Helen Radkey, Mormon Baptism Researcher, Accuses Former Bishop Of Harassment Over Her Work

Helen Radkey, the whistle-blowing former Mormon whose discoveries of posthumous proxy baptisms of Holocaust victims, Mahatma Gandhi and slain Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl prompted the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to make a technological change that has effectively blocked her access to its database, is accusing a former church official of making a veiled threat this past Sunday.

The Salt Lake City researcher said a former LDS bishop, Larry Shaw, called her Sunday night "to silence me as a dissenter." She also said that he invited her "back to the Mormon church. I declined the offer, giving Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon a pass."

Shaw told HuffPost that he called Radkey "as a friend" to express the love the church offers. He denied threatening her in any way.

According to Radkey, Shaw "told me, years ago, as a Mormon bishop in Salt Lake City, that God would kill me if I laid a hand on the Mormon church. The first question he asked me tonight was how is my health?"

She said that Shaw asked her three separate times about her health in an hour-long phone call and that she interpreted that as "insidious personal harassment." She also said Shaw, now a coordinator at a church school in Atlanta, "implied that I might soon be going to the other side because of my age."

Shaw denied threatening Radkey this week or, as she claims, in the 1980s when he was a bishop in Utah. He also said he supported the church's position that Holocaust victims who are not related to a member of the church should not be subjected to posthumous baptism.

Asked why he decided to call Radkey out of the blue after more than two decades -- on the Sunday a letter from LDS Church leaders telling members not to attempt to posthumously baptize anyone besides their own relatives was read from the pulpit -- Shaw said he did it because he knew from media reports that she was upset.

Shaw said he called Radkey "[t]o invite her, if she is feeling disaffected from the church, to invite her to come, as Jesus said. ... There is no feeling of animosity that I have. ... I wanted her to know if she ever chose to, there's a feeling of love. That's why I called her, to express that love."

But Radkey described Shaw's call as "harassment." Because of her work to uncover instances of the unwanted rituals being performed on non-Mormons, "I've been threatened," she said. "I won't put up with it anymore," she added, in explaining why she went public about the call.

The latest twist in what has proved an embarrassing episode for the LDS Church comes the same week the Salt Lake Tribune reported that the church, in an apparent effort to address repeated violations of agreements with the Jewish community that date back to 1995, tweaked its database to prevent any more such violations.

In a statement, church spokesman Michael Purdy said:

"The church is committed to preventing the misguided practice of submitting the names of Holocaust victims and prominent individuals for proxy baptism. In addition to reiterating its policy to members, the church has implemented a new technological barrier to prevent abuse of the New FamilySearch system. Anyone trying to access names that have been restricted will have their account suspended and be required to contact FamilySearch to establish their family relationship in order to have their access reinstated. Abuse of the system will result in the permanent loss of database access."

The multiple posthumous baptisms of Holocaust victim Anne Frank and of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl -- as well as preparations to posthumously baptize the still-living Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel and his call to the country's most famous Mormon, Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney, to speak out against the practice -- had prompted demands for stricter safeguards in the church's database.

But Radkey and others argue that the church's technological change appears to be aimed more at her than at the eager baptizers.

Jewish genealogist Gary Mokotoff said the change made by the church was designed to deny Radkey and other researchers the ability to uncover efforts by overzealous Mormons to posthumously baptize people outside their families. "It is not an effective way to block Holocaust victims but could seriously prevent Helen from searching for victims," he said.

"Mormons are so desperate to block investigative access to their huge uncontrolled file of baptized names, they are tracking those who access this data, and locking out those, like myself, who find controversial names, names they would conceal," Radkey contended via email.

As previously reported by HuffPost:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints explains it carries out the practice of proxy baptisms "because all who have lived on the earth have not had the opportunity to be baptized by proper authority during life on earth. Baptisms may be performed by proxy, meaning a living person may be baptized on behalf of a deceased person. Baptisms for the dead are performed by Church members in temples throughout the world."

"The person acting as a proxy uses only the name of the deceased," according to the church, leaving the "mortal remains of the deceased" undisturbed. "To prevent duplication the Church keeps a record of the deceased persons who have been baptized."
Just because a name of an individual is submitted for a proxy baptism doesn't mean that the ritual takes place.

"Such baptisms can only be performed in special fonts in Mormon Temples," the BBC has reported. "Women act as proxies for women and men for men. There are witnesses present and a proper record is kept, although the ceremony does not make the person for whom the baptism is performed a Mormon."

Comments

[Kiwi57]

07:52 PM on 04/26/2012

Ms Radkey's description of what the bishop said in his conversations with her is entirely non-credible, to anyone who has actually interacted with Latter-day Saints. The claim that he ever "threatened" her is plainly false.

[sinbad usn]

09:59 PM on 04/24/2012

When someone exposes an irregularity in something causing changes for the good to be implimented,that is a good thing.Helen's disclosure did much good, as it put a firm stop to doo gooders deciding what they do is what Jesus would want - forgetting that the created are not qualified to councel the Creator. They who felt their misguided good deeds of having another member be a stand in ,or proxy, for a deceased person not an immediate member of their family, was terribly wrong.The church disuades anyone from doing these vicarious baptisms for those not members of their family. But the proscription sometimes falls on deaf ears, and people will take it upon themselves to determine church policy. Helen, while she did expose something that was wrong, was herself a participant in the unauthorized baptisms, took umbrage at being called out for her actions, and as so many people do, blamed the church rather than accept their own misguided actions. Her stating the church has harrassed her is not true. But people hearing her petty complaints, would not know of what the position of the church really is. It does not look down their collective nose at her; harbor no ill feelings; love her as much now, as before her problems with unauthorized usage of a very sacred ordinance. The church has made it extremely difficult for misguided members to continue to act contrary to church doctrine and policy. This is a good thing.

[readbofm]

04:44 PM on 03/16/2012

"And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."

[readbofm]

04:43 PM on 03/16/2012

Helen, Helen "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."

[Adam Vigil]

10:02 PM on 03/12/2012

Sign this petition to send a message that Helen Radkey should have full access of the LDS database so she can make sure they do not lie again

http://www.change.org/petitions/the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-give-helen-radkey-full-access-to-their-genealogical-data-base

[santosmaria]

12:23 AM on 04/23/2012

No. Any Church in this country has the right at any time they so deem to keep their records private and that includes the Mormons whether you agree with them or not. Helen, as a disaffected Mormon has an axe to grind. Her motivations would sure be suspect by me if I were in charge.

[anne1stoftwo]

03:24 PM on 04/23/2012

You are incorrect santosmaria. Mormons are baptising people who have NO connection to the church.

[sinbad usn]

10:02 PM on 04/24/2012

except she was also doing unauthorized baptisms. She was treated fairly

[sukiyhtaky]

11:13 AM on 03/12/2012

They didn't ask for thanks, they didn't ask what church the people belonged to, they just asked when and where. Radkey has an agenda. She tried to blackmail the Mormon church and when they didn't comply she went on this lifelong rage that has led to this. An amusing observation to this is that she regularly appears at atheist events ragging on the Mormons...the same atheists who at subsequent events had people ragging on those who believe in multiple past lives and spirit channeling---exactly the same thing she does to help make her 'living' when the Mormon hating gig isn't paying enough money. I find that hysterically funny...they respect her one night and the next call her nuts for her beliefs. What I also believe is that she orchestrated these baptisms by paying off people. Just seems odd that she is able to pinpoint certain names out of the millions and millions of ancestors done around the world at over however many temples they have. Not only done them but via identity theft by using other peoples accounts. Whatever their reason was for kicking her out via excommunication, it must have been a whopper. Make this woman go away she is soooo not news.

[D Norton]

02:13 AM on 03/26/2012

Everyone claims they want the Church to stop the practice and when they adopt a strict technological policy to stop it cold, they complain because they don't have access. Well, too bad. The practice will stop now because no member who is doing their own family work will be able to even look out of curiosity. Too bad for Radkey. She tried to bribe the church, and then started grinding her axe. Whaaaa! http://mormonism-unveiled.blogspot.com/2012/03/apostate-ex-mormon-helen-radkey-hoisted.html

[sukiyhtaky]

11:13 AM on 03/12/2012

If a practitioner of voodoo said he was casting a spell on you wouldn't your tendency be to laugh? because most people don't give that religion any credence. So what is the issue here? At worst all that is happening is some kids are being given an activity once every few months and are being taught respect for their ancestors. Who are we to judge what others can or cannot believe or teach their kids? I read one womans comment who said these kids were being indoctrinated into a cult with these teachings. Such comments put her on a level with Radkey who really sounds like she needs a shrink. By this womans views anyone who is teaching any religion to their kids is practicing cult indoctrination. Young kids across the world are taught the song 'Jesus Loves Me This I Know' from the time they are 3...is this indoctrination? to give people hope that there is something bigger than ourselves? Who really cares if religion is true if at the end of the day it teachs ethics and morality and family structure to people? I have to say Mormons produce quality members of society. I'd take one Mormon family over ten of any other religion any day. They have never turned me down when I asked for help when working with the homeless. When I asked for kids to help clean up elderly widows yards...I was sent not only kids but adults with materials to make repairs.

[sukiyhtaky]

11:12 AM on 03/12/2012

Will someone give this woman her lithium before she blows a gasket? There is an old saying that you are known by the company you keep and this is one woman I would avoid with a passion. I am not a member of the Mormon church but I find this whole issue to be a lot of nonsense about nothing. Mormons believe that to be saved for lack of a better word you must have physical ordinances such as baptism done physically here in this lifetime. If you did not have the opportunity their teaching is that God asks them to perform this ritual for their ancestors via proxy baptism. If the person who has passed on to the next dimension accepts Mormon teachings he now has the baptism to allow him to progress in the next life. If he doesn't accept it...it means NOTHING and has no authority. So, if you believe the Mormons are not THE religion then it is essentially just a waste of time. If you are thinking that is is actually changing the religion of the person then what you are clearly saying is that Mormonism IS THE religion of God and that probably the person on that side did accept...so what is the issue? A favor would actually have been done for him. Do you complain if someone of another faith says he is offering prayers for you are a family member?

[mybluejeans]

03:56 AM on 03/12/2012

The only options most Christianity offers to those good people who have lived on the earth but died without recieving baptism is that their chance to be saved is a weak position that everyone is saved no matter what they do or say or it swings to the other extreme: that only baptized persons are saved. This includes the innocent such as infants or young children who died young without baptism and those who have lived a good life but may have never even heard the name of Jesus in their lifetime due to living somewhere that doesn't practice Christianity. Those who are familiar with the goodness of God knows that He loves all His children, that He is fair, good and just and yet He requires baptism. The Mormons offer a startling yet viable answer to a question that has plagued the whole of Christianity for centuries and should not be bashed for such a merciful practice.

[Tanya Zimmerman]

10:41 AM on 03/12/2012

"The Mormons offer a startling yet viable answer to a question that has plagued the whole of Christianity for centuries and should not be bashed for such a merciful practice."

"Starting yet viable"? Viable how? Viable because Joseph Smith said they were?

The Mormon religion is the product of a 19th century con man.

[santosmaria]

12:31 AM on 04/23/2012

Joseph Smith was not a con man. He was a martyr. He never ONCE denied the Book of Mormon or how he received it no matter how much pain and suffering he had to got through. He ultimately lost his life to his persecutors. I have had a 15 year old son and there is not a chance on this earth that if he had made something up and then had to suffer ultimately unto death, he would not have given it up in a hot second!! I am not a Mormon, but it gives me pause when I consider that Joseph Smith literally went through hell for what he repeatedly testified was the truth... what if he was RIGHT????

[BobR2]

03:50 PM on 04/27/2012

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the gospel of Jesus Christ, which it teaches is 100% the product of Jesus Christ himself. He and God the Father appeared to a 14 year old farm boy and called him to be the prophet of the "restitution of all things." Amos 3:7 Surely I the Lord God will do NOTHING except I reveal my secrets unto my servants the prophets. The whole Bible testifies of this truth. Ask yourself, where are my prophets who have been called by God? You may not believe that now, but by the final judgment, absolutely EVERYONE will know it is true.

[xxixpines]

09:07 AM on 03/11/2012

I wonder what the "official" take is on the baptism of Hitler?

The church will hide the truth at any cost even from its own membership.

[sukiyhtaky]

11:20 AM on 03/12/2012

I believe the official take is that it is not their place to take the role of God to judge anyone, even someone as heinous as Hitler. If the descendant submitted the name, the baptism is done and it is up to God to then judge him and inflict punishment and I have no doubt even as a non Mormon that he has something really special planned for him. The more interesting question that would make an interesting conversation is how will God judge and treat Judas. Many Christians believe that for the attonement to happen Judas was part of the plan. The Mormons don't hide anything. People just fail to do their own research and read what is out there instead of relying on the same old pathetic lies and half truths that get posted over and over. I did my own research on the Mormons and have never been told anything about them that I didn't already know and know the full truth on. It comes down to how much effort are you willing to expend in being fair.

[elay08]

09:06 AM on 03/20/2012

Of course ... that is why the records are made freely available online. Such an effort at a cove up!

[xxixpines]

10:11 AM on 03/20/2012

Apparently your a little behind in "offical" commentary on the subject. Thats ok its not unusual.

[tweedmeister]

03:33 PM on 03/10/2012

This is all that the letter from the LDS First Presidency says:

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

We would like to reiterate the policies first stated in 1995 concerning the submission of names for proxy temple ordinances:

Our preeminent obligation is to seek out and identify our own ancestors. Those whose names are submitted for proxy temple ordinances should be related to the submitter.

Without exception, Church members must not submit for proxy temple ordinances any names from unauthorized groups, such as celebrities and Jewish Holocaust victims. If members do so, they may forfeit their New FamilySearch privileges. Other corrective action may also be taken.

Members are encouraged to participate in FamilySearch indexing which is vital to family history and temple work.
.

(Thomas S. Monson et al.)

Notice how little it says. Notice also how that blocking Helen Radkey and others who search flagged names is merely, well,... Blocking Helen Radkey and others who search flagged names. I don't believe that Mormons ever actually intended to quit baptizing the Holocaust victims, and we can assume that if they wanted to keep baptizing them, they are still free to do so. All they did was block Helen and others those who search "forbidden" names. Then, with a wink and a nod to members, they publish the above letter.

They need about 8 million names a year to keep people busy in the temple. They can't do it without hoovering up millions of names of random lists.

[Bob Kellerman]

03:18 AM on 03/11/2012

They need about 8 million names a year to keep people busy in the temple

WELL, OF COURSE -- SINCE THE ONLY PURPOSE OF THE BAPTISMS IS TO KEEP MORMON YOUTH SO WRAPPED UP IN THE CULT THAT THEY DO NOT QUESTION IT

-- BEING DUNKED FOR GOD IMPRESSES TEEN-AGERS

[D Norton]

02:19 AM on 03/26/2012

Hello! Everyone is now blocked from accessing the information. It's a blanket blocking. That means, it will no longer happen. There is no way for them to target Radkey and single her out. They don't know the millions of address combinations she could create to scam the system. She had an axe to grind. She made it public. They responded with serious action. Isn't that what she wanted? Now she is going to moan and groan that she's been blocked? Deal with it.

[brownies4breakfast]

03:03 PM on 03/10/2012

Rackley would accuse Jesus Christ of harassment. She would claim to be a victim of being saved against her will by The Son of God. Yes Helen, he died for you too both the believers and the unbelievers. She'll say and do anything to keep her name in the media now.

[Julymoon12]

01:58 PM on 03/10/2012

Please see.... Why Can’t the Mormon Church Stop Baptizing Anne Frank?
http://jezebel.com/5887546/why-cant-the-…
The latest being this year. The Jewish community was told by the LDS chruch they would stop this for Halocaust victims, but they keep it up!

~Other religions, including the Catholic church, have also publicly objected to the baptism of its members.
The sealed Hitler to (for time and all eternity in Heaven) Eva Braun...how crazy is that?
Along with Ghegas Khan, Tao, Stalin, John W Gasy, Ted Bundy, ETC ETC..Really it is for nothing, but why slander the names and families of Jewish, esp Anne Frank! (over and over) so disrespectful and silly!

[sinbad usn]

10:20 PM on 04/24/2012

Trust me... you heard it from unfriendly sources. Hitler, et al, have committed the unforgivable si and are not entitled to the blessings of heaven - only of eternal damnation. Tell the.. oh, never mind. Talking to closed minds is a chore. nighty-nite

[Kiwi57]

08:40 PM on 04/26/2012

@Julymoon12:
"Please see.... Why Can’t the Mormon Church Stop Baptizing Anne Frank?"

To those who know nothing at all, the fact that her name keeps popping up "over and over" somehow "proves" -- well, just about whatever they want it to prove; probably some elaborate Mormon conspiracy to do -- something. Or other.

But to those who do know about LDS belief and practice, the fact that her name keeps popping up "over and over" really proves that the name submissions are not being done in good faith. You see, we don't believe that anybody ever needs to have a baptism performed in their behalf more than once. With the current submission database, it's virtually impossible to make a duplicate submission by accident. Whoever submitted her name had to get around safeguards to do it.

[peacedude]

04:16 AM on 03/10/2012

I'm thankful that there are so many understanding humans in the world, especially the wonderful Jewish people.
I'd like to think that if the tables were turned, Mormons would be as open and thoughtful as many Jews have been.

Imagine that Jewish children, as an act of love and respect, offered some Jewish rites for deceased Mormons, perhaps reciting: "May she come to her place in peace," to help beloved Mormons on their way to further happiness in the Jewish afterlife.

And, when Jewish people learned that some Mormons were upset they stopped doing the rites, and asked all Jewish people to stop.

And, imagine, some disaffected and errant Jewish people hacked past Jewish computer systems against Jewish teachings and entered names perhaps hoping to increase hatred for Jews and make a "public stink."

I would hope Mormons would be patient.

I'm thankful for those who understand that these ancient rites aren't meant to change anyone's religion or ethnicity, they provide a choice for families to be united, as Malachi taught, turning the hearts of the fathers to the children.

[sukiyhtaky]

11:22 AM on 03/12/2012

Knowing Mormons as I do anything done with love for them would be taken with the spirit it was given. Do you turn aside the prayers of other reliigious groups? I think not.

[peacedude]

04:15 AM on 03/10/2012

We all know Helen isn't always forthright..... ; ), it is clear that someone is using accounts that do not belong to them and is involved in submitting prohibited names.
In the Tribune Helen says she didn't mean for any of this to happen, it was all just journalists, in her email to Cooper she only agreed to give the info "as long as there is a public stink."

Jewish blogs and articles have reported that Helen has been trying to Blackmail the LDS Church, and has been taking money to try to hurt Mormons.

Here is what the LDS Church has to say about her being "blocked"
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765558009/LDS-Church-responds-to-ironic-proxy-baptism-charges.html

"Purdy indicates that it is impossible for the church to track Radkey's efforts in the database because "there is no account for a Helen Radkey."
"If she, or anyone else, is misusing a Church member's identity to search for Holocaust names, then the system is set up to block those kinds of activities," Purdy said, adding that "there have been a handful of accounts blocked so far."