Updates
- Now California Senate to open with Hindu prayers (11 Aug 07)
- Hindu Prayer in U.S . Senate: Christian Protestors arrested (14 Jul 07)
- USINPAC Fights back : Negative publicity against Hindu Religion (13 Jul 07)
- Ugly Protests against Hindu opening American Senate with prayer (12 Jul 07)
- Hindu Prayer Will Open US’ Senate Session in July (25 Jun 07)
- US state senate session opens with Vedic chants (8 May 07)
USA: After the US Senate, the California state legislature now plans to open its session with Hindu prayers on August 27. This move indicates the growing influence of the Indian-American community in the US political circuit.
Rajan Zed, the priest who created history by reciting a Hindu prayer at the opening session of the US Senate on July 12, has been invited to do the same for the 40-member California State Senate.
Zed will recite from the ‘Rig Veda’, the oldest scripture in the world, besides lines from Upanisads and the Bhagavad Gita.
He also plans to recite the lines "Asato ma Sad gamaya, Tamaso ma Jyotir gamaya, Mrtyor ma Amrtam gamaya" from the Brahadaranyakopanisad.
These lines roughly translate as "Lead us from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality."
After reciting the prayer in Sanskrit, Zed will translate it in English for the senators.
Current Senate Chaplain Reverend Canon James D Richardson, an episcopal priest, usually offers the opening prayer. But guest chaplains are also invited from time to time.
The prayers are offered on behalf of the Senate, in recognition that "our freedom and our abundance are gifts from God."
Source: http://www.rediff.com/news
Hindu Prayer in U.S. Senate: Christian Protestors arrested
July 14, 2007
Washington, D.C. (USA): The opening of the United States Senate with a Hindu prayer by Rajan Zed of Nevada was interrupted by shouting Christian protesters from the Senate gallery. Leaders of various religions have delivered the Senate prayer, but this was the first by a Hindu. Ante Pavkovic, Kathy Pavkovic, and Kristen Sugar were all arrested in the chambers of the United States Senate and charged for disrupting Congress, a misdemeanor. Astoundingly it has resulted in widespread news coverage to an event that might have otherwise gone little noticed.
Christian Newswire alleged that the opening of Senate with a Hindu prayer was placing the false god of Hinduism on a level playing field with the One True God, Jesus Christ. They have also alleged that the Christian Chaplain was denied prayer request
‘Americans United for Separation of Church and State’ has deplored this Disruption of Hindu Prayer in U.S. Senate. "This shows the intolerance of many Religious Right activists," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director. "They say they want more religion in the public square, but it’s clear they mean only their religion.
A prominent Christian historian and constitutional expert Wall Builders President David Barton had expressed concern that the U.S. Senate will be opened up for the first time with a non-monotheistic prayer.
The Hindu American Foundation has expressed satisfaction that that the faith of nearly 1 billion of the world’s population, and 2 million American Hindus, has been represented today at the Senate. The Hindu American Foundation has expressed its gratitude to the Senator Harry Reid and other Senators whose brave voices made this historic moment possible in the Halls of Congress today.
(Congratulations to the Senator Harry Reid and other Senators for standing up against the opposition and making the event possible. This event shows the intolerance of the Christian fanatics to accept or respect God’s of other religions, who accuse Hindus of being intolerant –Editor)
The detailed various news media reports are given below
1. Hindu Prayer in U.S. Senate Disrupted
Washington, D.C. : (HPI note — We present today a series of articles on the opening of the United States Senate with a Hindu prayer by Rajan Zed of Nevada. Leaders of various religions have delivered the Senate prayer, but this was the first by a Hindu. Astoundingly, it was interrupted by shouting Christian protesters from the Senate gallery, resulting in widespread news coverage to an event that might have otherwise gone little noticed.)
A Hindu clergyman made history Thursday by offering the Senate’s morning prayer, but only after police officers removed three shouting protesters from the visitors’ gallery. For a video of the disruption and prayer (English version of the Gayatri Mantra), click here (note the CNN video begins with a commercial).
Rajan Zed, director of interfaith relations at a Hindu temple in Reno, Nev., gave the brief prayer that opens each day’s Senate session. As he stood at the chamber’s podium in a bright orange and burgundy robe, two women and a man began shouting "this is an abomination" and other complaints from the gallery.
Police officers quickly arrested them and charged them disrupting Congress, a misdemeanor. The male protester told an AP reporter, "We are Christians and patriots" before police handcuffed them and led them away.
For several days, the Mississippi-based American Family Association has urged its members to object to the prayer because Zed would be "seeking the invocation of a non-monotheistic god."
Zed, the first Hindu to offer the Senate prayer, began: "We meditate on the transcendental glory of the Deity Supreme, who is inside th e heart of the Earth, inside the life of the sky and inside the soul of the heaven. May He stimulate and illuminate our minds."
As the Senate prepared for another day of debate over the Iraq war, Zed closed with, "Peace, peace, peace be unto all."
Zed, who was born in India, was invited by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Speaking in the chamber shortly after the prayer, Reid defended the choice and linked it to the war debate.
"If people have any misunderstanding about Indians and Hindus," Reid said, "all they have to do is think of Gandhi," a man "who gave his life for peace."
"I think it speaks well of our country that someone representing the faith of about a billion people comes here and can speak in communication with our heavenly Father regarding peace," said Reid, a Mormon and sharp critic of President Bush’s Iraq policies.
Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the protest "shows the intolerance of many religious right activists. They say they want more religion in the public square, but it’s clear they mean only their religion."
Capitol police identified the protesters as Ante Nedlko Pavkovic, Katherine Lynn Pavkovic and Christan Renee Sugar. Their ages and hometowns were not available.
2. Hindu Prayer in Senate Draws Religious Protesters
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 12, 2007: (HPI note: This Reuters report contains some additional information, given below in excerpts.)
Capitol police said two women and one man were arrested and charged with causing a disruption in the public gallery of the Senate. The three started shouting when guest Chaplain Rajan Zed, a Hindu from Nevada, began his prayer.
They shouted "No Lord but Jesus Christ" and "There’s only one true God," and used the term "abomination."
3. Christian Newswire’s Version of Senate Protest
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 12, 2007: (HPI note: Following is the report by the Christian Newswire on the Hindu prayer.) Ante Pavkovic, Kathy Pavkovic, and Kristen Sugar were all arrested in the chambers of the United States Senate as that chamber was violated by a false Hindu god. The Senate was opened with a Hindu prayer placing the false god of Hinduism on a level playing field with the One True God, Jesus Christ. This would never have been allowed by our Founding Fathers.
"Not one Senator had the backbone to stand as our Founding Fathers stood. They stood on the Gospel of Jesus Christ! There were three in the audience with the courage to stand and proclaim, ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me.’ They were immediately removed from the chambers, arrested, and are in jail now. God bless those who stand for Jesus as we know that He stands for them." Rev. Flip Benham, Director, Operation Save America/Operation Rescue
4. "Americans United for Separation of Church and State" Deplore Disruption
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 12, 2007: (HPI note: This is a press release.) Americans United for Separation of Church and State today deplored the disruption by Religious Right activists of a Hindu chaplain’s prayer to open the U.S. Senate.
"This shows the intolerance of many Religious Right activists," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director. "They say they want more religion in the public square, but it’s clear they mean only their religion.
"America is a land of extraordinary religious diversity, and the Religious Right just can’t seem to accept that fact," Lynn continued. "I don’t think the Senate should open with prayers, but if it’s going to happen, the invocations ought to reflect the diversity of the American people."
Religious Right groups have been agitating against the Hindu leader’s prayer since it was announced. The Rev. Donald Wildmon’s American Family Association has asked his members to complain to their senators about the invitation. The group’s news service reported that "Christian nation" activist David Barton said that Hinduism has few followers in the United States (HPI note: There are two million Hindus in America) and that prayer to a "non-monotheistic god" is "outside the American paradigm."
Said AU’s Lynn, "The Religious Right promotes a deeply skewed version of American history. Our founders wanted separation of church and state and full religious liberty for all faith traditions. The episode today shows we still have a ways to go to achieve that goal."
5. Christian Chaplain Denied Prayer Request
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 12 (HPI note: This is from the Christian Newswire and was issued before the prayer and disruption took place. It indicates there was advance planning of some sort.) A Hindu chaplain will pray a Hindu prayer on the floor of the U.S. Senate for the first time in history. But yesterday, staffers from the offices of Senator Clinton (D-NY) and Harry Reid (D-NV) both denied a request for equal access to a chaplain who prays "in Jesus name."
Former Navy Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt personally visited the Washington offices of both Senators on July 10th, but was turned away.
"Yes, we sponsored today’s Hindu chaplain from Nevada to pray Hindu prayers on the Senate floor," admitted Reid’s staff, "but we won’t sponsor you because you’re from New York," they told Chaplain Klingenschmitt.
Senator Clinton’s office also turned away her own constituent. "We won’t sponsor you to pray ‘in Jesus name’ on the floor of the Senate," her staff told Klingenschmitt, "because Senate Chaplain Barry Black is a Seventh-Day Adventist who regularly prays on the Senate floor… so we don’t need a Pentecostal chaplain who prays in Jesus name. You can ask Chaplain Black if he’ll sponsor you, but Senator Clinton won’t."
Senate Chaplain Barry Black, who is a former Chief of Navy Chaplains, refused to help. "How did you get in here?" his staffer asked Klingenschmitt. When he pointed to the sign above Black’s door that says "welcome, please come in," the staffer replied, "Chaplain Black knows who you are, and he likely won’t talk to you, and his personal calendar is booked with appointments until 2009. "
"Our national motto isn’t ‘in gods we trust.’" said Janet Folger, President of Faith2Action. "I believe U.S. Government-sanctioned Hindu prayers are an abomination," Folger added, "Unless you sing ‘gods bless America…’, use your Freedom of Speech to let your Senators know you are outraged by calling: 202- 224-3121."
Klingenschmitt plans to watch the Hindu chaplain’s prayer from the Senate gallery tomorrow, and will take interviews in the Capitol Rotunda immediately afterward.
6. Historian Protests Hindu Prayer
USA, July 10, 2007: (HPI note: This article from a Christian news organization appeared two days ago.) A prominent Christian historian and constitutional expert is expressing concern that the U.S. Senate will be opened up for the first time with a non-monotheistic prayer. On Thursday, a Hindu chaplain from Reno, Nevada, by the name of Rajan Zed is scheduled to deliver the opening prayer in the U.S. Senate. Zed tells the Las Vegas Sun that in his prayer he will likely include references to ancient Hindu scriptures, including Rig Veda, Upanishards, and Bhagavard-Gita. Historians believe it will be the first Hindu prayer ever read at the Senate since it was formed in 1789.
WallBuilders president David Barton is questioning why the U.S. government is seeking the invocation of a non-monotheistic god. Barton points out that since Hindus worship multiple gods, the prayer will be completely outside the American paradigm, flying in the face of the American motto "One Nation Under God."
"In Hindu, you have not one God, but many, many, many, many, many gods," the Christian historian explains. "And certainly that was never in the minds of those who did the Constitution, did the Declaration [of Independence] when they talked about Creator — that’s not one that fits here because we don’t know which creator we’re talking about within the Hindu religion."
Barton says given the fact that Hindus are a tiny constituency of the American public (HPI note: actually, two million Hindus, along with 6.5 million Jews, a like number of Muslims and at least 1. 5 million Buddhists), he questions the motivation of Senate leaders. "This is not a religion that has produced great things in the world," he observes. "You look at India, you look at Nepal — there’s persecution going in both of those countries that is gendered by the religious belief that is present there, and Hindu dominates in both of those countries."
And while Barton acknowledges there is not constitutional problem with a Hindu prayer in the Senate, he wonders about the political side of it. "One definitely wonders about the pragmatic side of it," he says. "What is the message, and why is the message needed? And will it actually communicate anything other than engender with folks like me a lot of questions?"
Barton says he knows of at least seven cases where Christians have lost their bid to express their own faith in a public prayer.
Zed is reportedly the first Hindu to deliver opening prayers in an American state legislature, having do ne so in both the Nevada State Assembly and Nevada State Senate earlier this year. He has stated that Thursday’s prayer will be "universal in approach," despite being drawn from Hindu religious texts.
7. Hindu-American Foundation Comments on Senate Prayer
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 12, 2007: (HPI note: following is a press release from Ishani Chowdhury, Executive Director, Hindu American Foundation.)
"The Hindu American Foundation is certainly pleased that the faith of nearly 1 billion of the world’s population, and 2 million American Hindus, has been represented today at the Senate. As a strong, vibrant and deeply faithful community, we share the need to be represented as part of the fabric of the heterogeneous American society. It is quite disheartening to see that those misinformed about the Hindu faith, and its countless contributions, have taken the route of disrupting a significant and solemn occasion. Just as the Hindu community was troubled by intolerance of the the exclusivist view of the American Family Institute that were reflected by few protesters that were removed from the gallery today, our community is heartened and grateful by the brave voices of Senator Harry Reid and other Senators who made this historic moment possible in the Halls of Congress today. We reach out everyone to join us in continuing to build a society based on the principles of tolerance, pluralism and understanding."
NOTICE: Some source URLs cited in HPI articles are only valid on the date the article was issued. Most are invalid a week to a few months later. When a URL fails to work, go to the top level of the source’s website and search for the article.
Daily Inspiration
The finest emotion of which we are capable is the mystic emotion. Herein lies the germ of all art and all true science. Anyone to whom this feeling is alien, who is no longer capable of wonderment and lives in a state of fear is a dead man. To know that what is impenetrable for us really exists and manifests itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty, whose gross forms alone are intelligible to our poor faculties his knowledge, this feeling … that is the core of the true religious sentiment. In this sense, and in this sense alone, I rank myself among profoundly religious men. Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Source: Hindu Press International
USINPAC Fights back : Negative publicity of Hindu Religion
July 13, 2007
Reno (Nevada, USA): The US India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) has sent letter to American Family Association about their giving negative publicity to Hindu Religion regarding the issue of prayer offered by Hindu chaplain Rajan Zed before the United States Senate .They have expressed dismay over the communications made by them to their members that was blatantly offensive and factually erroneous and asked to open up this dialogue.For futher details see letter below
(Congratulations to USINPAC for this prompt action of lodging their protest and asking for dialogue.This is good example for other Hindu organisations to follow – Editor)
USINPAC’s Fight back Letter
To
Mr. Donald E. Wildmon
Chairman
American Family Association
P.O. Drawer 2440
Tulepo, MS 38803
Dear Mr. Wildmon,
We are dismayed by the position that your organization, American Family Association, has taken regarding a prayer offered by Hindu chaplain Rajan Zed before the United States Senate. United States India Political Action Committee believes in religious tolerance and diversity as a founding principle of our democracy. The constitution assures every single citizen should have the right of religious freedom and we support that notion.
It is our hope and goal that we can open up this dialogue because we were dismayed to see the communication made to your members that was blatantly offensive and factually erroneous. As a United States organization representing the Indian American community, which includes diverse groups from various religious backgrounds, we hope that you will make efforts to bring people together.
Sanjay Puri,
Chairman,
US India Political Action Committee (USINPAC).
About USINPAC
www.usinpac.com
The US-India Political Action Committee is a Washington-based bipartisan organization that provides support to candidates for federal, state and local office who support the issues that are important to the Indian American community. USINPAC currently has over 50,000 members nationwide.
Ugly Protests against Hindu opening US Senate with prayer
July 12, 2007
Reno (Nevada, USA): A Hindu chaplain from Reno, Nevada, by the name of Rajan Zed is scheduled to deliver the opening prayer in the U.S. Senate. Zed has told the Las Vegas Sun that in his prayer he will likely include references to ancient Hindu scriptures, including Rig Veda, Upanishads, and Bhagavad-Gita. Historians believe it will be the first Hindu prayer ever read at the Senate since it was formed in 1789. The American Family Association is spreading wrong information about Hindu religion and asking everybody to call their senators to protest the Senators decision of inviting a Hindu to open the session with prayer. *Given below is the appeal circulated by them
Anti-Hindu appeal
*July 10, 2007
Please help us get this information into the hands of as many people as possible by forwarding it to your entire email list of family and friends.
Hindu to open Senate with prayer
Send an email to your senator now, expressing your disappointment in the Senate decision to invite a Hindu to open the session with prayer.
Dear madcap,
Please read this news report from http://www.onenewsnow.com/.
On Thursday, a Hindu chaplain from Reno, Nevada, by the name of Rajan Zed is scheduled to deliver the opening prayer in the U.S. Senate. Zed tells the Las Vegas Sun that in his prayer he will likely include references to ancient Hindu scriptures, including Rig Veda, Upanishards, and Bhagavard-Gita. Historians believe it will be the first Hindu prayer ever read at the Senate since it was formed in 1789.
WallBuilders president David Barton is questioning why the U.S. government is seeking the invocation of a non-monotheistic god. Barton points out that since Hindus worship multiple gods, the prayer will be completely outside the American paradigm, flying in the face of the American motto "One Nation Under God."
TAKE ACTION – Call your Senators at 202-224-3121
"In Hindu, you have not one God, but many, many, many, many, many gods," the Christian historian explains. "And certainly that was never in the minds of those who did the Constitution, did the Declaration [of Independence] when they talked about Creator — that’s not one that fits here because we don’t know which creator we’re talking about within the Hindu religion."
TAKE ACTION – Click here to send your E-mail today!
Barton says given the fact that Hindus are a tiny constituency of the American public, he questions the motivation of Senate leaders. "This is not a religion that has produced great things in the world," he observes. "You look at India, you look at Nepal — there’s persecution going in both of those countries that is gendered by the religious belief that is present there, and Hindu dominates in both of those countries."
And while Barton acknowledges there is not constitutional problem with a Hindu prayer in the Senate, he wonders about the political side of it. "One definitely wonders about the pragmatic side of it," he says. "What is the message, and why is the message needed? And will it actually communicate anything other than engender with folks like me a lot of questions?"
Barton says he knows of at least seven cases where Christians have lost their bid to express their own faith in a public prayer.
Zed is reportedly the first Hindu to deliver opening prayers in an American state legislature, having done so in both the Nevada State Assembly and Nevada State Senate earlier this year. He has stated that Thursday’s prayer will be "universal in approach," despite being drawn from Hindu religious texts.
Anti Hindu Appeal
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Send an email to your senator now, expressing your disappointment in the Senate decision to invite a Hindu to open the session with prayer. |
If you think our efforts are worthy, would you please support us with a small gift? Thank you for caring enough to get involved. Thank you for caring enough to get involved.
Please help us get this information into the hands of as many people as possible by forwarding it to your family and friends.
Sincerely,
Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman
P.S. Please forward this e-mail message to your family and friends!
(All Hindus should call their Senators and show full support for the Senate’s decision. As a result of apathy of Hindus, today Hindu religion and Hindu dominant countries of India and Nepal are maligned at the international level. Hindus will have to work hard and propagate their religion to change the scenario. Hindus have to understand the importance of their religion by taking proper education (Dharmashikshan) about their religion . – Editor)
Hindu Prayer Will Open US’ Senate Session in July
June 25, 2007
Reno (Nevada, USA): 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."
Zed has previously offered prayers to open sessions of the Nevada State Assembly and Nevada State Senate in March and May of this year respectively. According to reports, he was the first Hindu to deliver opening prayers in any state legislature in the U.S.
"I believe that despite our philosophical differences, we should work together for the common objectives of human improvement, love, and respect for others," Zed said in an e-mail to Cybercast News Service.
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.
He said he plans to start and end the prayers with "’OM,’ the mystical syllable containing the universe, which in Hinduism is used to introduce and conclude religious work."
While the prayer will draw from Hindu religious texts, Zed said it will be "universal in approach."
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.
Inviting guest chaplains to open Senate sessions dates back to at least 1857, according to SHO records. In that year, all sessions were opened by guest chaplains, because the Senate did not appoint an official chaplain.
James Kirkland became the first African-American to deliver the opening prayer in 1965. Six years later Wilmina Rowland was the first woman to pray on the Senate floor.
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.
Ref: http://www.crosswalk.com/news/11545475/
US state senate session opens with Vedic chants
May 8, 2007
Nevada (USA): History was made when the senate of the US state of Nevada opened its session with chanting of Hindu prayers for the first time since it was established in 1864.
Director of Interfaith Relations of the Hindu Temple of Northern Nevada Rajan Zed chanted the prayers to open the session on Monday.
Wearing saffron robes, ‘rudraksh’ necklace and traditional sandal paste ’tilak’ on the forehead, Zed began with a hymn from the
Rig-Veda.
"I open my prayer with an invocation to the divine — whatever it may be and however we may conceive it."
He read the next prayer from Tattiriya Upanishad, composed around 400 BC, reciting again in Sanskrit Om saha naa vavatu, Saha nau bhunaktu, Saha viiryam karavaavahai,Tejasvinaa vadhiitamastu, Maa vidvishhaavahai, which means, ‘May we be protected together, may we be nourished together, may we work together with great vigor, may our study be enlightening, may no obstacle arise between us.’
The next part of the prayer was from the Bhagavad Gita which was about duties, action, selfless work, welfare of others and compassion. He concluded reciting the last mantra of Rig-Veda.
President of the Senate, Lieutenant Governor Brian K Krolicki, introduced Rajan Zed and all Senators stood up as he started chanting the prayer.
Besides people from the area Hindu community, ministers/priests from various Christian denominations like Presbyterian, Episcopal, United Methodist, Seventh Day Adventist; and activists from Satyachetana International and World Peace and Divine Mission also attended the prayers as a gesture of support.
Source: http://www.rediff.com/news
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