fortune, when I die, I'll give it to my kid on the condition he gets me out of hell."

Answer 10

It has something to do with Baptisms of the Dead.