Posted on 06/26/2007 8:18:26 AM PDT by 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."
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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.
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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.
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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.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...
the ACLU dosen’t speak for me.
It might be preferrable for there to be NO religious ceremonies in government.
My point was that I did not want that evil sect of Islam represented in US Government.....after that I could care less one way or another.
‘nuf said.
go bucks - on the concept of the Senate promoting “one God”...
I think this statement points to the purpose of the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment or religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof....” Neither the Senate nor the House should be promoting any religion and definitely cannot pass a law that does so. That borders on “establishment” of a state religion. They can welcome the blessing of all religions on their work or they can welcome none. Favoritism or banning would border on “establishment.”
The house opened today with a blatent prayer in support of illegal aliens...
Actually, the 1789 constitution was the document that formally declared the national government's independence from God, with its "no test oath" clause. Most of the colonies required aspirants for public office to pledge allegiance to the God of the Bible, and the Bible of God, as a condition for holding that trust. The Constitution recognizes no power higher than itself.
The Reformed Presbyterian Church in the US (RPCUS) had the right idea in 1848, when they first proposed a constitutional amendment to formally place the United States under the sovereignty of the Lord Jesus Christ, even as most of the constituent colonies originally did.
Hear! Hear!
Yes I am and that was a great book. Dinesh has gone off the reservation a little bit with his latest book about the cause of Islamic terrorism. However the book you refer to is brilliant and D’souza has several other worth while reads as well.
Now I wonder when a Shinto priest will give an opening prayer.
One person asked a Chaplain if he looked out and prayed for the Senators. He replied. "No, I look at the Senators and pray for the Country!"
Actually, I'm fine with the general principle that each member gets a shot at sponsoring someone. That way, the vast majority of prayers come from the perspective of the vast majority, but if you have a minority who has gotten elected (or is to be honored by an elected member), you get Jews, Hindus, whatever. Fair all around.
LOL...who KNEW they had RULES about these things...:)
Does this surprise you?
IT SHOULDN’T!
Aren’t cows sacred to Hindus?
How does that square with The Ten Commandments?
No, they're gonna dig their way out of the graves and start another revolution. ;o)
Perhaps we should allow Wicans to pray too. Since none of these snobs in the Beltway will listen to the voter, why not allow Tom Cruise to give a Scientologist prayer. Frankly, I am so sick of the PC wussies that pox on them is my response. And the Hindu cleric or any other pagan. Not one Hindu has made American freedom , democracy great. Not one pagan religion. Now some agnostics and atheists might have but they don’t demand to pray in front of our so called leading law-makers!
“Not one Hindu has made American freedom , democracy great. Not one pagan religion.” Bingo. We have a winner. See my tagline.
One of my ancestors (Cranmer) was the first guy in charge of the formation of the Anglican church. When the Catholics returned to power, they burned him at the stake as a heretic.
The Founders learned from history and prohibited Congress from establishing a state religion. They also banned Congress from prohibiting the free exercise of religion. Even though Christianity is our dominant religion, the Bill of Rights wisely prohibits our legislature from taking a stand favoring one religion.
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