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

[RandySF]

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.

Until 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.)

http://gawker.com/5879888/yes-the-romneys-converted-mitts-dead-atheist-father+in+law-to-mormonism

[barbtries]

1. that is one of the very weirdest aspects of LDS

it almost makes my head hurt to think about people converting dead people, including those such as this one, who want (or wanted) no part of it!
it seems really juvenile, doesn't it? is that the right word?

[FreeState]

13. It's not converting them -

This article cometely miss understands LDS beliefs. Temple work (baptisms etc) are believed to give those who did not have the ordinances done while they were living to accept or deny them in the next life. There is zero converting going on.

[barbtries]

15. lol

okay. still, the person is DEAD. most belief systems would, i think, dictate that they are consequently already either enjoying or suffering their great hereafter.

[FreeState]

17. Dead or not the premise of the OP is 100% false

Most Christians believe the day of Judgement comes after Jesus return not at the time of death.

[arbusto_baboso]

27. As a former mormon, that is TECHNICALLY true, BUT....

We all know the mormon definition of choice:

1) You can choose to do what we tell you.
2) Mormons "know" that the deceased and endowed dead person "made the right choice" by accepting mormonism.

So, the bottom line is, DAMN STRAIGHT mormons considered thos who are necro-dunked to be mormons.

But like so many other things, the mormon hierarchy will flat-out LIE for PR purposes.

[FreeState]

36. Former Mormon myself too

I was always taught the temple didn't covert, that was done by other deceased members in the next life.

[arbusto_baboso]

37. Trying to determine what mormons really believe...

is like trying to nail jello to a wall.

The GAs always want plausible deniability, so very little is ever made "official". Most doctrine is taught through faith-promoting rumors.

[Taverner]

29. Reminds me a lot of the indulgences the Borgias used to sell...

[msongs]

2. so it is also possible to unconvert dead mormons and take away their after death rights lol nt

[MattBaggins]

23. That is a great idea

I wonder what all the Mormon apologists would say if a group formed just to declare they were unbaptizing Mormons.

[auburngrad82]

3. Can someone explain to me how he'll sell this as freedom of religion?

Yes, the Mormons should be free to practice their version of Christianity, but so should the dead guy. I don't care if the dude was dead, Mormonism was forced upon him.

As a practicing Pastafarian, if they try to baptize me after I'm gone I'll probably swell up like a boiled noodle.

[Gman]

4. This makes about as much sense as

Putting a full tube of toothpaste back into the tube successfully.

[madaboutharry]

5. I think this demonstrates a great level of disrespect for another person's dignity and humanity.

This is especially true when it involved Jewish Holocaust victims.

[barbtries]

16. yeah.

at that point it becomes offensive imo.

[rbrnmw]

6. Oh the evangelicals are going love this!! nt

[MineralMan]

7. As an atheist, he'd laugh his ass off about this.

Only religious people even bother to think about such things. Atheists put absolutely no stock in things like baptism. It's meaningless to them. Speaking as an atheist, anyone who wishes too is welcome to baptize me in absentia or posthumously. Why on Earth would I care?

[riderinthestorm]

9. I think its a great campaign issue. Atheists don't care but all the other believers care A LOT!

about what happens to them in the "afterlife".

That kind of messing about with their particular version of heaven won't go over very well imho....

[MattBaggins]

25. As an atheist

please refrain from doing any mumbo jumbo over my body or in my name.

I ask this as a matter of principle and respect

[Aerows]

8. I'm a bit more of an agnostic

I don't believe in a supreme being, but I can't discount the existence of one, either way. Personally, my thought would be "Well, thanks for praying for me and thanks for baptizing me since I'm sure it would help if your supreme being does exist, and the practice will do you some good, too."

[GeorgeGist]

10. Nut jobs!

Straight from the Book of Moron.

[Hugabear]

11. This is no more ridiculous than some Christian beliefs

Personally, I find the whole "Mormons sure have funny beliefs" to be a bit interesting.

Consider some of the beliefs that many Christians have - without even getting into some of the truly bizarre fundy ones:

- Raising from the dead
- Eucharistic turning of wafers/bread into blood & flesh
- Jesus walking on water, feeding 5000 people with just a few loaves and fish, turning water into wine, etc

And then we get into the Old Testament, which many Christians believe to be a literal history

- Worldwide flood, covering even the highest mountains
- Burning bushes that talk
- People being thrown into fiery furnaces, only to emerge unscathed

The list could go on and on.

If people want to believe these things, that's fine - but it seems rather odd to make fun of someone else's religious beliefs

[DesertRat]

26. Mormons also consider themselves to be Christians

The official name of the Mormon church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So all of the beliefs that you mentioned are also held by Mormons.

http://www.lds.org/new-era/1998/05/are-mormons-christians?lang=eng

[Taverner]

32. They are Christians, for whatever that's worth

OF course, I argue you could be an Atheistic Christian

But no one listens to me

[Taverner]

31. All religions are goofy

Whether it's Mohammed flying to heaven on a Winged Horse, Mary being a pregnant virgin, this all being a dream of Vishnu while he sleeps in the clouds, or Xenu sending people to Teegeack - it's all FUCKING BULLSHIT!!!!!!

At least Science can back up it's claims when they appear goofy (event horizons in black holes, for example)

Religion cannot

[Avalux]

12. If you can't get 'em while alive, do it after they're dead, when they have nothing to say about it.

NICE.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

14. This is why the Mormon church collects mountains of genealogy records.

[Major Hogwash]

21. This is how the Mormon church collects millions of dollars . . .

. . as a business entity, not a religious institution.

[Tikki]

18. Why can't these mormons be man enough to try to baptize someone while they...

are still alive? If you are going to screw over somebody why do it in the darkness
of a coffin?

PS..necrophilia is illegal in California.

Tikki

[yellowcanine]

22. I could be wrong but I don't think they do the "conversion" on the actual corpse.

I believe they have a live person "stand in" for the deceased....at least that is how it is done long after the person has died - maybe not when it is more immediate?

[Tikki]

28. I still want to know why they don't do this while I'm still alive!

What are they afraid of?
COWARDS


Tikki

[FreeState]

41. Thats the point

In Catholicism you go to hell if your not baptized - in Mormonism if you were not given the choice in this life you are extended that choice in the next life.

[Tikki]

44. I was given the choice. Everyone who has been approached by their missionaries can say..

...tell me more or NO please go away.





Tikki

[yellowcanine]

33. I would also point out that some Catholic practices are a bit strange also.....

Some priests will administer the Annointing, part of the Last Rites, AFTER a person has died, simply for the comfort of the survivors, although this was also apparently justified before Vatican II on the basis that the soul might still be in the body, as I understand it. I am sure there are Catholic DUers who can clarify.

The other practice I wonder about is saying prayers at the funeral for the person's soul to keep it out of purgatory (again, my understanding) would seem to be something which really cannot be justified if one adheres to the notion of personal responsibility for one's faith.

And then there is that transubstantiation thing - which essentially turns the celebrants into cannibals, it seems to me.

Philosophically I have some trouble with the Immaculate Conception of Mary thing as well. So not only was Mary a virgin but HER mother was also? How about Mary's Grandma? How far do the virgin births go back?

And that Mary was a virgin all of her life - so Jesus had no siblings, but yet he supposedly did?

Is it unfair to compare these practices/beliefs to the Mormon practice of converting ancestors?

[Tikki]

35. Someone in the family or attending the funeral must be....

catholic for those practices to ensue.

mormons have no concern of a dead person's wishes, they are just
going to do it anyway.

How is that fair?


Tikki

[yellowcanine]

43. I am more looking at from the standpoint of practices/beliefs that a nonreligious person or person

of a different religion would find strange/not rational - and I have to say that some of the Catholic beliefs fall into that category for me - and that for me the beliefs I listed are really no less strange or less rational than the Morman practice of converting ancestors.

[Warren DeMontague]

19. "Klaatu... Barata... Necktie... Nickjob... Neckfffffff...."

"Okay, maybe I didn't say every little tiny syllable"

[yellowcanine]

20. I am not Morman but I really don't have any problem with someone "converting me" to Mormanism

after I am dead. Just glad they are thinking about me. Heh. Seriously, why does it matter?
I guess I would hope that they would be sensitive to the feelings of any surviving family members and not do it if there were strong opposition from them.

It is clearly one of the sillier and more bizarre practices of Mormonism from the perspective of a non Mormon though - and I suspect for some Mormons also.

[fascisthunter]

24. how fanatical and ridiculous

believe what you want, leave everyone around you ALONE! Is that too much to ask... fuck, I can't stand religious fanatics.

[GoCubsGo]

30. No. Mitt THNINKS he converted his deceased father-in-law.

Sorry Mitt, but you can't convert a corpse, no matter how much your religion claims it can do so. Dead is dead, you whackjob.

[yellowcanine]

34. Yeah it is weird but that is not why I don't want Mitt to be President.

I am way more concerned with Mitt Romney Republican than Mitt Romney Mormon.

[wandy]

38. Are you makeing this up? n/t

[Cali_Democrat]

42. This is true. Mormons convert dead people to Mormonism.

[jody]

40. Those who are irreligious or practice other religions can find all manner of issues with which to

disagree with those who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

OK, so people find excuses to hate and kill those who have different opinions, but how can any congress and president govern such a disparate electorate?

If We the People who started an experiment in government cannot find a common ground, then the world is doomed to self-destruct.

That's not my opinion, that's a fact!

[rbrnmw]

45. I had to check up on this baptizing dead hogwash

I am appalled that they do this to holocaust victims including Anne Frank and family. This is so wrong they died because of their religion! How dare these people baptize them Mormon

[lonestarnot]

46. Snort! ROFLMAO

Headline.