'Christian patriots' interrupt Hindu prayer in US Senate
Pastor Dale Morgan
'Christian patriots' interrupt Hindu prayer in US Senate*
'Lord Jesus, forgive us, Father, for allowing … abomination in your sight'
Posted: July 12, 2007
[AP] Hindu cleric Rajan Zed turns toward protester as he prepares to
open Senate with prayer (CNN)
Three protesters interrupted a Hindu cleric today who became the first
from his religion to offer the Senate's opening prayer.
Breitbart.tv has video of Rajan Zed, director of interfaith relations at
a Hindu temple in Reno, Nev., preparing to pray when a clear, loud voice
came from the Senate gallery.
"Lord Jesus, forgive us, Father, for allowing the prayer of the wicked,
which is an abomination in your sight," said a male protester.
The Senate's sergeant at arms was instructed to restore order, but Zed
was interrupted again.
"You shall have no other gods before you. … "
Zed, who was invited by Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid,
finally offered his prepared prayer.
"We meditate on the transcendental glory of the deity supreme, who is
inside the heart of the Earth, inside the life of the sky and inside the
soul of the heaven," he said. "May he stimulate and illuminate our minds."
Police officers arrested the three protesters and charged them with
disrupting Congress, a misdemeanor, the Associated Press reported. The
male protester told an AP reporter, "we are Christians and patriots"
before officers handcuffed them and led them away.
Reid, in remarks from the chamber shortly after the prayer, defended his
choice, tying it to the intense debate over the Iraq war.
"If people have any misunderstanding about Indians and Hindus, all they
have to do is think of Gandhi," a man "who gave his life for peace,"
Reid said.
"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.
The AP said Capitol police identified the protesters as Ante Nedlko
Pavkovic, Katherine Lynn Pavkovic and Christan Renee Sugar.