By day, Mark Paredes works for the American Jewish Congress, doing outreach to the Latino community of Los Angeles. But by night, Paredes, who happens to be a practicing Mormon, volunteers to build relationships with the Los Angeles Jewish community on behalf of his church.
At the seat of one of America’s largest communities of both Jews and Mormons, Paredes, 39, is working to build bridges between two communities that have longstanding ties but also a history of distrust. For years, Jewish leaders have called upon Mormon leaders to halt controversial posthumous baptisms of Jews by church members. Despite years of progress, the issue flared up again last December, when leaders of the L.A.-based Simon Wiesenthal Center discovered that the name of Wiesenthal, Holocaust survivor and famed Nazi hunter, appeared on the church’s baptism roll a year after his death in 2005.
The son of a white mother and black father, Paredes is working to counter negative feelings in the Jewish community through outreach that stresses Mormons’ historic support for Israel, and by sharing the information gleaned by their extensive genealogical research.
Paredes was a master of ceremonies at a May 8 reception held at the Israeli consulate in Los Angeles by the Mormon Church, known officially as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The purpose of the event, sponsored by the church’s Southern California Public Affairs Council, was ostensibly to celebrate the end of the semester at the newly reopened Jerusalem outpost of the Mormon Brigham Young University.
Unofficially, the event was an excuse for Paredes and other Mormon leaders to mingle with their Jewish counterparts.
“We try to get out into the [Jewish] community, be a member of the community,” Paredes said in an interview with the Forward. “There’s no other church that’s had as long a history of supporting Jews as we have.”
Raised in Michigan by his American mother and Chilean stepfather, Paredes converted to Mormonism at age 11 along with his parents, and has steadily pursued a longstanding interest in Judaism and Israel. After serving as an American diplomat in Mexico, Paredes requested and received a posting to Tel Aviv in the mid-1990s, then worked as a press attaché at the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles. He was hired by the AJCongress in February.
Rabbi Gary Greenebaum, the Los Angeles-based interfaith director of the American Jewish Committee, calls Paredes a “wonderful breath of fresh air” who is building on a history of Jewish-Mormon interfaith work in the West. Greenebaum was part of a Jewish delegation that visited Salt Lake City several years ago.
Paredes’s tenure as the only Mormon volunteer with an official position as a liaison to the Jewish community began fortuitously in the summer of 2005.
Paredes “served on the church’s regional public affairs council, and when they saw my background and they saw that I had sort of a flair for public affairs and they saw my interest in working with the Jewish community… they said, ‘You know, it might be good idea to start a Jewish relations committee,’” he recalled.
According to Mormon theology, the dead can be baptized into the faith after their passing. The Jewish furor over the practice of posthumous baptism began in earnest in the mid-1990s, when it came to light that the names of 380,000 dead Jews — including victims of the Holocaust — appeared in church baptismal records. In 1995, the church agreed to remove the names of all Holocaust victims and survivors from its archives and to halt the baptism of all Jews who are not directly related to church members. But as new Jewish names have continued to surface in church records over the years, the ritual has forced Jewish and Mormon leaders into a series of charged negotiations over how best to stop the practice, and resulted in a public relations problem for the church.
Posthumous baptisms, Paredes insists, are “sort of water under the bridge,” no longer a defining issue in Mormon-Jewish relations. He prefers to talk about Mormons’ longstanding support for Israel and about the trove of useful genealogical information that has flowed to the Jewish community as a result of Mormon genealogical research. “Really, there’s nobody, including any Jewish organization you can name, that’s doing more to help Jews do their genealogy than we are,” Paredes said, noting that the Los Angeles Jewish Genealogical Society meets in the Mormon’s genealogical library. (In New York, Mormon leaders agressively publicized the permanent loan of geneaological records to the Center for Jewish History in February.)
When leaders at the Wiesenthal Center went public in December with their objections to the posthumous baptism of the famed Nazi-hunter, Paredes sprung to the church’s defense, proactively e-mailing the Forward about the incident.
Today, Paredes insists, “there are no hard feelings” between him and Wiesenthal Center head Rabbi Marvin Hier, and the pair are “99%” on the same page.
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, the associate dean of the Wiesenthal Center, was somewhat less sunny about the state of Mormon-Jewish relations.
“Mark is a wonderful person who is dedicated to supporting Israel and close relations with the Jewish community,” Cooper wrote in an e-mail to the Forward. “However, as Mark himself knows from direct discussions with us, the Wiesenthal Center is deeply dissappointed that the Church has not done nearly enough to … stop the posthumous baptism of Jews.”
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why is this allowed! why does the AJC have a proselytyzing (it is an irrefutable part of their religious tradition) Mormon in their office as an outreach professional? wonderful breath of fresh air aside, in this article, he seems to admit that his real goal is to find jews to "reach."
Mark Paredes is an amazing person. His goal is not baptism, but to educate the Latino community about Jews and Israel. He has lived in Israel and is very involved with his coummunity as well as the Jewish community and should not be blamed for past indescretions by his Church. He has spoken about Israel, with love, at many Universities when Jews would not, or Jews sided with groups who are associated with Post Zionist History. Mark is a gem, and we need more people like him. He is what we would call a "righteous Gentile" so before we worry about Baptism, lets worry about the future and stability of the Jewish homeland. This is a time to embrace our supporters, not push them away.
Posthumous baptism? Truly, the periodic email I receive from The Forward contains the most marvelous things. I wonder if the Mormons posthumously baptized the Jews because they believe that the bigger the Jew catch the more likely the Mormons are to go to heaven? Or some other weirdness, who knows? But come now, "the Wiesenthal Center is deeply disappointed that the Church has not done nearly enough to ... stop the posthumous baptism of Jews." This sounds incredibly bizarre, to a degree of absurdity that matches the Mormons'. One is not compelled to respond to every idiocy that comes along.
It always amazes me to what extent some Jews care about the religious practices of Gentiles. When the late Rev. Falwell said the 'antichrist' was a Jewish male, a lot of Jews complained. Newsflash: Jews don't believe in a 'Christ' or an anti-one either. Similarly, being concerned about 'posthumous baptism' is ridiculous too. At least the practice gives the world the its best genealogical database. What has complaining about 'posthumous baptism' accomplished?
Joke: Do you know why The Almighty allows Mormonism? So REAL Christians can know how Jews feel............. Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuu LOL
"According to Mormon theology, the dead can be baptized into the faith after their passing." This is a somewhat simplistic and misleading presentation of LDS theology. It has never been about forcing baptism on the dead. It has always been about providing an opportunity to the dead to make a choice that would otherwise be impossible to make. Baptism is an earthly ordinance, requiring water and a physical body. The dead have access to neither. So we offer baptism by proxy of the living for the dead, just as some Israelis choose to be married by proxies standing in for them in Paraguay. To be valid, a proxy baptism, like a proxy marriage, requires power of attorney from all parties to the transaction. Thus a proxy baptism is void unless withoug the informed consent of the person for whom it is performed. Since the living have no idea whether or not the dead accept the offering, we must offer it to all, without prejudice. Our first duty is to our ancestors. Of course, when we research far enough back in time, we all have the same ancestors. Who has the right to speak for our common ancestors? None of us do! When any group assumes authority to speak for their dead, and to limit the choices available to them, they are assuming more power over the dead than the Latter-day Saints have ever pretended to have.
"It has always been about providing an opportunity to the dead to make a choice that would otherwise be impossible to make." Amazing what the human brain can believe, isn't it?
When a cousin of mine several years ago divorced his Mormon wife my grandmother sent out an all-points-bulletin warning all family members not to give any genealogical information to my cousin's ex-wife, because, as this article explains, Mormons believe that they can convert the dead. Apparently, my grandmother also believes that Mormons can convert the dead, too.... Mark Paredes seems like a truly nice guy. People should feel free to believe whatever they want; we don't have to convert to Mormonism to be friends with him or to appreciate his efforts--sorely needed--toward better relations between Jews and Latinos. Is posthumous conversion any stranger than Judaism's axiomiatic belief in the resurrection of the dead?!
For the record, I love LDS people, I just happen to take great issue with their church's theology. It is hardly disputable that the LDS people are good neighbors, hard working, moral, dedicated, zealous, and any number of great things that can be said about them from a humanistic perspective. What's wrong about this concept of the LDS church building "bridges" to other faith systems is not about "Mormons" it is about "Mormonism" even though that's what they are effectively working to undermine. On one hand the LDS church says, "We believe in God Almighty, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost" but then as you blow the dust from the surface and get into true LDS theology, you find that, unlike the Jewish mono-theistic tradition, the LDS "God Almighty" is actually just the "Almighty" god over his sphere of influence (i.e. this planet, this galaxy), and that there are an infinite number of spheres, with an infinite number of gods, and that God "Almighty" was once a man, has a body of flesh and bone, and we humans all the the very same potential to become "Almighty" gods. LDS will all too often make the argument a personal issue and claim persecution from "anti-Mormons" when one speaks truths about the LDS faith system, like some of the comments here, this is not about Mark -- Mark may be the best guy on the planet, but this is not about HIM, it is about his church's belief system. LDS also call everyone else "gentiles" -- even the Jews. Their church teaches that they are from the lost tribes of Israel, who crossed the oceans and populated the Americas (the Lamanites and Nephites), and Joseph Smith Jr. even taught that the Garden of Eden is in Missouri, near a place he called Adam-Ondi-Ahman. Sound fantastic? LDS will claim this is all a misrepresentation of their faith -- but check it out for yourself. Google "king follet" and "adam-ondi-ahman" and read about what LDS brush under the rug. Mark's job as an LDS evangelist is to sidle-up to the Jewish community, befriend them, so that Jews (and Christians, and everyone else) will stop asking critical questions about the LDS faith system because, "Mark is such a nice guy." This is not about Mark -- this is about heresy wrapped up with a pretty bow.
I am a Mormon. And am of Jewish descent. I hope to educate as many as possible of the beliefs of the Mormons. We believe that the people of Judah are G-ds covenant people. That with through the Abrahamic Covenant a gentile thorugh baptism is adopted into the House of Israel. We believe every human has a physical and spiritual body. At death the physical body is laid to rest while the spiritual body continues on to learn and grow and await the resurrection. During this time a spiritual being can have the gospel taught to them, just as they can on earth. However, baptism is an essential ordinance which requires a physical body to perform. On earth in Temples, The House of The Lord; we perform these ordinaces for our ancestors vicariously so that they have the choice to accept it or not to. This makes sense. How can a boy or girl who lived on a time or a place where the Priesthood of G-d was not on earth to perform baptism? Why should he/she be punished? HE IS NOT, this allows him the opportunity to have the ordinance performed. Bro. Brumfield, the mormon faith does not brush anyhting under the rug. We do believe in God the Eternal Father who has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as mans, we believe in Jesus Christ that through his resurrection we all will be resurrected, and that he has the body of flesh and bones as tangible as mans. That our Heavenly Fathers plan is for us to come to earth to learn and to grow, to experience trials, show our faith and return to live to him. To become as he has become, to have the knowledge that he has, to have an immortal body that he has. Does this put us above him? NO, he will always be our Father and our G-d. My fellow jewish brethren and sisters. The Mormon faith, Loves its Jewish brethren. We have much more in common. We know were not going to convert everyone. But we make sure that we share our faith and educate our brothers and sisters, For there are so many deceitful people trying to tear us both down.
The question is why are Jews so worried about the Church members sharing their beliefs with other Jews. Is is because perhaps, they know that the LDS Church might be very appealing to many Jews and might actually be right!? Also, if Jews don't believe baptism for the dead is a real thing that can be done, why are they so actively trying to stop the work? All the Jewish outrage is doing is proving the LDS Church right.
This man is a bigot and supports hate. He donated a large amount of money to support Prop. 8 in the recent election here in California. It's outrageous. I intend to everything in my power as a Jew and someone who is gay, to see that this man's liasion with the AJC is broken. It's repugnant and disgusting that the AJC would tolerate someone who supports bigotry and hatred to have anything to do with their organization.
There is a huge disconnect here in the comments of people who scream ugly words like bigot and hate against people who disagree with them about the importance of protecting the sanctity of marriage. I am a strong supporter of Prop 8. I love gay people even when I disagree with them on many issues. I want them to be free to choose the way of life they desire. But I strongly believe that marriage is an institution ordained of God on which society is based. Those who want to dilute it by slowly making marriage mean anything to anyone are wrong in my opinion and my very strong belief. I am not a bigot and I am do not hate gays. I just strongly believe that marriage should continue to be between a man and a woman. If you disagree, that is fine, but the words bigot and hate do not belong in this discussion. If Mark Paredes is driven from his work because he believes like many millions of others believe about marriage, then you will be the one that loses. I'm sure he will have many other wonderful opportunities to serve his fellow man.
I would like Kacey Robbino to contact my wife, as you have the same background. Your statement is very correct. Look up Muchnick.
I am a Mormon myself, and I love all the people of the world. We should make friends with each other at any cost, as we are all brothers and sisters of our Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ is our elder brother, as He, too, is our Heavenly Father's Son, but his mission to this Earth was unique, to show us all the way to live, so we could return to live with our Heavenly Father and Him. So if we want to give this opportunity to all of our brothers and sisters, we need to inform everybody through our missionary work, and to the dead, we need to give opportunity to all who have not heard of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, and to choose for themselves, they can accept or decline our offer. We therefore baptise our ancestors as we believe we can live with our families together for ever, not just until death do us part. So all the dead, even the Jews, can choose like all can choose on the Earth. Why worry about something it is not up to us, every person has the right to decide for themselves what to believe. The more we are friendly, the better place the Earth will remain, or else, destruction will happen as it has many times in the history, and another civilisation will die out. But as I am a firm believer in the life after death, even that does not worry me, as long as I am a faithful practising Mormon, I know I will live with God, our Eternal Father and Jesus Christ, and all of my family who have accepted our faith in the Spirit world, and hopefully all of my family still living, who have NOT YET, accepted our faith. They have their choice, let this choice be available to everyone.
i must take exception to Brian Brumfield's comment about heresy, Brian you are like so many who lack faith and spirit and are ready to measure new restored gospel principles by the rule of current christian thinking, current christian thinking is the greatest heresy of all !!! for hundreds and hundreds of years christians have mercilessly persecuted the jews they are as bad as jihadists.