12 July 2007

u.s. senate has pagan give opening prayer

rajan zed from the india association of northern nevada gets shouted down
as he offers a pagan prayer to convene the 12 july 2007 senate.
click link for video via breitbart.tv

kudos to the people who raised their voices and shouted out in opposition to this abomination.
====
Three people were arrested Thursday after staging a noisy protest as a Hindu chaplain read the opening prayer at the US Senate, branding his appearance an "abomination."

US Capitol Police said the protestors, apparently Christian religious activists, were ejected from the chamber and charged with an unlawful disruption of Congress.

As Hindu chaplain Rajan Zed started to recite his prayer, one protestor was heard chanting "Lord Jesus, forgive us father for allowing a prayer which is an abomination in your sight.

"You are the one, true living God."

Faith leaders from various creeds are sometimes invited to give the Senate's daily opening prayer, though it is normally offered by the chamber's Christian chaplain.

The pressure group Americans United for Separation of Church and State condemned the protest.

"This shows the intolerance of many Religious Right activists," said the group's executive director, Reverend Barry Lynn.

"They say they want more religion in the public square, but it's clear they mean only their religion."

The conservative American Family Association had been campaigning against the use of a Hindu prayer in the chamber, asking members to send emails and letters to Senators in protest.

Jan Markell of Olive Tree Ministries says she's absolutely outraged that Hindu chaplain Rajan Zed was pegged to deliver the opening prayer of the U.S. Senate this morning. The director of the pro-Israel ministry is concerned about the consequences of allowing someone to open the day's business in the Senate by referencing Hindu scriptures and praying to over 300 million gods.
[...]
Markell says this reminds her of what happened in the Old Testament when the people of Israel turned to other gods. "When Israel went straying and worshiping other gods, very, very serious consequences came down upon her," the ministry leader points out.

"I think that America is at a turning point," Markell continues. "The head of Homeland Security himself, [Michael] Chertoff, said he's very concerned about some sort of a major strike here this summer in America. And so instead of turning to the God who defends and protects America, [...] we go chasing off after other gods who cannot protect us."

Markell says America needs to learn from [...] the Bible -- and America's leaders need to pray to the one, true God.
====

EXTERNAL LINK