United States Senate Opens With Hindu Prayers

On July 11, 2007,  Rajan Zed, a Hindu Priest from Reno Nevada created history by becoming the first Hindu to deliver the opening prayer in the U.S. Senate. 

On behalf of the Foundation for Pluralism and the World Muslim Congress, we congratulate the Hindu American community for this blessed step which shows America’s commitment to building an inclusive society.

America has demonstrated its leadership in the spiritual domain by including the Hindu prayers in opening the U.S. Senate. We hope and pray that our Senate will become the guiding light of pluralism by continuing to include the prayers (wishing goodness for others) of Atheists to Zoroastrians and every one in between.

This principle of inclusiveness will assure a safe, peaceful and prosperous America for centuries to come. We are one nation under God with liberty and Justice for all.

We are proud of this milestone in our history.

Foundation for Pluralism http://www.foundationforpluralism.com 

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update:  VIDEO: Extremist Christians Interrupt Hindu Prayer in Senate http://newsbloggers.aol.com/2007/07/13/christian-protesters-interrupt-hindu-prayer-in-the-senate/

Protesters disrupt historic reading of Senate prayer by Hindu http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2125679,00.html  “Police identified the protesters as Ante and Katherine Pavkovic and their daughter Kristen, members of a Christian organisation called Operation Save America/Operation Rescue.  The group said in a statement: “The Senate was opened with a Hindu prayer placing the false god of Hinduism on a level playing field with the one true god, Jesus Christ. This would never have been allowed by our Founding Fathers.”