LDS Church toughens stand against 'improper' proxy name submissions

The following article is by Joseph Walker, Deseret News.

LDS Church toughens stand against 'improper' proxy name submissions

SALT LAKE CITY — The LDS Church is taking a tougher stand against the unauthorized submission of the names of Holocaust victims for proxy baptism.

According to a statement that appeared Tuesday afternoon on the church's Newsroom website, official church disciplinary action may be taken against the offending parties.

"It takes a good deal of deception and manipulation to get an improper submission through the safeguards we have put in place," the statement reads. "While no system is foolproof in preventing the handful of individuals who are determined to falsify submissions, we are committed to taking action against individual abusers by suspending the submitter's access privileges. We will also consider whether other church disciplinary actions should be taken."

Those "other church disciplinary actions" could ultimately include excommunication, or loss of membership in the church.

The new, tougher statement comes in the wake of a tumultuous week, (cont'd)