Mormons

Got this email from a friend.
If only everyone would be so willing to find out for themselves.

MICROSOFT FOUNDER, NFL OWNER, PAUL ALLEN, SPEAKS OUT ON MORMONS
Paul Allen is the owner of the Seattle Seahawks, the ones who playedthe Pittsburgh Steelers for the Super Bowl a few years ago. 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:
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 datedtheir daughters. When I got married they came to my wedding. Nowthat I have daughters of my own, some of their boys have dated mydaughters. I would be privileged if one of them were to be myson-in-law.I'm talking about the Mormons.
They are some of the most honest, hardworking people I have everknown. They are spiritual, probably more than most other so-called religious people I have encountered. They study the Bible and teachfrom 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 onedime for the hours of labor they put in.
The Mormons have a non-paid ministry - a fact that is not generallyknown. I have heard many times from the pulpits of others how eviland non-Christian they are and that they will not go to heaven. Idecided recently to attend one of their services near my home to seefor myself.What a surprise!What I heard and saw was just the opposite from what the religiousministers of the day were telling me. I found a very simple servicewith no fanfare. I found a people with a great sense of humor and awell-balanced spiritual side. There was no loud music.
Just a simpleservice, with the members themselves giving the several shortsermons.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 oftheir church is "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.Does that sound like a non-Christian church to you? I asked themmany questions about what they teach and why. I got answers that inmost cases were from the New Testament. Their ideas and doctrinesdid not seem too far fetched for my understanding. When I read their"Book of Mormon" I was also very surprised to find just the oppositefrom what I had been told I would find.
Then I went to another church's pastor to ask him some of the samequestions about doctrine. To my surprise, when he found out that Iwas in some way investigating the Mormons, he became hostile. Hereferred to them as a non-Christian cult. I received what sounded tome like evil propaganda against those people. He stated bluntly thatthey were not Christian and that they did not fit into the Christianmold. He also told me that they don't really believe the Bible. Hegave me a pile of anti-Mormon literature. He began to rant that theMormons were not telling me the truth about what they stand for. Hedidn't want to hear anything good about them. At first I was surprisedand 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 Scouttroops in the United States are Mormon.What cult do you know of that has a welfare system second to none inthis country? They have farms, canneries and cattle ranches to helptake care of the unfortunate ones who might be down and out and inneed of a little help. The Mormon Church has donated millions towelfare causes around the world without a word of credit. They havedonated thousands to help rebuild Baptist churches that were burneda few years ago. They have donated tons of medical supplies tocountries ravaged by earthquakes. You never see them on TV begging for money.
What cult do you knowthat instills in its members to obey the law, pay their taxes, servein the military if asked and be a good Christian by living highmoral standards? Did you know that hundreds of thousands of Mormonyouth get up before high school starts in the morning to attend areligious training class? They have basketball and softball leaguesand supervised youth dances every month.They are recruited by the FBI, the State Department and every policedepartment 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 Congressand in the US Senate, and have been governors of several statesother 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 admitthis. I have known some of them who could not live their religion,just like many of us. The rhetoric which is spread around againstthem 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 youreally want to know the truth, go see for yourself.
You also will besurprised.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.