ND Bible-Thumpers Protest Hindu Invocation

Some members of the North Dakota State House took issue with Monday's appearance by a prominent Hindu holy man.

As KFGO Radio reports, Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, gave the House invocation as guest chaplain Tuesday. He delivered a prayer in the Senate on Monday as well.

As KFGO notes, it's not the first time a non-Christian religious figure has appeared before the legislature. In years past, Jewish rabbis, a Muslim cleric and Native Americans have all presented invocations.

One would think in this day and age, such an appearance would be a non-story. Sadly, that was not the case.

Rep. Jeff Hoverson (R-Minot) along with a handful of other legislators, sat or stood at the back of the chamber to "protest" the prayer.

Mr. Holverson, a Lutheran pastor by vocation, said he didn't want to pray to a "false god." He met with Rajan Zed prior to the invocation and told him it was "nothing personal."

In a letter to the legislative Management, Rep. Hoverson asked that in the future the Legislature stick to "Judeo-Christian" invocations as representative of "the religion of our US Constitution."

The U.S. Constitution makes no reference to any particular faith or deity.

It would seem we have a long way to go in the Peace Garden State.

[Source: KFGO Radio]