Bill Maher "unbaptizes" Mitt Romney's deceased atheist father-in law (video)

There was an atheist in the Romney closet, but they got 'em baptized in the end–literally.    Mitt Romney's father-in-law, Edward Davies, was an atheist who regarded all religions as "hogwash."  When Mitt Romney started dating his daughter Ann, Gawker reports that the Romneys went into overdrive trying to convert her and her entire family to Mormonism–which they did, with lightning speed:

 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.

They got Davies when he died.  According to the Mormon genealogical database, the Romneys baptized Davies in a "special family meeting."  Not only this, but the dead Davies was sealed to his spouse for all eternity in under a year from his "baptism."

Bill Maher thinks that was wrong.  And he set out to "unbaptize" Davies and free his soul from its particular Mormon section of heaven. With Maher wearing a sorcerer's hat and brandishing a wand,  Hollywood Reporter adds the ceremony went something like this:

"By the power granted in me by the Blair Witch," he declared, "I call upon the Mormon spirits to leave your body the fuck alone."

"Brother Edward, in this world you had to put up with Mitt Romney," he concluded. "You've suffered enough."

The Mormon church has often been criticized for baptizing dead people; particularly if it was something the person would most assuredly not want in life.

Watch the whole thing below:

 

 

Dakota O'Leary

Dakota O'Leary is a freethinker, and often sassy, scholar of theology and literature. She got her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Theology from the State University of New York College at Buffalo, and her Master of Arts degree in Theology and Literature from Antioch University-Midwest. She is a contributing writer focusing on eschatology, biblical prophecy, and general religious news. Dakota is a co-host of the God Discussion radio show, offering insight to the news stories of the week. We like to call her "our in-house Biblical prophecy expert" as her articles on eschatology have received over 200,000 views on God Discussion.

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  • Caydon

    There is more proof for what Prophet Joseph Smith taught than in any other religion. Joseph Smith explained many mysteries that other teachers were not able to explain in the King Follett Discourse. Based on Joseph Smith's teachings, Lorenzo Snow, the fifth president of the Mormon church, wrote that: "As man is, God once was; As God is, man may be." This is what we call exaltation. Look into this truth yourself.

    • Andrew

      That's all well and good… but first prove that there is a god to begin with. Just because he interpreted a book or passage, that isn't based in fact, in a particular way doesn't mean any of it is true.

      There is too much in the bible and the BOM as well as any other religious text that 1: has no basis in reality, and 2: is all about a murderous sky person who is a bigot and a sexist. And before you can say he isn't like that anymore, remember to follow scripture "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8. And since JC = God that means the both of them are murderous sky people who are bigots and sexists.

      • Caydon

        Here is the proof that we may be exalted to godhood: In Doctrine and Covenants 132:20 it says "Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them." You should read this book yourself before passing judgment.

  • COinMS

    I think the Mormons mis-interpret the passage in 1 Cor. 15:29: 'Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?'

    This is not substitionary baptism. Christians lay down their lives, symbolically, when they are baptized. They give up earthly hopes and aims to have a share in the first resurrection, where they will then participate in the raising of the (rest of the) dead to everlasting life on earth.

    There is always more than one interpretation of scripture. Bill Maher doesn't believe any of it, and that is ok.

  • Sheri

    Oh my gosh, I laughed till I cried on this one. Being close to this issue, and having baptized and been married vicariously for many deceased people (an act I now regret) I just found this incredibly funny. I'm sure my family will try and re baptize me back into the church after I'm gone, but little do they know, all those people who believed this stuff while alive, are now trying to wake the living up.

  • bob

    Oh! I see! It's IN A BOOK. Wow! That sure does prove it! I mean, after all, if it's IN A BOOK, well then, end of discussion, I guess. . .

    (sarcasm, BTW, for the irony-deficient)