But on the other, I can see that parishes should not materially cooperate in assisting a completely invalid baptism.
In other words, I think it's probably not right to turn over parish records to LDS baptizers, no more would it be right for a synagogue to do so.
If the LDS can obtain the records from a neutral source, either a government archive or a genealogy database, then more power to them, baptize away, knock yourselves out. But it's tacky to expect a rabbi or a priest to help them do something that's against their religion.
P.S. . . . does anybody know what the deal is with all the cattle around the font? If it were a watering tank, they'd surely be facing the other way . . . . Seriously, I've seen medieval fonts with supporting animals, usually the Gospel archetypes of the angel (Matthew), the winged bull (Luke), the lion (Mark) and the eagle (John), but never with all the cows.
“P.S. . . . does anybody know what the deal is with all the cattle around the font? If it were a watering tank, they’d surely be facing the other way . . . . Seriously, I’ve seen medieval fonts with supporting animals, usually the Gospel archetypes of the angel (Matthew), the winged bull (Luke), the lion (Mark) and the eagle (John), but never with all the cows.”
I believe its supposed to be derived from the lavabo (cleansing vessel) in Solomon’s temple which was brazen and had cast oxen.
The LDS group believes their modern temples are either a more perfect continuation and/or the fulfillment of the Jewish archetype (i.e. Solomon’s temple).
Could you not know that it appears to be an attempt to reproduce the vessel that was used at Solomon’s temple? Or maybe you were joking and I’m a bit thick?
In other words, I think it's probably not right to turn over parish records to LDS baptizers, no more would it be right for a synagogue to do so.
It's always nice to see somebody "get it".
I was thinking of the Golden Calf.
I hope this can be resolved so that researchers won't suffer. I doubt that the pope believes that a dead Catholic will be adversely affected because a fifth cousin three times removed had some kind of proxy baptism performed for him in the Mormon church 100 years after his death.
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There are 12 oxen.
I think (and please, someone correct me if I remember wrong), that they represent the 12 tribes of Israel. Don, you are better then I am at this kind of stuff, am I right?
"But on the other, I can see that parishes should not materially cooperate in assisting a completely invalid baptism.
"In other words, I think it's probably not right to turn over parish records to LDS baptizers, no more would it be right for a synagogue to do so.
“If the LDS can obtain the records from a neutral source, either a government archive or a genealogy database, then more power to them, baptize away, knock yourselves out. But it's tacky to expect a rabbi or a priest to help them do something that's against their religion.”
Wow. You sure cut to the chase.
Great post.
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