When that comes true, there will be nothing to blog about. Until then, it is party time at this blog ;)
Today's festivities sponsored by a few idiots in the Idaho legislature:
Seven Idaho senators remained outside the state Senate chamber Tuesday morning as guest chaplain Rajan Zed delivered the chamber’s first Hindu invocation, then took their seats immediately after it was done.Wait, here comes a juicy quote from one of them, Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll:
Three said their absences were unrelated to the prayer – they were just running late from other meetings. But three said they stayed away on purpose, and a fourth questioned why a Christian prayer wasn’t offered as well.
she believes the United States is a Christian nation and that “Hindu is a false faith with false gods.”I love that. False faith with false gods. Good thing then that my Pascal's wager is not on one of those false gods!
How about her colleagues?
Sen. Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, said she didn’t feel comfortable personally taking part in a prayer of a religion different from her own.Oh, of course, not comfortable. Is that better or worse than her colleague,
Senator Steve Vick, who walked out of the Senate chamber before Mr. Zed’s invocation said that Hindu prayers should not be allowed because the U.S. was “built on the Judeo-Christian, not only religion, but work ethic, and I don’t want to see that undermined”, the Statesman reported. Hindus “have a caste system,” he added. “They worship cows.”They worship cows and Senator Vick eats them. So, there, we are all even!
What a bunch of morons who get elected to govern!
BTW, Al Jazeera adds one more that Senator Nuxoll said:
I think it's great that Hindu people can practice their religion but since we're the Senate, we're setting an example of what we, Idaho, believe.Yes, the "Hindu people" can practice whatever they want as long as they do it back in "Hindu people country" eh. Because this sets a bad example of what Idaho is.
Ah, if only those who so fanatically believe in their religions can understand that they are infidels according to the fanatics in other religions.
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Why do they even have prayers in the legislature, at city hall meetings, and other government spaces? And why have chaplains? Oh well, remember the US Supreme Court ruling a few months ago, in the case where "Two women — one atheist, one Jewish" sued the town of Greece in New York?
the high court held that the council was using prayer for "permissible ceremonial purposes," not as an "unconstitutional establishment of religion."Yes, that case, too, was a 5-4 vote. Interestingly (I think this is no coincidence) the Jewish justices dissented.
Oh well ... I will have to wait a long, long time for unicorns and rainbows and pots of gold. I will simply imagine!
3 comments:
What an embarrassing situation!! Mostly for Christians but also for Americans. From a religious perspective, Christ teaches us to love everyone and not to judge, lest we be judged. From an American perspective, the United States is supposed to be a welcoming haven for others. These legislators are behaving the same way many detested leaders behaved, and I'll bet these Senators decried the actions of those leaders. From a life experience perspective, what a loss for the three of them. I have never heard a Hindu blessing or prayer and would be interested to hear it. What an opportunity to expand one's world a bit. I don't have to pray along, but listening would be respectful and educational. (I also want to attend a Seder.) What a poor example for the children and adults of Idaho.
Religion is a very personal thing, I believe, and should stay at home, or be private in a place of worship. Mixing the state with religion is BAD. Europe has successfully gotten out of it, but the US continues to cling to it.
Both the debating partners agree with me? Oh my dog! ;)
Europe got out of it after quite some blood, sweat, and tears. The Middle East is now trying to resolve that issue and, apparently, through blood, sweat, and tears.
In the US, yes, what a crazy mix of faith and public policy day in and day out, via passive-aggressive politics (and sometimes aggressive politics) ...
Years ago, I went to share the Passover Seder experience thanks to the Jewish friends who had invited us over (back in California.) And, yes, this atheist too participated in taking turns reading the text/prayer that included a wish for next year in Jerusalem. Unlike the idiot legislators, I thought it was a wonderful experience to co-mingle in that setting, even when we were all fully secure in our own religious/atheistic frameworks. Now, if only the matzo had been spicier and tastier!!! ;)
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