Hindu Prayer Will Open Senate Session in July

CNS ^ | June 26, 2007 | Nathan Burchfiel

[RDTF]

For what is believed to be the first time in its history, the U.S. Senate will on July 12 be opened with a Hindu prayer, the Senate Chaplain's Office confirmed Monday.

For more than 200 years, the Senate has opened each workday with a prayer usually delivered by the Senate Chaplain, currently Barry Black, a Seventh Day Adventist. It is common, however, for senators to recommend religious leaders from their home states to serve as guest chaplains.

Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain from Nevada, on will become the first Hindu to deliver the morning prayer. In a statement announcing his scheduled appearance, Zed called the occasion "an illustrious day for all Americans and a memorable day for us."

-snip-

Zed, a U.S. citizen originally from India, said he has not finalized the prayer but that it will likely quote Hindu scriptures including the Rig Veda, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita.

-snip-

Senate Historical Office (SHO) historian Betty Koed said the office doesn't have a complete list of past guest chaplains but that she knew of "no evidence of a Hindu prayer" being spoken on the Senate floor in the past.

-snip-

While the majority of official and guest chaplains represent Protestant, Catholic or Jewish faiths, Zed is not the first religious figure outside the Judeo-Christian tradition to offer the daily prayer. In 1992, Wallace Mohammed became the first Muslim leader to deliver the invocation.

Spokesmen for both Nevada senators - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican John Ensign, the most likely candidates to have recommended Zed for the guest chaplain position - did not respond to requests for comment Monday. Zed did not say which senator requested that he be invited as a guest chaplain.

[AU72]

Paganism Ping!

[svcw]

Is this a joke?
If not VOMIT!!!!

[3AngelaD]

Horrible decision, The Founding Fathers are spinning in their graves, but at least he doesn’t belong to a religion that has vowed to kill us all and destroy our country.

[cerberus]

If this is supposed to upset me, it doesn’t.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The government has lost its way.

[Lizavetta]

There's a political reason why the ACLU has not tried to get rid of this tradition.

Someone tell me what it is.

[Vaquero]

I have no problem with a representative of any religious group opening the senate as long as the representative does not advocate the kind of “all others are infidels and must be destroyed or enslaved” rhetoric that the Islamics profess.

I can accept a Hindu over a muzzie any day.

[RDTF]

great tagline! LOL

[trumandogz]

I am not sure how this can be more troubling than Bush celebrating Ramadan in the white House and having Muslim Clerics lead in prayer.

[reagan_fanatic]

My bet is the opening prayer is simply a motion that the Senate goes through without even thinking and the true meaning of it is completely lost on them - much like the legislation they pass.

[trumandogz]

“America is a land of many faiths, and we welcome and honor the Muslim faith in our nation. Our society is enriched by our Muslim citizens. Your commitment to your faith reminds us all of the precious gift of religious freedom in our country. America is a more hopeful nation because of the talents and generosity and compassion of our Muslim citizens.”

- President George W. Bush
October 16, 2006

http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/ramadan/2006/

[parthian shot]

Each day I am convince over and over that we need to remove ALL of our legislators and start over!

[svcw]

Ok, sorry I can not comment, I am to busy cleaning up my vomit.

[trumandogz]

I just thought you may have need a reality check of what may just what make you a little queasy and what will make you yack your guts out.

[Mogollon]

Only in a democRAT congress would this be allowed.

[JSDude1]

I suppose, as long as SENATORS (True Christians) are not compelled to ATTEND The ceremony, then I really have not legal problem with it, yet as I Christian (and someone knows the historical and religious backgroudn of this nation): I wish it weren’t so; I’d rathter have a Bible-believeing Christian who prays in Jesus name give the prayer! Of course I wouldn’t compel that dont believe to attend that ceremony either (to be fair) and for the true interpretation of the 1st Amendment.!

[trumandogz]

LOL!

[JSDude1]

You know I AM really curious of what G. W. Bush’s Christian theology is?

[Maneesh]

I am a proud American who is a Hindu and I think this is a bad idea. America was founded on Judeau-Christian traditions which is one of the primary reasons it is the greatest nation on earth. Multiculturalism is suicidal and we need to preserve the AMERICAN culture. Admittedly Hinduism is actually a religion of peace and poses no harm to the USA but it has no place in the Senate.

We are a majority Christian nation and if that ever changes, it will become a third world nation like for example India where I escaped from.