CHARGE: One’s genealogy must be traced all the way back to Adam.
LDS RESPONSE: Four generations are encouraged; additional research is also encouraged. It is impossible to trace one’s genealogy back to Adam.
REALITY: The CHARGE is exaggerated, and yes, it is impossible to accomplish. It is rare to find anyone’s genealogy traced back further than about 1,000 AD.
The reason there is such a strong emphasis on genealogy within Mormonism is to be able to locate deceased people having not had proxy temple work done for them. To the active Mormon, the two go hand-in-hand.
Far more money is spent by the LDS Church for the salvation of the dead than the living.
CHARGE and LDS RESPONSE (originally) online at: fairlds.org/The_God_Makers/tagm04.html