2 lawmakers spurn Muslim's prayer - Republicans step off House floor

Seattle Post-Intelligencer ^ | March 4, 2003 | ANGELA GALLOWAY

[sarcasm]

OLYMPIA -- He prayed for the politicians, the state's prosperity and peace for all ethnicities and religions.

But when a Muslim cleric offered the opening prayer before the state House of Representatives yesterday, at least two lawmakers stepped off the chamber floor.

"It's an issue of patriotism," Rep. Lois McMahan, a conservative Republican from Gig Harbor, said of her decision to stand in the back of the room.

"The Islamic religion is so . . . part and parcel with the attack on America. I just didn't want to be there, be a part of that," she said. "Even though the mainstream Islamic religion doesn't profess to hate America, nonetheless it spawns the groups that hate America."

Rep. Cary Condotta, a Republican from East Wenatchee, also left the floor. He said the timing was not a coincidence, but he declined to comment further on why he left, except to say he was talking to another lawmaker and "let's just say I wasn't particularly interested."

A prayer is given at the beginning of each Senate and House session, and attendance is hit or miss, particularly on Mondays.

The interfaith organization Associated Ministries of Thurston County schedules the daily chaplain, said Cynthia Zehnder, clerk of the 98-member chamber. They have selected clerics representing a broad range of faiths, she said.

Imam Mohamad Joban, of the Islamic Center of Olympia, presented yesterday's brief opening prayer.

In part, he said: "We open this session of House of Representatives in the name of Allah the one God Abraham, God of Moses, God of Jesus, and God of Mohammed, peace be upon them all. . . . We ask Allah or God to bless the state of Washington so it may continue to prosper and become a symbol of peace and tranquility for people of all ethnic and religious backgrounds. We pray that Allah may guide this House in making good decisions for the people of Washington.

"At this time, we also pray that America may succeed in the war against terrorism. We pray to God that the war may end with world peace and tranquility."

Joban said the walkout was not hurtful, but ignorant.

"They're unable to distinguish between Islam as religion and way of life, and bad Muslims," said Joban, who has also given the opening prayer to the Senate. "They are easily able to distinguish between Christianity and bad Christians.

"They need to understand that like (President) Bush said . . . Islam is a peaceful religion."

Kathy Erlandson, director of Associated Ministries of Thurston County, found the small walkout disappointing, but not surprising.

"It makes me embarrassed to know that some of our legislators can't even treat someone with that common respect," she said. "He's an American citizen and he's praying for their work, then how can it be an act of patriotism to walk away?"

McMahan said she does not oppose having a Muslim cleric deliver the prayer.

Her departure was not a protest, but a personal decision not to participate because "the religion is the focal point of the hate-America sentiment in the world."

"My god is not Mohammed," McMahan added.

Joban said that if he were invited to give the opening prayer, he would do it again.

"Even if half of them leave it's OK for me," Joban said. "As a Muslim we have to respect what people believe and . . . we have to forgive something because of ignorance.

"The Holy Quran says that (one should) always respond to bad action with good and those who used to be enemies become friends."

[Principled]

As an American you ALWAYS have the right to walk out.

Indeed.

[justaguy]

Many's the time I have attended events like Rotary, where a prayer is uttered the form and content of which is contrary to my own religious faith. I simply bow my head and show respect that this person is praying to God in the way that he considers proper.

That is mighty big of you, considering all of the Rotary club members that keep hijacking planes and flying them into buildings. < /sarcasm>

[Principled]

While continually posting that the actions of the pols was "wrong", you fail to provide anything to buttress the assertion, save your own opinion.

Is it not the right of any American to do just as these pols did?

[Revolting cat!]

"You've got to stand for something 
or you'll fall for anything.
You've got to be your own man 
not a puppet on a string. 
Never compromise what's right 
and uphold your family name. 
You've got to stand for something
or you'll fall for anything."

(Aaron Tippin - You've Got To Stand For Something)

[newgeezer]

we are going to have to realize that at the very least respect is going to have to be given in situations like this.

As I see it, they get plenty of respect when they get their turn to say their prayer in public; that is way more respect than a Christian or Jew will get in a Muslim nation. Therefore, the U.S. maintains the high standard, while the Muslim nations enforce their Islamic religion at the point of a sword.

However, my standing and/or bowing my head in deference to their god while they pray their public prayer would be tantamount to renouncing the One who I know to be the True God. Heaven help me if I ever do anything less than leave the room in that situation.

Any Muslims in the crowd are more than welcome to walk out of the room when a Christian or Jew prays, too. It shouldn't bother us one bit. Anyone who's "offended" by non-believers leaving the room when he prays is just looking for a reason to be offended.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Christians have the same G_d I do and Muslims do not. Big difference. Islam looks upon itself as the completion of Christianity and Judaism. I outright reject this. Christianity also looks upon itself as completion of Judaism but this is not propagated with a vengeance in this day and age so it doesn't bother me. Many Christians are better supporters of Israel/Jersusalem/Temple Mount than are spoiled, liberal Jews.

Two's company, three's a crowd.

[RnMomof7]

FYI

[RnMomof7]

The fact they are praying to another god should have made all Christians and Jews leave IMHO..Would they have stayed and prayed with a warlock?

[Thinkin' Gal]

OLYMPIA, Washington:

In part, he said: "We open this session of House of Representatives in the name of Allah the one God Abraham, God of Moses, God of Jesus, and God of Mohammed...

Save for these two dissenters, the Olympian House of Representatives is just acknowledging the ecumenical multicultural gospel of Hellenism...

Olympus

Mount Olympus, in Greek mythology, is the abode of the chief god Zeus. Also, the foremost gods of the Greek pantheon have their palaces at the summit. It is here that the gods assemble to consume nectar and ambrosia ("immortal"), the substances which reinforces their immortality. According to the myth, the top of the Olympus, which is covered in snow and hidden in the clouds, reaches all the way into the aether. It is the highest mountain of Greece and lies on the border of Macedonia and Thessaly.

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/o/olympus.html

"Al Quds" is just another name for Allah er Aelia Capitolina. Jupiter, Zeus, Allah... same abomination, different day.

[RnMomof7]

Done ........thanks PPaul

[newgeezer]

Thanks for the ping; I'm already engaged (most recently at #145). :-)

[RnMomof7]

If you were a Christian or Jew you would feel differently..

[Illbay]

I find that quite American, not bigoted.

In 1948, a group of Democrats who rejected President Harry S. Truman's civil-rights program revolted against the civil-rights plank adopted at the Democratic National Convention, and walked out of the Convention. A conference of states' rights leaders then met in Birmingham and suggested Gov. J. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina for president and Gov. Fielding Wright of Mississippi for vice president.

Of course, they weren't "bigoted," but quite "American," according to a "Principled" analysis.

[RightOnline]

Oh, relax. I don't have to observe their religion. I don't begrudge anyone's right to practice their faith; this IS still a more-or-less free country.

Sure as all hell doesn't mean I have to pray to whomever the Muslims think they're praying to. My faith counts, too, dude.

[RnMomof7]

Christians have the same G_d I do

Exactly

allah is the moon god..

Exd 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Would they have stayed and prayed with a warlock?

Yes, most of them probably would.

Congrats to McMahan and Condotta for righteous discernment.

Wait till the war starts in earnest; then we'll see how "peaceful" Islam really is.

[Hila]

Allah is not the same as God, it is the proper name of a demonic moon god. Please do some research. The One True God has a personal name too, and is totally distant from the one the muslim people proclaim. The fruit of the islamic people show us what kind of demon is leading them, disguised as a "good" god.

[DeathfromBelow]

That's right they take an oath to support and defend the constitution agains ALL enemies Foreight and DOMESTIC.

[Illbay]

Excuse me. I have neighbors and friends who are Muslim. Not one of them has hijacked a plane, or killed anyone in the name of "jihad," nor do any of them support these acts or anything like them.

IMO, you and people who think as you do are EXACTLY THE SAME as the jihadists, letting your hatred of anyone different than you condemn an entire group of humanity to less-than-human.

It's pretty disgusting and I'm extremely saddened that those who consider themselves "conservatives" would think that way.

[Monty22]

"In the same manner, one could say that Christianity spawns the likes of Fred Phelps, Eric Rudolph, "Christian Identity", the "Reconstructionists" and the so-called "Army of God" wackos. In the same manner one could say that Judaism spawns the likes of Irv Rubin, Kach, and Kahane Chai. "

Naw, in those cases they weren't doing what their holy books say. In islamic violence, they are doing exactly what their mohammed commanded and what he did as well.