Simon,
I agree. This man is normally quite liberal in his views, that is why I was so shocked and couldn't even respond adequately! I told this story simply to illustrate some attitudes in the Church, which explain why the LDS have not been able to access all parish records.
If I had thought quickly enough, I would have said that either the LDS are right, in which case they are doing the dead a favour, or they are wrong, in which case what they do does not affect either the dead person or his/her relatives, so where is the harm??
MarieC