Oh Mitt.. really?

W T F??


Yes, the Romneys Converted Mitt’s Dead Atheist Father-in-Law to Mormonism

Gawker's substantial Mormon readership has come through for us: Two readers have sent us confirmation that Edward Davies, Mitt Romney's militantly atheist father-in-law, was indeed posthumously converted to Mormonism by his family, despite the fact that when he was alive he regarded all religions as "hogwash."

As we mentioned yesterday, Ann Romney's Welsh-born father (who Mitt mentioned in last night's debate to shore up his pro-immigrant bona fides) was an engineer, inventor, and resolute atheist who disdained all organized religion and raised his children accordingly. Davies, his son Roderick told the Boston Globe in 2007, regarded the faithful as "weak in the knees." But when Mitt began seeing Davies' daughter Ann, the Romney family launched a concerted effort to convert not only Ann but her entire family to Mormonism. And they were wildly successful: Within a year of meeting Ann, Mitt and his father had converted all three of Edward Davies' children. Days before she died in 1993, Ann Romney's mother asked to be converted as well. Edward Davies was the only member of his clan whose soul the Romneys never claimed for their church.

Yes, the Romneys Converted Mitt's Dead Atheist Father-in-Law to MormonismUntil he died. According to this entry in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' genealogical database, Davies was baptized as a Mormon at a "special family meeting" 14 months after his death: "All ordinances except sealing to spouse performed in Salt Lake Temple on 19 Nov 1993 in special family meeting," the entry says. (When we previously asked the church whether Davies had been baptized, a spokesperson told us that the information was available only to his family and church members. But it's apparently right there on the internet for those who know what to look for.)

According to our tipster, the "ordinances" performed on Davies' spectral remnants included the following:

[A] canonical series of rituals that Mormons undergo (in life or death) in order to qualify for admission to heaven, including baptism, confirmation, "washings and anointings," endowment, and, in the case of men, ordination to two levels of priesthood. The description seems to indicate that certain family members were present for all these rituals, in which a living male would have stood in "for and in behalf of" the late Mr. Davies.

A little under a year after the posthumous baptism, according to this entry at Ancestry.com, a Utah-based genealogical registry linked to the Mormon church, Edward Davies was "sealed" to his spouse for eternity in a ceremony that appears to have been performed in Atlanta, Ga.

Of course this is all empty superstition, as Davies realized. Being dead, he wasn't particularly in a place to care about whatever voodoo was performed in his name. But it's an exceedingly odd way for the Romney family to honor the memory of a man who was committed, for his entire life, to the notion that organized religion is a fraud.

The Mormon church has repeatedly been criticized for its practice of trawling for dead souls to convert to the faith. Catholic and Jewish organizations have expressed outrage when the names of dead popes and Holocaust victims have turned up on Mormon lists of the baptized. In 1995, the church pledged to "discontinue any future baptisms of deceased Jews" except for direct descendents of living Mormons, tacitly acknowledging that its creepy and weird to claim the souls of people who had no interest in Mormonism for their own. It's strange that the Romney and Davies families didn't accord Edward Davies' memory the same respect.

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Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

I really don't like that, but it sounds like the man's family was in on it and part of it.

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

So, if Mormons can "convert" people after they die, can any other religion (or lack thereof) "convert" any and all Mormons to another religion (or non-religion)?
Including Joseph Smith, meaning that their "leader" is really Atheist, making their entire religion null and void?

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Posted by GoldenRod

So, if Mormons can "convert" people after they die, can any other religion (or lack thereof) "convert" any and all Mormons to another religion (or non-religion)?
Including Joseph Smith, meaning that their "leader" is really Atheist, making their entire religion null and void?

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Right or wrong I don't really see how the blame is being placed on Mitt here...

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Posted by liadorbs




Right or wrong I don't really see how the blame is being placed on Mitt here...

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Not shocking to me. That's part of the Mormon religion, to convert the deceased ancestors so you can all be together in the afterlife. I don't like the idea personally, and I'd be pissed if someone converted me to some other religion after I was gone! But it's part of their beliefs.

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Imagine if you're chilling out in your particular version of the afterlife, then all of a sudden you start fading out and reappear in the Mormon afterlife?....

"Hey Mom, it's great seeing you again....... whoah, what's going onnnnnn........ AAAHHHHH D@amn you Joseph Smith!!!!!..."

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

just wanted to add that you don't need to put the spaces in WTF anymore!

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Posted by GoldenRod

Imagine if you're chilling out in your particular version of the afterlife, then all of a sudden you start fading out and reappear in the Mormon afterlife?....

"Hey Mom, it's great seeing you again....... whoah, what's going onnnnnn........ AAAHHHHH D@amn you Joseph Smith!!!!!..."

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Posted by Bearcat

just wanted to add that you don't need to put the spaces in WTF anymore!

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Wow Gingrich's SuperPac is doing a heck of a job.

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

it doesn't matter if it was part of their beliefs. it wasn't part of the deceased beliefs.

this gives me the willy's.

I wonder what he thinks about church and state. maybe he will convert the constitution too.

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

this is insanity. but nothing surprises me anymore about anything.

Maybe before the next debate one of them will disclose that they are:
-a woman
-an alien from outer space(a la "V")
-a devout Wicca (sp?)
-hanging upside down from the ceiling at night
-the reincarnation of Jimmy Hoffa

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

That's disgusting and so disrespectful to the dead guy.

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Between this and the dog, this guy gives me the creeps.

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

I feel like these days it's like picking the better party clown

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Still better than Obama in my mind!

Plus, I believe that if you die an atheist, it doesnt matter what anybody does to convert your corpse...your dead and gone so the ritual is more for the peace of mind of the family and has no effect on you. I agree that they should not have gone against the wishes of the man...but I don't think this will at all effect Romneys ability to lead the nation.

And while we are on the topic of politicians and religion, have we all forgotten about Rev Wright & all the crazy things he was saying while the Obama family attended his church?!?!


But this is all just my opinion!

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

It's totally the Mormon way.

My sister converted to Mormonism when I was 14 and has since done this exact thing to all our deceased relatives

Oh and we had no say in the matter whatsoever! She is the only Mormon in the family!

Message edited 1/28/2012 3:02:38 PM.

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

Re: Oh Mitt.. really?

But seriously if you're dead your dead. You aren't converted to anything but ashes, no?

I understand it seems disrespectful and against the person's wishes, but its not like someone grabs someone else's kid and secretly baptizes them.

This is the first i've ever heard of this practice...i'm no fan of religion anyway but this makes me go