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;)

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Oops - should read "I was GLAD to see that Snopes...

Christopher:
** It was indeed difficult to watch the CSPAN video, and receive the hateful email call of the so-called "American Family Association," which sent out an email message urging people to protest your prayer.**

I am on their mailing list too - it's one way to keep track of the efforts of their ilk to turn this country into a Christian theocracy. Not to mention that I frequently call them out on some of their more blatant lies. I was gald to see that Snopes.com also has an article on the lies they published in their efforts to stop the passage of the bill adding gay-bashing to the list of hate crimes.

Thank you, Chaplain Zed, for your moving prayer and your experience in interfaith issues in Nevada, which you have clearly brought to the table. It was indeed difficult to watch the CSPAN video, and receive the hateful email call of the so-called "American Family Association," which sent out an email message urging people to protest your prayer. Your prayer and experience are an inspiration to all .

Well said, Mr Rajan Zaid. The issue illustrated in stark contrast the dichotomy between the liberal & illiberal face of the US, wich directly impacts on the future which can only be described as multicultural globally, where people have to learn to "live & let live" ideas that they may be unfamiliar with, without reflexively demonizing, as the Christian Fundamentalists did in the Senate. Thanks to the senate for extending the invitation to a hindu invocation.

I have always believed in respecting each one's own faith and belief in their god. I have also believed that majority of the people no matter which religion they follow would do the same. The responses you have received from various denominations of christians re-inforce that.

It is good we engage in these kinds od discussions and expressions

Leighton: "I'm not sorry for saying that I believe the Bible and the One who it came through - Jesus. He is the One and ONLY true God. Some would say I'm being intolerant for not accepting other faiths but Jesus is very clear about this. So if He is right, then who are all the other faiths praying too? Because they will not see their god(s) on judgment day because they don't "exist". So is it better to praise someone for praying to nothing in the "name" of good or tell them to pray to the ONLY true God and perhaps offend them while they still have the chance to change."

What if you're not right? What if you're the one praying to the wrong god? You BELIEVE you're right, just as people of other faiths BELIEVE they are. You don't objectively KNOW that you're right any more than they do.
So are you okay with people of other faiths interrupting you while you pray to call you an abomination, especially if it might give you the chance to change?

Thank you for a beautiful and moving prayer. I am a Christian and will use that prayer when I pray.
Just as we may call our father on earth by many names (father,dad,daddy,pop)he answers to them all because we are referring to the same person. Our Father in Heaven hears and answers prayers regardless of what we call Him, all prayers go to the same God. Also, every religion is "flawed" because we are human, and our understanding of God is limited and imperfect. And Christians, please do not dismiss the Hindu religion because of the caste system, which thoughtful Hindus are working hard to abolish. Unless of course you have taken the splinter out of you own eye first! Christians owned slaves, Christians practiced segrgation. Christians continue to practice intolerance of every kind, support the death penalty, neglect the poor,etc, etc, I could go on and on. Instead of critisizing one another for falling short, why don't we use that energy to help each other reach our common goals of peace and justice?

Someone's already made the clarification before about the distancing between social ills and religious morality. I abhor the fact that many indians; Hindu, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists alike, partake in the deplorable acts of female infanticide and other such ills even to this day. However,poverty and illitracy is the main cause of social issues, not religion.

Secondly, While I agree that religious discrimination is still prevalent in India, its is simply unfair to blacken Hinduism over that. History is never too far away when it comes to answers for present-day issues. For all those who mentioned the laws and religious discrimination against Muslims and Christians; I would just like to say that read your History books.

For more than a thousand years Islamic invaders slaughtered anyone who wouldn't convert to Islam. The Christians during the British rule practiced separate policies for converted Christians versus the local population. Today, all the evangelical Missionaries, while doing some good, are also propagating conversions to the poverty stricken dalits and non-dalits in India. I personally dont care if people convert, as it is their own wish, but I do not like getting people to convert by giving them financial incentives. Maybe I am wrong, but its just not cricket.

Some Hindus believe violence is the answer. Some believe speaking to their representatives about such issues is the answer. You dont hear about Mother Teressa or anyone from her fold being targeted by the Hindu-nationalists. I guess what I am trying to say is that one man's food is another man's poison. There are atleast two sides to any issue, but judging some person/religion/country without any actual knowledge is simply foolish.

Half of the hate mongers in America believe in the propaganda that their "Spiritual leaders" (Sarcasm ON) like Pat Robertson and the Ted Haggart's spew out in their speeches and such. The famous historian, Robert Barton, who cant tell the difference between a noun and an adjective is suddenly the expert on ancient civilizations and intellectual property. And there are plenty of educated people who follow these trains of thought in America. IMHO, the only difference between fundamentalist Islamists and Christians is that ones relgion promises heaven for suicide and the other's religion promises hell.

If everyone kept their beliefs to themselves and tried not to force it down other's throat, the world would be a better place.

lest we forget......
"For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
But to us [there is but] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by him."

Well said.

I can't apologize for something someone else did - that's unbearable hubris - but I can express my utter shame that I share citizenship with those who would treat you so rudely. With 'countrymen' like those, who needs external enemies?

Peace to you.

My neighbors are Hindu. Good, gracious and peace loving people. And I am glad to see they had a voice in Washington who expressed this peace.

But as with all religions, there are flaws in the foundations of Hinduism.

e.g.
Hinduism (from an online Hindu site) - "Hinduism cannot be described as an organized religion. It is not founded by any individual. Hinduism is God centred and therefore one can call Hinduism as founded by God, because the answer to the question ‘Who is behind the eternal principles and who makes them work?’ will have to be ‘Cosmic power, Divine power, God’"

The caste/laborer system and cow worship are problems when saying a fair and rational God founded Hinduism.

Bottom line: There are many good ways of living but be aware of the hallucinations/embellishments and myths surrounding the founders/foundations of said rules of life.

Beautiful. Your prayer and your prescence. And you brought to light the irony and paradox of religious faith and the spirit's all inclusive wholeness

Beatiful. Your prayer and your prescence. And you brought to light the irony and paradox of religious faith and the spirit's all inclusive wholeness

THERE IS ONLY ONE REAL GOD IN THIS UNIVERSE THAT CARES FOR US ALL!

AND THAT GOD IS THE NEURONS IN OUR BRAIN THAT MAKE US BELIEVE THERE IS SUCH A GOD.

ANY OTHER GODLY THING, IF THERE IS INDEED SUCH A THING, DOESN'T GIVE A HOOT ABOUT US!!!

SO WAKE UP AND DON'T PRAY TO ANY ONE FOR DELIVERANCE FROM UNTRUTH, DARKNESS, DEATH AND EVIL. DO IT YOURSELF!

ALL THE DEVELOPMENT MADE BY HUMANS IN TERMS OF SCIENCE, PHILOSOPHY, MEDICINE, LIFE QUALITY WAS DONE BY THOSE WHO THOUGHT FOR THEMSELVES AND DID NOT WAIT FOR ANY DIVINE GUIDANCE FROM ANY SUPERNATURAL ENTITY.

Mr. Zed, I am also sorry that a few idiots could not just tune you out if it bothered them! Tolerance is something even Americans have learned to forget at times!

However, MOST hecklers are pretty harmless!

Just be thankful Representative Ellis did not start yelling "Allahu Ackbar"!, and go running back to his office to grab anything!

*** Special Note-I could be wrong(It's been a while!), but, I believe the Text that illustrates the Longevity of the Hindu Faith(Unlike many others in the region, the Egyptians were not able to destroy their Religion!), would be the "Upanishads"! The Bahkivahd Gita, is an interesting collection of stories, that are very good at setting up discussions or "Sermons", much like the "Books of Genesis".

It is a shame that so many Vedic Lituratures simply dissolved away!-We could use them now!

Hats off to Sri Rajn Zed and Harry Reid, who took a major step in bringing the vast knowledge stored in Hindu Dharma, and ancient Hindu civiliztion, for the benifit of American society.

We welcome and support this intiative using the Hindu/Vedic treaures for the beinifit of American people.

Hats off to Sri Rajn Zed and Harry Reid, who took a major step in bringing the vast knowledge stored in Hindu Dharma, and ancient Hindu civiliztion, for the benifit of American society.

We welcome and support this intiative using the Hindu/Vedic treaures for the beinfit of American people.

I am reminded of Swami Vivekananda's address at The World's Parliament of Religions, in Chicago, on the 11th September 1893. Therein he refers to the same verse as did Rajan Zed -

"As the different streams having their sources in different
places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the
different paths which men take through different tendencies,
various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee."

Read (you can also hear) the complete speech at
http://www.sriramakrishna.org/chicago.htm

I understand the Senate rule for giving the prayers in English. It makes the prayer understandable. God(!) knows how much more trouble could have developed, were he to say the prayer in Sanskrit, giving that much more fodder for the protesters.

Dear Rajan,

Thank you for your thoughtful and gentle prayers on 7/12. The diversity & oneness of humanity are rather obvious to me and the only two reasons I believe people cannot accept everyone as equal are:
1. Ignorance and lack of exposure to others
2. The ego/self feels threatened by one not alike

Media can play a great role with #1 but nothing like living in a different land and getting 1st hand exposure to other cultures' way of thinking to enable maturity & inclusive viewpoint.

Regarding # 2, the wars and the greed to collect more & more for self/family/country make it very hard for us to accept the oneness even if we "know it".

A compassionate and balanced approach to life is essential for us to enable sustainable growth, and as mentioned by Rajan religion has the power to enable it, as oppose to the current, unstable approach that we all have adopted in the name of progress.

Dear Rajan,

Thank you for your thoughtful and gentle prayers on 7/12. The diversity & oneness of humanity are rather obvious to me and the only two reasons I believe people cannot accept everyone as equal are:
1. Ignorance and lack of exposure to others
2. The ego/self feels threatened by one not alike

Media can play a great role with #1 but nothing like living in a different land and getting 1st hand exposure to other cultures' way of thinking to enable maturity & inclusive viewpoint.

Regarding # 2, the wars and the greed to collect more & more for self/family/country make it very hard for us to accept the oneness even if we "know it".

A compassionate and balanced approach to life is essential for us to enable sustainable growth, and as mentioned by Rajan religion has the power to enable it, as oppose to the current, unstable approach that we all have adopted in the name of progress.

The only difference between the Christian fundamentalists in America and the Taliban in Afghanistan is that the fundamentalists in America are unfortunately still in control.

As a person of Indian origin myself I am proud of your opening prayer.May Almighty bless you and your prayer be fulfilled in totality.
Regards
Amarjit

Thank you, thank you, thank you. This country needs its mind and soul opened to all religions right now. We need healing. Thank you for being courageous and offering your prayer to bless Congress.

Mr. Zed:

Your prayer was perfect. Your grace in handling the situation was perfect.

Our government cannot endorse any one religion over another. This means we either A) should stop having prayers in the Senate or B) should have many religions represented in said prayers.

The fact your prayer was greeted by such intolerant Christians demonstrated precisely why we have those words in our constitution (this assumes one can really call them "Christians". Jesus must be beside himself at the thought).

I'd like to know the names of the bigots. Shame is a powerful weapon.

I guess a Catholic priest would be barred from saying a prayer in Latin?

Mr Zed:

As an Agnostic American who has a positive and benevolent view on religion, I thank you for your prayer. I had never heard it before and I found it inspiring.

As for the protesters and their like, mind them not. Jesus, Gandhi and Martin Luther King all died at the hands of such men, blinded by hate and resent. We will lived forever with the curse of those few who will always choose the Darkness. I suppose that is our true natural sin.

So feel the embrace of a nation, let your words spread good will among us, and let their gentle and honest sound overwhelm the insults of those who do the Darkness' bidding.

Dear Zed

A very profound prayer. I can't see how it could be criticised. May be fear is at play here?

Wow a prayer that is 3500 years old. Goes to show man's desire to see God. Yet it seems that humans still see themselves in darkness since they have been praying ever-since to be taken to light.

It really should be just a decision. I am light. Thats it. Perhaps then the full jihad comes into play in varying degrees. Ooops I don't mean that jihad. I mean the struggle with lower self. Again it should not be a struggle. Just another decision to be good, to do good by ALL people and to think and speak good.

If and when a person achieves that, then s/he is God-like. End of story. Can we all go home now. Please God.

It was a beautiful and meaningful prayer. I hope
it can be "sent" throughout the world, especially
the Middle East. We are all God's children. Amen

In all religions, there a followers who are tolerant, and those who are not. To generalize a religion based on the actions of some, whether christian, hindu, or muslim, is unreal.

As to the hecklers, it's clear where they stand, and unfortunate. They take their faith to extreme measures, never seeking the truth of the origins of the bible, how the romans changed it wording to meet their needs, and more. They use it to hate, which I'm fairly sure is not what Jesus intended.

I think it's clear that Ghandi represented many of the Hindu faith who are peace-loving and tolerant.

Only through education - the seeking of truth and knowledge, will our society change and be more tolerant and understand how we all are connected.

To see such fundamentalism and extremism in America is a reflection of our lack of federal and state support for education. A college education should be free to all if we are to remain competitive in a global economy and a nation built on freedom and tolerance.

God has no religion.

God is so much bigger, so much greater than any religion could possibly explain. While you may cherish your own religion, just recognize that there is room for all and that you don't have a monopoly on God.

God, Save us from your followers!

kgs

I recently read the book by Huston Smith on "The World's Religions." I found the section on Hinduism to be fascinating and complex. I learned a great deal about a very beautiful and cqancient faith with speaks of many manifestations of God. I am proud that my country is in inclusive. E pluribus unum. From many one.

Jack:

It's not a law...it's a rule of the Senate. English is the official language of the Congress of the United States. Both houses conduct their business in English, write laws in English, and publish their minutes in English. The Bill of Rights...composed in English and adopted into the Constitution in English. Do you really need to have "why" explained to you?

I like your Christ.
I do not like your Christians.
They are so unlike your Christ.

-Mohandas K. Gandhi

Leighton, your post sounds eerily like it might have come from a fundamentalist Muslim extremist, though you clothe your words as a "Christian". You - absolutist whose personal theological "truth" must be imposed on ALL persons whether or not they want it or welcome it; We - infidels who are impure and are not worthy of respect for our own beliefs precisely because they are not your beliefs. Radical extremist fundamentalist "Islam" = Radical extremist fundamentalist "Christianity"

I think that you illustrate precisely why the uber-right-wing fear-based conservative "Christian" movement has finally, at last, jumped the shark.

I'm sorry they forced you to read the scripture in English. Is this seriously a law? Since when are Christianity and English mandatory for all official business? Just one more incident that makes it harder to celebrate our Bill of Rights, which seems to be less than effective.

'Asato ma sadgamaya'is a universal prayer.Its message is relevant at all places and in all times. By uttering that prayer in the senateMr Rajan Zed proved that the USA has a cosmic vision.

'Asato ma sadgamaya'is a universal prayer.Its message is relevant at all places and in all times. By uttering that prayer in the senateMr Rajan Zed proved that the USA has a cosmic vision.

Thank you to Rajan Zed for giving the prayer in the U.S. Senate. I suppose those who were offended have never read the Constitution or a history book.

Why do some Christians see a Hindu doing the invocation in the People's House as a slap in their face? Do they own the Senate?

Can they not seperate Church from State???After all that is what the Founders designed into this Nation...

Church/State..
Believe what you want...but sweetlings, I am also a citizen and I was thrilled at knowing Rev.Zed gave the opening prayer. But I was not surprised at the disruption...It would be WW3 if a Wiccan gave the prayer.

It was a mess when Rep. Ellis took his swearing in with the Koran...and it was Thomas Jefferson's. lol.
terra

I'm astonished that this is the first time a Hindu has offered an opening prayer in Congress. I'm equally surprised that no one has charged the Bush Administration of a crime in connection with the prayer. But there is still time... .

Chaplain Zed, it appears your prayer offended even Hindus, but I thought it was beautiful. It was recognizable as prayer: lofty, inspiring, beyond the moment, and pure communication. Thanks.

Worshippers in the tradition of the Norsemen, write your Congressman. We havent' heard from you.

it is a beautiful prayer, that transcends religious divides and unifies one nation under God

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." That’s one of the most intolerant, unreasonable, narrow-minded, bigoted quote one can imagine; no wonder then there is no mention of it anywhere else in the Synoptics.

USA has a secular government and government buildings cant be use to practise any kind of religon.

Keep religons out of the political institutions, spare all of us head aches. How often hindus allow christians to pray openly in India, remember killing of nuns?