In the News: Hindu to Lead Prayer in U.S. Senate for First Time Ever
by Doug Huntington, christianpost.com
Posted July 7, 2007
A Hindu chaplain will lead the U.S. Senate in prayer this month for what is
believed the first time in government history. On July 12, Rajan Zed, a Hindu
chaplain from Nevada, will open the Senate's morning session with
prayer-something normally seen as a Judeo-Christian
tradition. Christian senators, in response, have expressed their
approval of the event because it
reflects the right to free speech in the government body. "July 12 will be an
illustrious day for all Americans," explained Zed in a statement, "and a
memorable day for Indian Americans when prayers from ancient Hindu
scriptures will be read in the great hall of democracy. "Since 1789, the
Senate has opened its workday with prayer. The practice is a rare relic
among the government since officials have tried to keep a strict separation
of church and state in recent years. Normally, the prayer is given by the
Senate Chaplain, currently Barry Black, a Seventh Day Adventist, but it is
not uncommon for senators to recommend guest chaplains from their home
states to start the day. According to the records, it does not appear that
any Hindu has ever led the spiritual act since 1857. In that year, they had
officially created a Senate chaplain, and before had always used guest
chaplains in the mornings. The list is incomplete, but officials feel almost
certain that no other Hindu has led. Zed has explained that he will recite
something from the Rig Veda, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita, but the
content will be more universal in nature. "I believe that despite our
philosophical differences, we should work together for the common objectives
of human improvement, love, and respect for others," the former India-native
told Cybercast News Service. Zed has also given the opening prayer in the
Nevada State Assembly and Nevada State Senate this past March and May,
respectively. According to records, it appears that he was the first Hindu to
do so among all state legislatures. He is not the first non-Christian or
non-Jew to lead a Senate invocation, however. Wallace Mohammed became the
first Muslim to recite a prayer in 1992. According to the Times of India,
there is an estimated 2 million Indian-Americans in the United States, with
another one million as part of Hindu groups such as ISKCON (International
Society for Krishna Consciousness)-also known as the 'Hare Krishna'
movement.
A Hindu chaplain will lead the U.S. Senate in prayer this month for what is
believed the first time in government history. On July 12, Rajan Zed, a Hindu
chaplain from Nevada, will open the Senate's morning session with
prayer-something normally seen as a Judeo-Christian
tradition. Christian senators, in response, have expressed their
approval of the event because it
reflects the right to free speech in the government body. "July 12 will be an
illustrious day for all Americans," explained Zed in a statement, "and a
memorable day for Indian Americans when prayers from ancient Hindu
scriptures will be read in the great hall of democracy. "Since 1789, the
Senate has opened its workday with prayer. The practice is a rare relic
among the government since officials have tried to keep a strict separation
of church and state in recent years. Normally, the prayer is given by the
Senate Chaplain, currently Barry Black, a Seventh Day Adventist, but it is
not uncommon for senators to recommend guest chaplains from their home
states to start the day. According to the records, it does not appear that
any Hindu has ever led the spiritual act since 1857. In that year, they had
officially created a Senate chaplain, and before had always used guest
chaplains in the mornings. The list is incomplete, but officials feel almost
certain that no other Hindu has led. Zed has explained that he will recite
something from the Rig Veda, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita, but the
content will be more universal in nature. "I believe that despite our
philosophical differences, we should work together for the common objectives
of human improvement, love, and respect for others," the former India-native
told Cybercast News Service. Zed has also given the opening prayer in the
Nevada State Assembly and Nevada State Senate this past March and May,
respectively. According to records, it appears that he was the first Hindu to
do so among all state legislatures. He is not the first non-Christian or
non-Jew to lead a Senate invocation, however. Wallace Mohammed became the
first Muslim to recite a prayer in 1992. According to the Times of India,
there is an estimated 2 million Indian-Americans in the United States, with
another one million as part of Hindu groups such as ISKCON (International
Society for Krishna Consciousness)-also known as the 'Hare Krishna'
movement.