(NAME-MCE) Hindu priest who delivered Senate prayer - oped in WaPo

[Khyati Joshi]

People might have heard about this controversy.  Definitely a historic
moment for the United States.

 

 

 

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2007/08/post_7.html?h
pid=opinionsbox1



My Prayer for the Senate and the Nation


My experience delivering the opening prayer at the United States Senate on
July 12 can be summed up in one word: Overwhelming.

The idea that a roughly 90-second opening prayer, which usually goes
unnoticed, would spark so much discussion and protest was unprecedented. 

The prayer and protest generated a lot of attention, but the affection I
received after the prayer was astonishingly moving. I am humbled at the love
expressed by the people of this great nation.

I chose the prayer from the Sanskrit scriptures, one of which was composed
around 1500 BCE. I wanted to recite the mantras in Sanskrit, but
instructions from the Senate Chaplain's clearly stated that the prayer "must
be given exclusively and entirely in the English language." 

So I read in English: "Lead us from the unreal to the Real, from darkness to
Light, and from death to Immortality." (In Sanskrit that would have read:
"Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrtyor mamrtam gamaya.") 

My reading was interrupted briefly by three protesters.

The C-Span
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ9To30Hz7A&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo%2Etailra
nk%2Ecom%2F>  video clip of the event was one of the most viewed (229,744
views), discussed, linked, responded to and highly rated clips on YouTube.
It was one of the Top 5 Viral Videos selected by a British marketing firm. A
Google search brought 120,000 results, including 1,571 blogs, some in Dutch,
French, Italian, Spanish, not to mention English. 

Hundreds of protest calls were received by the Senate chaplain and Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid's offices. The prayer got coverage in major and
minor media outlets here and abroad, including Reuters, AFP, AP, etc. It
made the front page in many publications of India. 

The debates were manifold. Some were arguing that Senate should have no
prayers. Others were saying that this prayer was completely outside the
American paradigm of "One Nation Under God." Others stressed that if the
Senate had to have prayers, various faith traditions should be
proportionately represented. Still others lauded the Senate for opening up. 

Here's a sampling of what I read on the internet about my prayer and the
reaction to it:

"Hindu prayer in session is American values on faith in practice at their
very best."

"Insult to God." 

"A move which may draw God's anger."

"A slap in God's face."

"Intolerance from A to Zed."

"One Nation, Under God (s)."

"With this prayer, USA has officially turned back on God." 

"Congratulations to the Senate for opening our collective mind."

"Why Didn't God Stop It?"

Personally, I received lots of encouraging e-mails and letters, including
many from strangers. I also got lots of phone calls from friends and
relatives (and others) from whom I had not heard for years. Here's a
sampling of some of the reaction I got, via email and letters: 

"I would like to apologize on behalf of the American people."

"I am a Christian and I had small tears of happiness in my eyes as I watched
you giving the historic prayer."

"I am a 15 years old Catholic and will pray for you and your works." 

"I am a member of the Lutheran Church. Please accept my apologies. They know
not what they do."

"The world needs all the prayer it can get."

"As an Episcopalian, I am embarrassed by the demonstration." 

"Thank you for being a decent and honorable American."

"It is from efforts such as yours that we may retain any hope of
enlightenment for our world. Thank you for coming to the capitol, your
presence was an honor." 

One of my very close old friends (a Christian) called and repeatedly
apologized and said he was ashamed.

Many of us won't accept it, but religion is a complex component of our lives
and it encompasses much more than our own particular tradition or personal
experience. We all must take religion very seriously as it is the most
powerful force. The challenge today is to seek unity that celebrates
diversity. 

Bhagavad-Gita, one of the ancient Hindu scriptures, says: "In whatever way
and path, humans worship Me, in that same path do I (meet) and fulfill their
aspirations and grace them. It is always My Path that humans follow in all
their different paths and journeys, on all sides." It further says,
"Whatever form (of the Divine) any devotee with faith wishes to worship, I
make that faith of his steady." 

All of us are looking for the truth. Dialogue brings us mutual enrichment.
We may learn from each other as we are headed in the same direction. We
should at least cooperate in the common causes of peace, human development,
love, and respect for others. 

There is a hymn in Guru Granth Sahib, sacred Sikh scripture:

"The world is burning in the fire of passion
Save it, O Lord, by Thy grace;
Save it the way Thou consider best."

On July 12, chaplain Rajan Zed of Reno, Nev., became the first Hindu to
deliver an opening
<http://clipmarks.com/clipmark/D023F8D0-8D76-4C48-8759-5EC66A04D350/>
prayer in the U.S. Senate. Zed is director of public affairs of Hindu Temple
of Northern Nevada.

Posted by Rajan Zed on August 1, 2007 8:44 AM 


-- 
John W. Bartlett
jbartlet at post.harvard.edu
www.johnbartlett.com