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Archiver > APG > 2009-03 > 1237710264


From: "Stewart Millar" <>
Subject: Re: [APG] Mormon News
Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 08:24:24 -0000
References: <05FC3A32-1608-411F-B742-65A032C7F161@keyconn.net> <49C3B044.7040209@reevesweb.com> <003501c9aa99$8716daf0$954490d0$@net><49C5CB9A.8040100@reevesweb.com>
In-Reply-To: <49C5CB9A.8040100@reevesweb.com>


Peggy,

It certainly seems that your dislike for FamilySearch and the LDS efforts at
facilitating genealogical research are somewhat biased and resilient to any
correction.

I cannot imagine why.

The LDS church through FamilySearch and previously GSU has promoted
genealogical research for over 100 years, built up and provided free access
to the largest genealogical library in the world, has used computer
technology to provide as wide an access to the library and submitted
genealogical data as possible - for free.

The church has only ever sold on CD the collections of data known as "Vital
Records" - collections of transcribed parish and government records from
several world regions and some of the very first transcribed census records
(UK, USA and Canadian) - and these were sold at below cost of production.

The other collections of data - Ancestral File and Pedigree Resource File
are the work of the submitters - and offered as such with details of the
submitters; the IGI is a collection of LDS Temple Records, largely provided
by members of the LDS church for ancestral relatives - LDS members have a
religious responsibility to provide these temple ordinances on behalf of
their deceased ancestors and understand that those deceased ancestors still
maintain their free will in an after-life and can accept or reject such
ordinances as are performed - such submissions are the responsibility of
those who submit them; other IGI entries have been provided by the various
"extraction/transcription" projects organised by the church of mainly parish
records of at least 110 + years ago on the basis that this would enable
members to more easily find a connection to their ancestry - IGI records
will carry a description of whether the record has been submitted or
extracted - all extracted records are cross referenced to a film reference
which can be inspected at any of the 4,000 plus world-wide branches of the
LDS Family History Library - provided free.

As noted in my recent previous post many weaknesses in the "submission"
process described above have been identified - computerised system designed
in the 1960/70's have their limitations and you should study the coming
changes that I have noted there.

Perhaps the most significant change that I failed to list in that note was
the fact that submissions/additions to this new combined data base need to
be ancestrally linked into your own pedigree. This specifically will stop
those - LDS members - who felt a need to submit for LDS ordinances
non-related famous or infamous personalities and this includes the several
LDS members who felt the need to submit the details of lists of Jewish
holocaust victims; this in particular has caused the church a great deal of
embarrassment and the steps taken to correct it have not always been
understood - if you have any desire to understand the LDS position I would
refer you to the following web links:

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/church-responds-to-jewish
-news-statements

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/background-explanation-of
-temple-baptism

http://newsroom.lds.org/Static%20Files/Newsroom/Letter%20to%20Ernest%20Miche
l.pdf

- and despite the above controversy, the church/FamilySearch continues to
extend welcomed research facilities for Jewish researchers:

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/new-jewish-gen
ealogy-resources-available

I would not expect to convert you Peggy (but that would be nice!) - but I
really think you need to look at what FamilySearch provides with more
objectivity and less subjectivity.

My very kind regards,
Stewart Millar
Berkshire, England



-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:] On Behalf
Of Peggy K. Reeves
Sent: 22 March 2009 05:25
To:
Subject: Re: [APG] Mormon News

>
> Elizabeth wrote:
>
> Peggy's frustration is understandable. The reality, however, is that the
> fault lies not with that one website and not with our chosen field.
We are all aware of database errors, and I'm sure none of us believe
what we find online without first tracking down some legitimate
documentation. It's certainly not news to me that no database is perfect!

I disagree in that I believe the fault certainly does lie with the
person or entity who publishes. Just as we are all responsible for work
that we do and claims that we make in our research, familysearch.org
certainly IS to blame for gathering amateur research for years, selling
it on CDs, and ignoring all genealogists' best efforts to correct
anything. We are not talking about simple typos or transposition errors
or a misreading of a word or date, things common to all databases and
publications. No, this is a lot larger than that!

The igi is a collection of arbitrary lists of any and all mention of all
people, real or imaginary, Jew or Gentile or cartoon character, for
various "temple ordinances" with total disregard for accuracy,
documentation, and the religious wishes declared by the deceased while
they were still alive. Familysearch has continued for years without
providing any means of correcting "facts" and "events" that are
blatantly untrue and should be removed immediately (like the Celia Rae
Elbert myth).

Yes, familysearch is responsible for the mess that we see! Genealogists
who have obtained addresses or email addresses where they can supposedly
submit corrections have not been successful in getting anything
changed. Corrections are ignored. This practice is unethical,
irresponsible, and as we have seen, offensive to many. In fact, they
don't even remove things from their database when they sign a written
agreement to do so! (refer to the article that Judith posted a link to
earlier in this thread).

Maybe I am behind the times, and my BCG standards manual is outdated,
but the first item in the Genealogist's Code says: "I will not publish
or publicize as fact anything I know to be false, doubtful, or unproved;
nor will I be a party, directly or indirectly, to such action by
others." Has this been changed in recent years or fuzzed-up and made
more vague in order to accommodate familysearch?

This begs the question: Is familysearch a professional company, a bunch
of amateurs, or a church? If they are professionals, they need to have
higher standards than what we continue to see. If we are to forgive
them and look the other way because they are rank amateurs, then we need
to be concerned that these are the same folks who are creating indexes
to databases and records that we will no longer be able to request in
their original form once the amateurs get finished indexing, filming,
scanning (and in many cases bungling and omitting). These are the same
people who apparently can't cite an appropriate source or accurately
explain records that they are helping to put online through contracts
with NARA and the subscription services. If familysearch.org is a
church, then why are they ignoring written agreements, and putting every
person of every religion in line to somehow be initiated into a religion
that they did not wish to be associated with while they were alive?
After all, churches are places where people go of their own free will,
not where they are captured!

As for the Mormon-Jewish controversy, I don't belong to either religion,
so I am only looking at this as a third party.

Just some food for thought.

Peggy Reeves
> Peggy's frustration is understandable. The reality, however, is that the
> fault lies not with that one website and not with our chosen field.






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