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Conference tecrus::mormonism

Title:The Glory of God is Intelligence.
Moderator:BSS::RONEY
Created:Thu Jan 28 1988
Last Modified:Fri Apr 25 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:460
Total number of notes:6198

450.0. "So what happened to Paul H. Dunn" by BALMER::MUDGETT (Head Putty of the Putty Patrol) Wed Mar 30 1994 21:27

Greetings all,

I was a-home-teachin tonight. We were gabbing about various general
authorities we knew. One of the people in the family had a father who 
was in a Bishopric with Paul H. Dunn. I had heard that something awful
had happened to him but I really didn't know what and didn't want to appear
un-hip, so I casually mentioned that it was a shame what happened to him. 
They just as casually agreed that, "yah, it really was but at least he
wasn't ex-communicated." Well now I'm really nuts. So in a word or phrase
what the heck happened to Paul H. Dunn?

Fred Mudgett
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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450.1He lied...got caughtANGLIN::AYLWORTHIt's okay...I don't know either!!Thu Mar 31 1994 15:589
    Poor Paul lied and was found out.  It may be that "lied" is harsh but
    as I understand the story, his baseball career was not in the majors. 
    One or more of his WWII stories was not true.  Someone who Paul
    alledged died during some battle, got tired of Paul saying he died and
    turned up living.  I guess it was quite a shock to the General
    Authories.
    
    This is off the top of my head.  I have the news stories at home.  One
    of my former heroes shot down in flames. 
450.2BALMER::MUDGETTHead Putty of the Putty PatrolThu Mar 31 1994 19:2817
Hmmmm,

I similarly love listening to his stories. Baseball is one of my loves
and after the NFL told Baltimore we don't deserve a precious NFL team
and gave the franchise to Jacksonville, baseball is my only sports love.
I got a Almanac of baseball players once and was surprized that his name
never appreared in any of the lists. I thought that it might have been 
because he didn't pitch enough innings or have enough at-bats, but there
were stats in there that showed up for people who had one at bat and 
pitchers who had one inning! 

So anyways he's not with us anymore general authority-wise? Hmmm? Gosh,
tough crowd!  I guess I'd better not tell anyone about the fish that
I fought for hours and dragged my boat over half of Minnisoda....


Fred
450.3OLD NEWSAKOCOA::RONDINAFri Apr 01 1994 07:567
    This Paul Dunn stuff is old news, isn't it?  Is there some new update
    to his situation?
    
    I have a friend who says that the Church culture is filled with "faith
    promoting rumors".
    
    Paul
450.4BSS::RONEYCharles RoneyFri Apr 01 1994 09:1119
re:   <<< Note 450.1 by ANGLIN::AYLWORTH "It's okay...I don't know either!!" >>>
                           -< He lied...got caught >-

>    Poor Paul lied and was found out.  It may be that "lied" is harsh but
>    as I understand the story, his baseball career was not in the majors. 
>    One or more of his WWII stories was not true.  

	I like the way he delivers a message.  He can embellish the talk
	with stories that bring the point home.  I guess it is just too
	much to ask of general authorities to tell the truth at all times
	in all situations. ;-) ;-)  If our leadership, however, can not
	stand to be held to the same standards as God, i.e. not lie, then
	they shouldn't be there.  Now, everybody makes mistakes because we
	are all human, and so are general authorities.  Because the church
	has not made a statement on this situation, all we have left is the
	speculation.  I expect the blatent "stories" within the stories is
	what led to the action. I do expect, however, that whatever a general
	authority tells me about his personal life, e.g. baseball "career",
	to be the truth.
450.5NACAD::SHERMANSteve NETCAD::Sherman DTN 226-6992, LKG2-A/R05 pole AA2Tue Apr 05 1994 07:5313
    Funny ...  my wife and I were talking about Brother Dunn on the way
    home from the conference b'cast.  Had much the same conversation as is
    listed here.  One additional point is that General Authorities are
    human like the rest of us.  True, they can be sources of revelation
    from God.  But, they also have their own weaknesses.  Brother Dunn
    apparently had a weakness for storytelling.  While it might be fine 
    around the campfire, it's entirely inappropriate from the pulpit.
    There are a lot of members that assume that anything a General
    Authority says is truth and revelation.  That's not necessarily true.
    All the more reason to check out everything you hear and read, just as
    the Scriptures encourage.
    
    Steve
450.6Briefly, More DunnANGLIN::AYLWORTHIt&#039;s okay...I don&#039;t know either!!Tue Apr 05 1994 08:5824
    I found the sources for Paul Dunn stories.  One is found in the Arizona
    Republic, Feb 16, 1991.  Another printed in Salt Lake Tribune on 21 Feb
    1991.  Even BYU Universe, Feb 21, 1991 carried the story.
    
    Before, I met Paul Dunn in the early 80's he was one of my heroes of
    the general authorities.  After shaking his hand and looking into his
    eyes, I remember being let down.  I did not know why at the time.  I am
    not sure this revelation about Dunn has any connection to my let down
    in the early '80s.
    
    Sandra and Gerald Tanner reluctantly wrote about it in their quarterly
    news letter, the Salt Lake City Messenger in June of 1991.
    
    I am sure it could have been overlooked had the press not picked up the
    story.  Dunn publish all of these stories as happening to him and
    represented them as truth.  I suspect had Dunn represented the stories
    in there true form the impact would have been lost.  I wonder if God
    would approve of the end justifing the means or if the path is indeed
    narrow and straight.
    
    As of 1991, Paul was an emeritus general authority and apparently has
    faded into church obscurity.
    
    regards