More companies owned by religious groups

[snopes]

Comment: Is it true the Mormons or LDS owns Marriott chain and Walgreens?

I've heard that the Marriott family is/was a Mormon family, but that's a far cry from saying that the entire chain is "owned by the Mormons."

[noftessa]

What Class Bravo said. The owners are Mormons, but the Mormons (Church of LDS) are not the owners. (At least for Marriott - not sure about the other one. Chick-Fil-A's owner is Mormon also).

[Not_Done_Living]

With 55 million LDS in the US, i am sure there are many companies owned by Mormons.. just wondering though...

is Mormon business ownership a cause for concern or something?

[Errata]

Originally Posted by Not_Done_Living

With 55 million LDS in the US, i am sure there are many companies owned by Mormons..

What??? Thats wildly inaccurate. That number would mean over 1 in every 6 Americans was Mormon. That simply isn't the case, and it should be obvious that that isn't the case if you have much experience with America (outside of the state of Utah where they are the majority). Its closer to 1 in 50. There are under 7 million mormons in the US, with a similar number living outside the US.

[Skeptic]

Originally Posted by Errata

What??? Thats wildly inaccurate. That number would mean over 1 in every 6 Americans was Mormon. That simply isn't the case, and it should be obvious that that isn't the case if you have much experience with America (outside of the state of Utah where they are the majority). Its closer to 1 in 50. There are under 7 million mormons in the US, with a similar number living outside the US.

No doubting you, as it seems a reasonable estimate, but how is this fact known. Isn't religious affiliation kept off census forms for constitutional reasons in the USA. Surveys would not be accuurte, as religion seems to vary from place to place.

[Tantei Kid]

Originally Posted by Not_Done_Living

With 55 million LDS in the US, i am sure there are many companies owned by Mormons.. just wondering though...

is Mormon business ownership a cause for concern or something?

Eh, there are people, not me of course , who feel their enthusiasm for John 12:8 for their temples is a little excessive. (admittedly they do good charity too). That and the money goes to massive efforts to convert people to a religion that came to pass exceedingly dwindling in disbelief. Er, that is a religion founded by a documented con artist. Not that I would confront any of them about what they believe, that's their private business.

That said, I have nothing particular against Mormon people operating a business (even if 10% of my purchase goes to the church), but I would think twice about patronizing a business run by the church itself.

truett cathy , ceo of chic-fil-a is a Southern Baptist, not a Mormon.

Originally Posted by Tantei Kid

Eh, there are people, not me of course , who feel their enthusiasm for John 12:8 for their temples is a little excessive. (admittedly they do good charity too). That and the money goes to massive efforts to convert people to a religion that came to pass exceedingly dwindling in disbelief. Er, that is a religion founded by a documented con artist. Not that I would confront any of them about what they believe, that's their private business.

That said, I have nothing particular against Mormon people operating a business (even if 10% of my purchase goes to the church), but I would think twice about patronizing a business run by the church itself.

Mormons pay 10% of their person income, not the businesses they work for. Even as a business owner, most draw a salary, they pay 10% of that not the revenue of the company.

And the documented con artist thing about Joseph Smith? Get real! Documented by anti-mormon writers who quote themselves and other anti-mormon bigots to back up their claims. The is no documentation, only hearsay and conjecture, always spouted by people who were members of the mobs, people who stole lands from the early Mormons, pastors of church's who lost members to the new church, and reporters who opening admitted to making stuff up to sell newspapers and books. They all quote each other as sources to back up their lies. Look closely sometime, I have many of those books they never quote facts, they only quote each other as their proof that Joseph Smith was a con artist. It was then and is now an easy thing to toss out, to damage a persons reputation because it takes little proof and most people are not initiated enough to dig deeply enough to find the truth, it's so much easier to accept a lie. Thats why the network news is so successful, no one really cares when they lie it sells.

[Kev]

Originally Posted by noftessa

What Class Bravo said. The owners are Mormons, but the Mormons (Church of LDS) are not the owners. (At least for Marriott - not sure about the other one. Chick-Fil-A's owner is Mormon also).

Are you talking about Chick-Fil-A's founder and chairman S. Truett Cathy? He's a Baptist.

[noftessa]

Originally Posted by Kev

Are you talking about Chick-Fil-A's founder and chairman S. Truett Cathy? He's a Baptist.

Wow, my bad. That is what I get for listening to a Mormon!

Seriously though, a friend told me that the founder was Mormon, which is why the restaurant was closed on Sundays. I totally regret passing on that info with checking it first. Sorry, and thanks for the correction.

I know the mormon's own a multi million dollar company that owns radio stations in big markets accross the country. Its called Bonneville International Corporation. managed by Deseret Management Corporation, is a broadcasting company wholly owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS Church). Headquartered in the Triad Center Broadcast House in Salt Lake City, Utah, Bonneville's name alludes to the prehistoric Lake Bonneville which once covered much of modern-day Utah.

Bonneville owns about 30 radio stations and one television station. Additionally, the Bonneville Communications arm provides broadcast distribution services to non-profit organizations, notably the LDS Church during its semi-annual General Conferences.

Originally Posted by noftessa

What Class Bravo said. The owners are Mormons, but the Mormons (Church of LDS) are not the owners. (At least for Marriott - not sure about the other one. Chick-Fil-A's owner is Mormon also).

Marriott the family are mostly Mormons but like any franchise the individual motels and hotels could be owned by anyone. Only a few are owned the corporation.

As for Chick-fil-A it is owned by and Evangelical, however many of the local chains especially out west are owned by people who happen to be members of the LDS church.

The Mormon Church does not own casino's or Coke either. If someone who was once a member owned a casino he or she would be excommunicated from the church and therefore not be members anymore.

[bl76km81]

I live near Navoo, IL, one of the Mormons Holy Sites.

I went to the visitor's center, and as the Mormon guide, was giving us a tour, she explained that main-line Mormon's do not practice poligamy. She also explained how in the Mormon Church when you marry, you are married for eternity. Marie Osmond has been married at least twice. Smart aleck that I am, I asked which husband would she be spending eternity with.

The guide gave me a confused look, and said let us move on.

Kathy

Originally Posted by bl76km81

I went to the visitor's center, and as the Mormon guide, was giving us a tour, she explained that main-line Mormon's do not practice poligamy. She also explained how in the Mormon Church when you marry, you are married for eternity. Marie Osmond has been married at least twice. Smart aleck that I am, I asked which husband would she be spending eternity with.

The guide gave me a confused look, and said let us move on.

From my time living in Utah--

If I'm not mistaken, I believe that once you are *sealed* (not just married) you are destined to spend eternity with that partner.

Additionally, I recall hearing about technicalities in which men could be sealed to more than one woman in the event of becoming a widower, but women can't in the case of becoming a widow, or something like that. I may be (and most likely I am) butchering that completely.

[Mnotr2]

No, you've got it pretty much right Bravo. However even after you are married for eternity, you can be divorced. Your *sealing* to that individual ends and you don't have to spend the rest of eternity with the NFBSK.

[buzzzx]

I believe the Mormon's owned the Alpha Beta grocery store chain. Maybe still do. If there are Alpha Beta's anymore. They were quite popular in SoCal years ago. Rumor is in the beginning, Alpha Beta did not carry liquor, tobacco, coffee, or Aspirin because of the Mormon's beliefs. Don't know if it's true.

[snopes]

Comment: Someone in my office today claimed the Mormon Church owns or has
major stock in Target Corporation. Is this true?

Originally Posted by buzzzx

I believe the Mormon's owned the Alpha Beta grocery store chain. Maybe still do. If there are Alpha Beta's anymore. They were quite popular in SoCal years ago. Rumor is in the beginning, Alpha Beta did not carry liquor, tobacco, coffee, or Aspirin because of the Mormon's beliefs. Don't know if it's true.

Aspirin? Get real Mormons use Aspirin. Your thinking of JW's. Mormons did own Alpha Beta which was bought by a chained called Albertsons from Idaho. Yes there are lots of Mormons in Idaho but there is no indication a Mormon owned it, It's a publicly traded company. It was later bought by an investment group and carved up by CVS and SuperValu among other stores.

Originally Posted by bl76km81

I live near Navoo, IL, one of the Mormons Holy Sites.

I went to the visitor's center, and as the Mormon guide, was giving us a tour, she explained that main-line Mormon's do not practice poligamy. She also explained how in the Mormon Church when you marry, you are married for eternity. Marie Osmond has been married at least twice. Smart aleck that I am, I asked which husband would she be spending eternity with.

The guide gave me a confused look, and said let us move on.

Kathy

Most likely neither one. We don't simply believe being married in a Temple and sealed gets you into heaven. The kind of person you are, the life you lead, your faith in Christ, faithful service etc. All matter. And your making use of repentance for sins. Both partners in a marriage need to be judged worthy by God. Just being married and sealed in the Temple does not ensure anyone goes to the highest degrees of heaven.