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I was raised Mormon. But when I was 11 years old my parents told me I could determine my relationship with GOD. My dad walked away. I have many family members who are Mormon. They can have it. It isn’t for me. In my head there is an intrinsic value in walking (or running) away from all the things oppressive to your freedom. The Mormons walked away from the tyranny of the US Government and those adherents. They made their own way. I’m not standing up for what they believe—per D&C, the Book of Mormon, or any other dispensation. But I don’t listen to any of the other established trains of thought. I’m standing up for people who do what they want without causing major harm to the others around them.

And this means nothing to you. I had an uncle who was a wildman. And his kids followed that example. But he married (second marriage) a Mormon woman—my aunt—who loved him with all her heart. He never converted to Mormonism. But love did change him. Over the years you could see that change in him. And in his later years he was a most enjoyable person.

I’m going to his funeral on Friday. He died peacefully at 85. In his home. With the people he loved. With the people who loved him.

RIP Uncle Lyle.

And the main point. I was raised to be free. With love. By people who understand.

I don’t care who I make mad. I have considered this at great length. I look at my grandkids and my mind is made up. Please don’t misunderstand this. I am going to fight.

I had an uncle who was a wildman. And his kids followed that example. But he married (second marriage) a Mormon woman—my aunt—who loved him with all her heart. He never converted to Mormonism. But love did change him. Over the years you could see that change in him. And in his later years he was a most enjoyable person. I’m going to his funeral on Friday. He died peacefully at 85. In his home. With the people he loved. With the people who loved him. RIP Uncle Lyle.

Fred, is it possible that a number of your comments on this thread equate to you speaking out of your grief here? If so, I can understand that you are wanting to honor your Mormon relatives & their loved ones, some of whom are also grieving at this time.

I've attended a Mormon relative's funeral within the last several years...Twas a need then to rally around those Mormon relatives; there's nothing wrong with that. Go for it.

The Mormons walked away from the tyranny of the US Government and those adherents. They made their own way. I’m not standing up for what they believe—per D&C, the Book of Mormon, or any other dispensation. But I don’t listen to any of the other established trains of thought. I’m standing up for people who do what they want without causing major harm to the others around them...And the main point. I was raised to be free. With love. By people who understand.

Well, you know what?...LOTS of various "religious"-oriented people of EVERY religious stripe -- Christians, Jews, Hindu, etc. have parents who may have "raised them free" to live out their various faiths and to practice "what they want" ... but what do Mormons come and do with their post-death reputations by "baptizing" the dead?

Fred, if you REALLY believed in "fighting" for those who lived out their religion as they wanted, then where have you been on the FR threads talking about THESE topics?

* Fox News: Gandhi’s grandson responds to proxy posthumous baptism by LDS church
* NY Times: Anne Frank, a Mormon?
* Washington Post: Elie Wiesel calls for Romney's help to end Mormons' proxy baptisms
* Salt Lake Tribune: Newest Catholic saint baptized and 'sealed' to wife in LDS temple?

In this last case, Mormons even "married off" a deceased single Roman Catholic priest from Hawaii in a temple ritual to a nun! (Do you think that is honoring the memory of this priest's freedom to honor his vows of chastity and single-eyed devotion to His Lord?)

Do you think it's honoring the freedom of Mahatma Ghandi, a Hindu, or Anne Frank, a Jew, or the parents of Simon Wiesenthal (Simon was a holocaust survivor; his parents were not) for them to be labeled as "Mormons?"

Fred, I'd like to see a little consistency from you on these points: If all of this bothers you, then you need to speak out forcefully vs. Mormon necro-baptism.

I mean if the Scientologists suddenly came up with some post-death "clear" dunking ritual which made all such "cleared" people a Scientologist post-death, and if somebody made your uncle Lyle a "Scientologist" post-death, how would you feel about the honor of his memory being distorted from the freedom of how he chose to live his life?