Posted on 03/22/2015 5:06:16 PM PDT by ebb tide
The US state of Idaho's Catholic leadership has declared that a state senator's anti-Hindu views run counter to the teachings of the Church and Pope Francis's support for inter-religious dialogue.
When Universal Society of Hinduism President Rajan Zed recited prayers for the state senate's March 3 session in Boise, Senator Sheryl Nuxoll boycotted the invocation and said that she believed the US is a Christian nation and "Hindu is a false faith with false gods". Her opinions "do not represent the opinions or teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, (Boise) Bishop Peter Christensen or even our Holy Father, Pope Francis, who has been an outspoken supporter of ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue," a statement from the Boise Diocese said on Friday.
"Nuxoll's comments reflect her own personal opinions," the statement said.
Nuxoll, who is a Catholic, was one of three Republican senators to boycott Zed's prayer, although Republican Senate President Pro-Tem, Brent Hill, had invited Zed to be the guest chaplain. Zed's prayer was non-denominational and Hill said, "it refers to deity supreme".
After the senate prayer, Zed met the Boise Catholic Diocese's Vicar General for Clergy, Monsignor Joseph A. da Silva, and Chancellor Marcella Wilske. Zed said they had "a dialogue on various interfaith issues".
Jewish and other religious leaders have demanded an apology from Nuxoll.
"Being a public official who is expected to represent all citizens, it is highly inappropriate and insensitive for Nuxoll to unnecessarily label a major religion as 'false,' as there are about three million Hindus in US, including some in Idaho," said a letter signed by 28 clergy members and others last week.
According to 'The Jewish Daily Forward', Rabbi Daniel Fink of Boise's Jewish Congregation Ahavatah Beth Israel organised the letter campaign through the Idaho Interfaith Equality Coalition.
Even before the letter was sent, Nuxoll had ruled out any apology and invoked Mother Teresa.
"I said it was a religion with false gods. I'm not going to give an apology," the 'Spokesman-Review' newspaper quoted her as saying earlier this month.
"I felt I had to abstain, because I'm not going to be praying to false gods. I'm a believer like Mother Teresa that everybody should be the best they can," she added.
She also reiterated her belief that the US Constitution is "based on Judeo-Christian principles".
"I'm in a floor session bound to follow the Constitution," the Spokesman-Review quoted her as saying. "It is a Christian nation based on Christian principles."
The US constitution is secular and prohibits the establishment of official religion.
According to the newspaper, Nuxoll said she received many emails "running me down", but also some supporting her. She singled out one email backing her "from a lady who said she had lived with the Hindus".
Nuxoll said that the woman wrote "there was a great amount of infanticide and abortion."
Her opinions "do not represent the opinions or teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, (Boise) Bishop Peter Christensen or even our Holy Father, Pope Francis, who has been an outspoken supporter of ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue," a statement from the Boise Diocese said on Friday.
It appears here that we have a Catholic Bishop stating that he, and Pope Francis, do not believe Hinduism is a false religion nor do its participants worships false gods.
Really? The Roamin' Catholic Church doesn't believe that Jesus is THE Way, THE Truth and THE Life?
Okay. I've always suspected that and I'm fairly certain I've even said it several times on this forum but it seems like I always receive a ration of carp from those same Roamin' Catholics.
I'm saving this story for future use.
They can start flinging their you-know-what at their own Bishops. And Rooks. And Horsies.
The American Catholic hierarchy fails to understand that when they treat these other religions as valid they remove any incentive for Catholics to show up anymore (or contribute).
The Church was never stronger than when it called a spade a spade.
I’m not sure she was wise to make a production out of it, but there is no reason why a Hindu should be invited to say the opening invocation here in America, or why anyone should feel obliged to attend. Notice that she says that America is a “Christian” country—which indeed it is. Presumably she would not boycott a Protestant invocation.
You can respect Hindus and be polite about them, but why on earth should you ask them to give the invocation?
But Pelosi and Biden can be anti-abortion as they want and the pope won’t say boo.
Outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation.
What’s your “religion”?
“..... why on earth should you ask them to give the invocation?”
a deep unmet need to be affirmed??
Emotional neediness is the root of all manner of foolishness
Don't tell me, tell your Bishop.
What’s your “religion”?
I'm a Christian. What's yours?
At the moment, Islam is the threat and danger.
What happens to Protestants and Jews in the afterlife?
Old news. This was posted many days ago.
You would think a state senator would be savvy enough to know when to take a public stand.....and when to shut her yap...
She made a mountain out of a molehill...
This country was founded on people seeking religious freedom...today that includes all religions....
Nothing wrong in recognizing that...nobody was asking to make hindi the state religion...
She could have just sat there and played with her iPhone if the prayer upset her...
That Judeo-Christian stuff didn't last long, did it?
I'm a Catholic, of course, because outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation.
No, he said Pope Francis is a strong supporter of ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue. He did not say that Hindu was true or false.
I draw a big line between "respecting" false religions as compared to merely tolerating them. In the pre-conciliar past, the Church has also.
Would she boycott a Jewish one, this being a Christian country and all?
Thanks but that’s a terrible source.
Look up the pre-conciliar Popes and saints statements on EENS.
FWIW, those “seeking religious freedom” were quickly burning witches and chasing out those they didn’t agree with.
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