Mormons, Catholics, and all: What do you think of the following comment?
March 62010
"On behalf of all of us in the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, I wish to epress our sincere condolences a the passing of President James E. Faust. Although I am still getting to know people in Utah, I am nonetheless familiar with President Faust and his singular service to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to the people of Utah.
"I ask all Catholics to kindly keep President Faust, his wife, Ruth, his family, and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in their prayers, asking our loving God to grant President Faust the fullness of his eternal kingdom.
"May this just and honorable man rest in peace."
-Bishop John C. Wester of the Diocese of Salt Lake City
Religious differences aside, don’t we all really wish the best for each of our fellow men and women?
I offer my personal condolences to LDS people everywhere and commend Bishop Wester for his kind interfaith fellowship of the LDS Church.
PS: President Faust was a Democrat… I didn’t know that! Interesting what all we learn about people once they die.
I wouldn’t have expected anything else from a leader in the Catholic Church. I’m grateful for his concern and understanding.
Edit: He did go to the U so I’m not so suprised that he was a Dem. 
March 6th, 2010 at 11:20 pm
I think it’s fine. At my catholic church, we often have intercessions to pray for those of the Jewish faith around their holy days.
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March 6th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
I wouldn’t have expected anything else from a leader in the Catholic Church. I’m grateful for his concern and understanding.
Edit: He did go to the U so I’m not so suprised that he was a Dem.
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Just my two cents
March 7th, 2010 at 12:27 am
Bishop John C. Wester’s words bespeak of an honorable and Christian man. We need more like him in Salt Lake.
I appreciate your condolences.
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March 7th, 2010 at 12:32 am
While I sympathize with the family and the state of Utah about their loss, the Bible says that after men die comes judgement, so a prayer like that is not Biblical.
I would not have mentioned it, but you did ask.
Jesus told us about a Rich Man who died in Luke chapter 16:
19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25"But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27"He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29"Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30" ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ "
and then it says in Hebrews chapter 9:27
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
Once this life is over, God knows immediately whether to send angels to take his soul up to heaven or to allow demons to drag him down to hell.
Prayer after that is meaningless and it indicates we have not taken God and His Word, seriously.
Pastor Art
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/talk2apastor/
March 7th, 2010 at 12:59 am
I miss President Faust – I think he and I were the only Democrats in the Church! lol…just kidding…
He was and is a good man. He loved everyone and wished everyone to be happy forever. For anyone who would like to read his last talk in General Conference, you can click on this link:
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-690-24,00.html (It is titled "The Power of Forgiveness")
For anyone who would like to read the last article he published in the Ensign, click this link:
http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=94de44584a204110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=true (It is titled "Welcoming Every Single One")
I am happy that he is free of the mortal toil he endured the last few years of his life. His back doesn’t hurt so much any more! Now he can stand when he addresses large groups of people.
) I love President Faust.
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March 7th, 2010 at 1:31 am
Leave it to a fundamentalist Christian to take your kind post and soil it with judgemental talk. Even tho I am Wiccan, I must apologize for one poster’s act of selfishness.
When a person dies, it is WRONG to be a judgemental a$$hole. If you feel strongly that the person is in Hell, then be an adult and keep your MOUTH shut.
As for the rest of the posts – I agree – and I celebrate President Faust’s LIFE and the love and peace he shared.
Blessings on his family and on those who cared for him.
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March 7th, 2010 at 2:17 am
That was nice of him. Thanks.
gw
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March 7th, 2010 at 2:42 am
I think he did what we should all do: honor and respect each other. Besides our differences, we all have one thing in common: we are human beings and we will all die.
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LDS
March 7th, 2010 at 3:13 am
That is very sweet.
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March 7th, 2010 at 3:51 am
Well said. The proper thing to do.
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March 7th, 2010 at 4:05 am
Great sentiment. It was lovely to read.
I agree we should all be true Christians (disciples of Christ, even try to be Christlike) and do as Jesus would have us do and say. Or if you don’t believe, at least respectful.
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March 7th, 2010 at 4:54 am
The sentiments expressed here are worthy. It is possible to say that you are sorry to learn that someone in leadership has passed away.
What the "fullness of the eternal kingdom" means to each party is different of course.
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March 7th, 2010 at 5:30 am
I live in Arizona and have read about Bishop Wester’s positive relationship with the LDS people and appreciate very much his remarks and loving words regarding President Faust. We are after all, brothers and sisters in Christ and where there are two or more gathered in His name, He is there with them. Thanks for such a positive input.
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March 7th, 2010 at 6:05 am
Thanks for posting this comment from the diosese of Salt Lake. Bishop Wester must be a wonderful man. I am sure Pastor Art would say the catholic bishop is also going to hell as catholics are no more christian than we mormons.
I believe we should all pray for Pastor Art.
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I used to be a fundy like Pastor Art — thank goodness I have been shown the true gospel.
March 7th, 2010 at 6:25 am
Outstanding and Honorable sentiments from a leader of what still many lds consider the ‘great whore of babylon’. It’s time to pull their collective heads from their cloaca and realize, if not even teach, there are honorable men and women among the gentiles. Understanding is a two-way street.
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March 7th, 2010 at 6:46 am
I thank Bishop Wester for his benevolence in offering sympathy for our loss. President Faust was a good man, a moral man. and a God fearing man. I know he rests in peace.
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March 7th, 2010 at 7:07 am
Bishop Wester is a good man, for not only does he clearly remember the teachings of the Lord, but he puts those teachings into use (and I fully believe that God’s going to remember that on Judgement Day). We can certainly learn a few things about the kind of way we ought to live our lives from Bishp Wester.
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WWJD?
March 7th, 2010 at 7:23 am
Of course God said; Jas 2:8 If ye fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: Jas 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
That we have to treat all as equal in the eyes of God, not because he is rich, not because he is our friend, not because he is our relative, not because he is same denomination as we have, etc..etc.. Amen.
For truly, if the world just only humble themselves to the Mighty Creator God and Lord Jesus, then there is no doubt this religious difference will not be part of the worldly problems, for all belongs to the Family of God! As i know the only difference between a sinner and a saint is the Savior; The sinner or unbeliever rely on his/her own self-willed and self-righteousness, whereas the saint or the follower of Lord Jesus, rely, defend, trusting and obeying God as his/her savior! Amen.
There are questions left unto our selves:
1. Do we really worship the One and Only True Living God, even Lord Jesus, in spirit, in truth, and in love?
2. And how, in what way or why we need to serve, worship and love God and Lord Jesus Him alone no other gods?
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March 7th, 2010 at 7:52 am
A suitable and generous comment from a gracious person.
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March 7th, 2010 at 7:59 am
Mormons teach that they are the only true church, but as long as you believe in God, you’re doing something right so I’m not at all surprised by this.
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