The Tribune’s fawning hagiography of deceased Mormon prophet, seer and revelator Thomas S. Monson stands in stark contrast to the objective obituary published by The New York Times, which evoked outrage among many Mormons and some others. Their outrage is misplaced.

No, The Times’ obituary is not proof that it hates religious Americans.

It’s not the function of a world-class newspaper to pay uncritical tribute to the dead. It’s to report and analyze the news.

The death of a religious leader is news, sometimes even front-page news, as is his public legacy.

Being the fishing buddy of the publisher’s family typically isn’t.

Say nothing but good of the dead? That’s a dishonest assessment. But, yeah, Hitler was kind to animals. So, there’s that.

Besides, there’s no reason for Mormons to complain about The Times’ lead, which accurately reported key issues and events addressed by Monson’s leadership. Presumably, most Mormons are actually proud of Monson’s stances, even if much of the rest of the world is not.

Those who baptize the dead, violating the religious choices the deceased made while alive, have forfeited all legitimate claim to demanding respect for the dead.