Senate's morning prayer disrupted by protesters

[Katana]

Oh, they weren't protesting the fact that there WAS a prayer. They objected to the fact that it was given by a Hindu clergyman and, I will go out on a limb to presume, a non-Christian.

WASHINGTON - 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.

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."

...

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."


Link (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19729245/from/RS.2/)

How 'bout this? Why is there such a thing as a Senate morning prayer at all?

[IMST]

I opened this thread expecting a quick laugh and a good for those athiests/ACLU members/constitution readers.
Whoops.

Instead it's another case of "You believe the wrong woo! Ima scream at you till you believe MY woo"

[MWare]

Why is there such a thing as a Senate morning prayer at all?

Because there is no wall of separation between church and state in America.

[Katana]

Because there is no wall of separation between church and state in America.


As much as this whole thing pisses me off, your darned avatar keeps making me laugh despite myself.

:D

[Darth Rotor]

Why is there such a thing as a Senate morning prayer at all?
Tradition.

DR

[tsg]

I'll have to save this link for the next fundie crying about his religious rights being infringed for not being allowed to force his beliefs on someone else.

[Charlie Monoxide]

I think those protesters are right and presumably Catholic. After all, the pope declared that Catholicism is the only one "true" religion ....

Charlie (ex-solipsistic catholic) Monoxide

[NobbyNobbs]

What I find particularly amusing is the AFA's assertion that the clergyman would be "seeking the invocation of a non-monotheistic god."


Sounds to me like they've just acknowledged that their god is not the only one.

[Katana]

Tradition.

DR


I guess it just struck me that the author of the article bothered to quote a representative of Americans United for Separation of Church and State without even mentioning the very way in which this "tradition" violates said separation. I wonder what else that representative had to say that wasn't quoted.

It's a tradition that needs to be done away with.

[tsg]

What I find particularly amusing is the AFA's assertion that the clergyman would be "seeking the invocation of a non-monotheistic god."


Sounds to me like they've just acknowledged that their god is not the only one.

It was the grammar that got me. "a<single> non-<not> mono<single>" I guess "multiple gods" was too ordinary for him.

[aggle-rithm]

I think those protesters are right and presumably Catholic. After all, the pope declared that Catholicism is the only one "true" religion ....

Charlie (ex-solipsistic catholic) Monoxide

Since when do American Catholics listen to the Pope?

[TragicMonkey]

I think those protesters are right and presumably Catholic. After all, the pope declared that Catholicism is the only one "true" religion ....

Charlie (ex-solipsistic catholic) Monoxide

Well, he IS the pope. It's not like L Ron Hubbard went around saying "there are many paths to truth, and some of them don't cost $450,000 in nutty workbooks."

Heck, if I were pope (Pope Simius Tragedicus I, eventually St Simius) I don't think I'd encourage people to buy the competitors products. "Only Catholic and affiliated Catholic products will get you into Monkey Heaven," I'd say, "at least until Adidas ponies up a sponsorship deal."

Blessings unto thee, pacem et terram, pro boner nobis, et cetera. Amen.

[strathmeyer]

It's almost like they should have some rule where they don't do religious things at state functions, in order to not upset anybody.

[BPSCG]

Heck, if I were pope (Pope Simius Tragedicus I, eventually St Simius) I don't think I'd encourage people to buy the competitors products. "Only Catholic and affiliated Catholic products will get you into Monkey Heaven," I'd say, "at least until Adidas ponies up a sponsorship deal." It's been done already. See indulgences (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indulgences#Controversy).

[aerosolben]

Sounds to me like they've just acknowledged that their god is not the only one.
I would suspect it's easier to rationalize away other monotheists (notably other Judeo-Christians) as worshiping the 'same God' in a 'different way'.

[Brown]

Why is it necessary--or for that matter, wise--to begin a public meeting with a very public prayer? Because loud, proud public prayers make Jesus happy, that's why! Just consider these quotes attributed to the man Himself:

Matt. 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt ... love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that [you] may be seen of men.

Luke 18:11-12, 14: The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess."
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified....

(For those who might find these quotes to be a bit odd, let me assure you that they are legitimate. I have merely edited them selectively so that they convey the opposite of their actual meaning.)