Saturday, March 7, 2009

Paul Allen, speaks out on Mormons...

Found this article to be really interesting and thought I would share it will you. It is a little lengthy but very good.

NFL Owner, Paul Allen, speaks out on Mormons...
MICROSOFT FOUNDER, NFL OWNER, PAUL ALLEN, SPEAKS OUT ON
MORMONS
Paul Allen is the owner of the Seattle Seahawks, the ones
who played the Pittsburgh Steelers for the Super Bowl. He is also the
owner of the Portland Trail Blazers NBA basketball team and is
co-partner with Bill Gates in Microsoft. He wrote this editorial in the

Santa Clarita, California newspaper, 2006:
I have heard and seen enough!
I have lived in the West all my life. I have worked around
them. They have worked for me and I for them. When I was young, I dated
their daughters. When I got married they came to my wedding. Now that I
have daughters of my own, some of their boys have dated my daughters. I
would be privileged if one of them were to be my son-in-law.
I'm talking about the Mormons.
They are some of the most honest, hardworking people I have
ever known. They are spiritual, probably more than most other so-called
religious people I have encountered. They study the Bible and teach
from it as much as any Christian church ever has. They serve their
religion without pay in every conceivable capacity. Not one of their
leaders, teachers, counselors, Bishops or music directors receive one
dime for the hours of labor they put in.
The Mormons have a non-paid ministry - a fact that is not
generally known. I have heard many times from the pulpits of others how
evil and non-Christian they are and that they will not go to heaven. I
decided recently to attend one of their services near my home to see
for myself.
What a surprise!
What I heard and saw was just the opposite from what the
religious ministers of the day were telling me. I found a very simple
service with no fanfare. I found a people with a great sense of humor
and a well-balanced spiritual side. There was no loud music. Just a
simple service, with the members themselves giving the several short
sermons.
They urge their youth to be morally clean and live a good
life. They teach the gospel of Christ, as they understand it. The name
of their church is "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.
Does that sound like a non-Christian church to you? I asked them many
questions about what they teach and why. I got answers that in most
cases were from the New Testament. Their ideas and doctrines did not
seem too far fetched for my understanding. When I read their "Book of
Mormon" I was also very surprised to find just the opposite from what I
had been told I would find.
Then I went to another church's pastor to ask him some of
the same questions about doctrine. To my surprise, when he found out
that I was in some way investigating the Mormons, he became hostile. He
referred to them as a non-Christian cult. I received what sounded to me
like evil propaganda against those people. He stated bluntly that they
were not Christian and that they did not fit into the Christian mold.
He also told me that they don't really believe the Bible. He gave me a
pile of anti-Mormon literature. He began to rant that the Mormons were
not telling me the truth about what they stand for. He didn't want to
hear anything good about them. At first I was surprised and then again,
I wasn't. I began to wonder.
I have never known of a cult that supports the Boy Scouts
of America. According to the Boy Scouts, over a third of all the Boy
Scout troops in the United States are Mormon.
What cult do you know of that has a welfare system second
to none in this country? They have farms, canneries and cattle ranches
to help take care of the unfortunate ones who might be down and out and
in need of a little help. The Mormon Church has donated millions to
welfare causes around the world without a word of credit. They have
donated thousands to help rebuild Baptist churches that were burned a
few years ago. They have donated tons of medical supplies to countries
ravaged by earthquakes.
You never see them on TV begging for money. What cult do
you know that instills in its members to obey the law, pay their taxes,
serve in the military if asked and be a good Christian by living high
moral standards? Did you know that hundreds of thousands of Mormon
youth get up before high school starts in the morning to attend a
religious training class? They have basketball and softball leagues and
supervised youth dances every month.
They are recruited by the FBI, the State Department and
every police department in the country, because they are Trustworthy.
They are taught not to drink nor take drugs. They are in the Secret
Service - those who protect the President. They serve in high
leadership positions from both parties in Congress and in the US
Senate, and have been governors of several states other than Utah. They
serve with distinction and honor.
If you have Mormons living near, you will probably find
them to be your best friends and neighbors. They are Christians who try
to live what they preach. They are not perfect and they are the first
to admit this. I have known some of them who could not live their
religion, just like many of us. The rhetoric which is spread around
against them is nothing more than evil propaganda founded in untruths.
(Others) had successfully demonized them to the point that the general
public has no idea what they actually believe and teach. If you really
want to know the truth, go see for yourself. You also will be
surprised.
When I first moved here some 25 years ago there were five
Mormon wards in Santa Clarita, Calif. Now there are 15. They must be
doing something right.

7 comments:

Kate said...

Thanks for sharing that. How refreshing!

Jennifer Parcell said...

Wow! THat was awesome, it gave me goosebumps! It is so great to get some validation and to have an outsider discredit the whole cult misperception! Thank you for the post!

Cristi said...

Hey Holly! I enjoy reading your blog! You know Natalie Permann, right? She's the one who told me that you guys and my husband know each other!

I like this article too. I saw it months ago. But I think it's important to note that the Paul Allen who wrote this is not THE Paul Allen of Microsoft and the NFL owner. This is a common misconception and an urban legend that has been spread through the internet.

I looked it up on Snopes.com just to be safe, after someone told me. And sure enough, it's a fantastic article! But it was just written by a "regular Joe" who happens to share a name with someone famous.

Oh well - it's still a nice read! :)

Anonymous said...

I agree with Cristi...No matter who, it still validates that mormons are misinterpreted...and people need to see for themselves. Great post, I loved reading about it.

Kristal said...

Thanks for posting this!

nichole said...

love the story... it reminds me i have to act like a "mormon" and it isn't a bad thing.

and i love the pictures from your blog banner! such a beautiful family.

stand tall said...

Back in 1982 and in 1983 I was investigating various religions to make an inquiry. I wanted to know why if all these churches believed in Jesus Christ why did they all have so many differant names? My mother left it for me to choose which church I would desire to belong to after I had grown up. I never heard of a Mormon religion until one pastor from a local church handed me a book on why I should be his religion and not....(the book listed 7 other religions). Every church I attended, I loved the people, they were always, always so kind. These goodly people were in the church they sought after, chose, or in a family tradition carried on. I believe God does answer prayers. I did indeed receive a couple ministers/pastors who did talk negative about the Mormon religion and they did truely say some judgamental things about other religious beliefs, even fearful things spoken that could convince anyone to avoid them. But God is a God of love and has commanded us to love one another even as we would love one another. Again, in fervent prayer and bended knee's I went. If I really wanted to know the truth I had to go and find out for myself! And I did. The scriptures are true, there is no fear but fear in itself. These Mormons I witnessed were just as every bit trying to be like Jesus as any and all other christian demoninations/cults. All are progressing in this life at their own degree and pace. I learned All people are at the church they individually "feel" they should be at in this life. It is not our place to take agency away from anyone or make choice of their religion. We did not come into this world to condemn it. Christ didn't either. We ought to be as Christ example in this life to help souls and be the best we can be. Yes, there are oppositions in all things and many in numbers who may never accept our personal choices we make for our personal life-which includes religious freedom to choose; and the opposition can debate and oppose all they want; however, it is as it is, and life is always moving forward for everyone, no matter the race, creed, and religion. I must testify though that during my investigation on the Mormon church, I found it is really called, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints". The people who are of this faith strive to live the gospel of Jesus Christ just as those of faithfulness in any other denominational church/cult religion. They are a people who love the scriptures both the King James Bible and the Book of Mormon. Every record written in these editions of the King James Bible and the Book of Mormon share the testimonies and writings of Jesus Christ by Prophets upon this earth. The Mormon music is indeed reverant because of the reverence they feel towards the Savior Jesus Christ. Inspite of all the opposition I had experienced of the hewning down, the mockery,or the loud laughter of anothers belief in any religious denomination/cult religion, of their own choice- people are where they believe they are to be in this walk in their own life. And with my personal agency I too, have found my answer to my heartfelt prayers, even as all these goodly people have.