FRED AMOROSO
CAPTAIN OF INDUSTRY, CHAIRMAN OF YAHOO, SENIOR EXECUTIVE AT IBM (RETIRED)
Fred Amoroso started his career at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, joined Electronic Data Systems, then, with a couple of friends, founded a software and consulting company that was in the first issue of the Inc. 500. After selling his first company to Price Waterhouse, he became one of its lead technology partners. IBM recruited him to be a senior executive during its turnaround in the 1990’s. There he participated in the company’s repositioning and served on its World Management Committee. He has been the CEO of a number of public technology companies and a member of the boards of several private and public technology companies. He was the chairman of Foundry Networks and the chairman of Yahoo.
Currently, he sits on the Board of the Bridge Restoration Ministry in Pacific Grove, CA, and is the Board President of the Bridge Restoration Ministry in Napa, CA. Both organizations offer a year-long, faith-based recovery program to serve those who suffer from addiction. Spiritually, he and his wife Regina became born again during a Bible study session, when friends described their personal relationship with God. They believe that He revealed Himself to them through the Bible, and provides directions about how they should live their lives and attain eternal life. He and Regina have been blessed with four wonderful children and seven grandchildren.
Hidden Sense of a Divine Being
FRED AMOROSO
Is there a God? I certainly think so. In fact, I believe that everyone, somewhere inside themselves, thinks so too. I believe that within each human being, there’s something nestled deep down in our psyche that God has placed within us; a hidden sense of a Divine being, a Creator, something that ultimately helps us in our daily lives and helps us to discern right from wrong, good from evil. As humans with free will, we can decide to purposefully ignore those “feelings,” “thoughts,” and “intuitions,” or even convince ourselves that they don’t exist. I believe however that if we are truly honest with ourselves, we all in some way have to admit that they are there.
Looking back at human history, most civilizations, and maybe all, have believed in, and even worshiped, a spirit being. I am not just talking about the religions in the world today, but about every civilization and culture in our recent and distant past. The Egyptians worshiped a number of gods including Ra, the sun God, head of all of their deities and the father of all creation. The Greek pantheon consisted of 12 deities who were said to reside at Mount Olympus, with Zeus as their main one. The Romans believed in a number of gods, including Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. The Aztecs and Mayans were so beholden to their gods’ providence that they offered sacrifices to them, in some cases, even human sacrifice. The Vikings had Thor. The list goes on. Some, like the Emperors of Rome and the Pharaohs of Egypt, thought so highly of their gods, that they wanted to take on their power by claiming their own divinity. The Native Americans believe in various “spirits” that they seek help and guidance from. First Nations people and Aboriginals have similar beliefs. These are peoples who have had no missionaries to “indoctrinate” them with modern religious beliefs.
Where did these civilizations get the notion of their gods? Just like Abraham, the first monotheist, they looked at the world around them and realized that all this could not exist or be continually perpetuated on its own. They realized that somehow, and for some reason, there had to be a higher being, a spirit realm, something to “pray” to and “seek help” from, a Creator – a God.
If God has placed an awareness in our consciousness, then throughout history, humankind has thought about, perhaps meditated on, or even talked to this powerful and capable God. We ask for things that we, our families, friends, community, or humankind may need. We thank God for the things that we have received and ask for guidance in how we should live our lives. Over time, isn’t all this thinking, meditating, and talking what we call “praying”?
And ultimately, what we all strive for is to develop a deeper, more personal relationship with our God. Isn’t this the essence of every religion?