State legislatures
Soon after the protest at the U.S. Senate Rajan Zed served as guest chaplain offering a Hindu prayer before the California State Senate. Zed delivered the prayer without incident on August 27, 2007 with the appreciation of State Senator Elaine Alquist and the official State Senate Chaplain, Reverend James Richardson, an Episcopal priest. There was no complaints over the prayer from California's Conservative Christian Community, and the Reverend Louis Sheldon, who founded the state's "Traditional Values Coalition" declared "I don't see any problem with it at all. I would have no problems with a Hindu praying, just as I wouldn't an evangelical Christian." National groups continued in their opposition to Hindu legislative prayers with Wildmon speaking for the AFA stating "We're not opposed to the ability of people to worship their own gods or god, but when it comes to our civil government...it's always been the recognition of the God of the Bible. Every religion is not equal. That's my belief. That's logic." [1] California's Chief Sergeant-at-Arms for the state Senate said that extra security precautions had been taken in case of protests against Zed's prayer. [1]
Seeking to promote understanding of Hinduism and "emphasizes the multicultural and religious freedom aspect of this country" throughout the end of 2007 and into 2008 Zed made requests and was granted a guest chaplaincy to recite Hindu prayers at state legislatures in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Washington, Oregon, and Arizona. [3]
Zed's later legislative invocations and the 2015 Idaho prayer boycott
Since the 2007 protest Rajan Zed offered Hindu opening prayers in various State Senates and State Assemblies/Houses-of-Representatives and at various County Commissions/Boards and City Councils across the United States. On June 19, 2014 he offered the opening prayer as a guest chaplain at the United States House of Representatives. [5] These events occurred without any notable public controversy.
In March 2015 Rajan Zed was the focus of another protest of legislators over his leading a legislative invocation at the Idaho State Senate. [6] Senator Steve Vick, with reported support from his constituents, tried to prevent Zed from offering the prayer. Failing to prevent the prayer, Vick and two other Republican state senators refused to enter the chamber until Zed had finished. [7] Vick held that having a Hindu invocation would "send a message we're not happy with the way America is" and held that people under Hinduism "have a caste system. They worship cows." [7] Joining in the boycott of the prayer was Senator Sheryl Nuxoll who stated "Hindu is a false faith with false gods. 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." [6] [7] Senator Lori Den Hartog joined the boycott holding it would be disingenuous to her Christian faith to attend and "It was a personal decision, I didn't want to announce it prior to the event." [6] Zed's prayer as guest chaplain was in English and Sanskrit focusing on selflessness and peace. [6]
Puja, also spelt pooja, is a worship ritual performed by Hindus to offer devotional homage and prayer to one or more deities, to host and honour a guest, or to spiritually celebrate an event. It may honour or celebrate the presence of special guests, or their memories after they die. The word puja is roughly translated into English as 'reverence, honour, homage, adoration, or worship'. Puja, the loving offering of light, flowers, and water or food to the divine, is the essential ritual of Hinduism. For the worshipper, the divine is visible in the image, and the divinity sees the worshipper. The interaction between human and deity, between human and guru, is called a Darshanam.
Harry Mason Reid Jr. was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017. He led the Senate Democratic Caucus from 2005 to 2017 and was the Senate Majority Leader from 2007 to 2015.
Daniel P. Coughlin, served as the 59th Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives from March 23, 2000, to April 14, 2011. He was the first Roman Catholic priest to serve in that position, and the process that led to his selection included some controversy. However, as a 2010 article in The Washington Post pointed out, on the occasion of Coughlin's tenth anniversary in the House Chaplain position, "there is ample evidence that the rancor that accompanied his selection has disappeared: Last week, lawmakers from both parties streamed onto the House floor to honor his decade of service."
Hinduism is the fourth-largest religion in the United States, comprising 1% of the population, the same as Buddhism and Islam. The majority of American Hindus are immigrants, mainly from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Caribbean, with a minority from Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Canada, Africa, Europe, Oceania, and other countries.
Barry Clayton Black is the 62nd chaplain of the United States Senate. He began serving as Senate chaplain on June 27, 2003, becoming the first African American and first Seventh-day Adventist to hold the office.
The United States Senate observes a number of traditions, some formal and some informal. Some of the current and former traditions are described below:
The National Prayer Breakfast is a yearly event held in Washington, D.C., usually on the first Thursday in February. The founder of this event was Abraham Vereide. The event—which is actually a series of meetings, luncheons, and dinners—has taken place since 1953 and has been held at least since the 1980s at the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Avenue NW.
Anti-Hindu sentiment, sometimes also referred to as Hinduphobia, is a negative perception, sentiment or actions against the practitioners or religion of Hinduism. It exists in many contexts in many countries, often due to historical conflict. There is also scholarly debate on what constitutes Hinduphobia in the Western World.
William Thomas Sali is an American lawyer and politician who served as a congressman from Idaho. A Republican, he served a single term in the United States House of Representatives, representing Idaho's 1st congressional district from 2007 to 2009. Sali previously served in the Idaho Legislature as a member of the House.
Dean Arthur Heller is an American businessman and politician who served as a United States senator representing Nevada from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 15th secretary of state of Nevada from 1995 to 2007 and U.S. representative for Nevada's 2nd congressional district from 2007 to 2011. He was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Governor Brian Sandoval and elected to a full term in the 2012 election. Heller unsuccessfully ran for a second term in 2018, losing to Democrat Jacky Rosen. He was an unsuccessful candidate for governor of Nevada in 2022, and is currently the last Republican to win a Nevada U.S. Senate seat.
Hinduism has a small following in Slovakia. As of 2021, there are about 975 (0.02%) Hindus in Slovakia. Hindu groups such as Hare Krishna, Sahaja Yoga, and the Chinmaya mission operate in Slovakia.
This controversy centers on the first Hindu opening prayer offered in the United States House of Representatives by Venkatachalapathi Samuldrala, a priest of Shiva Hindu Temple in Parma, Ohio. This prompted criticism from the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian group, who protested against it in conservative media, in turn generating responses from their opponents and leading to serious discussions over the role of legislative chaplains in a pluralist society.
Sheryl L. Nuxoll is an American politician from the state of Idaho. A Republican, Nuxoll was an Idaho State Senator from 2010 to 2012 representing District 8 and then District 7 from 2012 until 2016, when she lost her bid for renomination in the primary.
Steve Vick is an American politician serving as a member of the Idaho Senate from the 2nd district. He was previously a member of the Montana House of Representatives from 1995 to 2002.
The chaplain of the United States House of Representatives is the officer of the United States House of Representatives responsible for beginning each day's proceedings with a prayer. The House cites the first half of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 5 in the United States Constitution as giving it the authority to elect a chaplain, "The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other officers".
The chaplain of the United States Senate opens each session of the United States Senate with a prayer, and provides and coordinates religious programs and pastoral care support for senators, their staffs, and their families. The chaplain is appointed by a majority vote of the members of the Senate on a resolution nominating an individual for the position. The three most recent nominations have been submitted based on a bipartisan search committee although that procedure is not required.
Carl Crabtree is an American rancher and politician who served as a member of the Idaho Senate for the 7th district from 2016 to 2022.
Lawrence James Christopher VanDyke is an American attorney and jurist serving as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He is a former solicitor general of Nevada and Montana.
