North Dakota Republicans Cancel Opening Prayer By Muslim
[su_right_ad]Their excuse was that it was Ash Wednesday according to the Fargo Forum.
Republican leaders in the North Dakota House of Representatives said they canceled the opening prayer by a Muslim on Ash Wednesday because some members thought it was more appropriate to have a Christian deliver the invocation…
District 24 Rep. Dwight Kiefert, R-Valley City, was among those who objected to having a non-Christian deliver the prayer on Ash Wednesday.
“I mean, you had representatives on the floor with ash on their foreheads commemorating the day. And so then you’re going to force them to listen to a prayer that they don’t agree with? It wasn’t very well thought out, I don’t think,” he said. “If it would have been a different day, maybe it would have been better.”
Please “like” us on Facebook, and thank you.[su_center_ad]
Carla Akins February 20th, 2015 at 11:38 am
Did none of them own a calendar before Wednesday?
rg9rts February 20th, 2015 at 11:52 am
Only the one that could read…
fahvel February 20th, 2015 at 12:02 pm
but he was going to give the prayer.
John Tarter February 20th, 2015 at 11:40 am
This is more of the insanity that is occurring in our nation. Just how many Muslims are members of the North Dakota legislature? I bet 99% of them are Christians so there is no reason for Muslim to be giving a prayer, especially on Ash Wednesday.
arc99 February 20th, 2015 at 11:49 am
There is no “reason” for a prayer of any type to begin a legislative meeting.
But if they are going to have prayers, it is irrelevant how many of the members are Christian. What is relevant is that the first amendment requires all religions to be treated equally.
rg9rts February 20th, 2015 at 11:51 am
Nothing said about muslims per se…just non christians…like Jews , buddists…
Hirightnow February 20th, 2015 at 11:53 am
You know that it’s the same god, right?
rg9rts February 20th, 2015 at 11:53 am
PIQUE!!!!
Hirightnow February 20th, 2015 at 12:19 pm
yeah, yeah…Happy Friday to you too.
😀
rg9rts February 20th, 2015 at 1:07 pm
The best part was just like TM I was waiting there when out of the blue you posted! seconds…..
arc99 February 20th, 2015 at 11:54 am
Here is the text of the proposed prayer by the Muslim cleric as quoted in the linked article to local media.
Please explain what reason other than the ugly bigotry that many right wingers practice, would this prayer be found to be objectionable
http://www.inforum.com/news/legislature/3683089-nd-house-republicans-cancel-opening-prayer-muslim-ash-wednesday
“”“Peace be upon you. In the name of God, the most merciful, the most benefactor, praise be to God, the cherisher and sustainer of the words, most gracious, most merciful, master of the day of judgment. You alone we worship, and you alone we ask for help. Show us the straight way, the way of those on whom you have bestowed your grace, not the way of those who earned your anger nor those who went astray. Oh God, guide us with those whom you have guided, and preserve us with those whom you have preserved. Take us to your care, with those whom you have taken to your care. Bless us in what you have given us. Protect us from the evil you have ordained. Surely you command and are not commanded. And none whom you have befriended shall be humiliated. And none whom you have taken as an enemy shall taste glory. You are blessed, our Lord, and exalted.”??
Larry Schmitt February 20th, 2015 at 12:01 pm
It seems he wrote it to be as non-denominational as possible. It could have been written by a Southern Baptist, or a Unitarian Universalist.
allison1050 February 20th, 2015 at 12:06 pm
Other than Catholics my dear, who else acknowledges Ash Wednesday, those pagans such as Dwight Kiefert who’s more than likely not Catholic? idiot
Suzanne McFly February 20th, 2015 at 12:59 pm
I think tater tot is a liberal tool someone is using to present the idea that the right “thinkers” are complete morons cause no one is THAT stupid, right?
NW10 February 20th, 2015 at 1:02 pm
Seeing his FB profile, and seeing the same RW talking points on liberal blogs, I doubt he’s a Poe.
Suzanne McFly February 20th, 2015 at 1:06 pm
I didn’t look, I guess I had ore hope for tater than he deserves.
allison1050 February 20th, 2015 at 2:17 pm
lol
rg9rts February 20th, 2015 at 11:50 am
Praying to the wrong god?…She won’t mind
Larry Schmitt February 20th, 2015 at 11:56 am
She also won’t answer.
rg9rts February 20th, 2015 at 12:05 pm
Doesn’t have to …She has a sense of humor and created North Dakota
Larry Schmitt February 20th, 2015 at 12:18 pm
Since three of the boundaries are straight lines, I’m pretty sure she didn’t.
Larry Schmitt February 20th, 2015 at 11:55 am
Because a Muslim can’t be a real American, everyone knows that. Because the imaginary sky fairy he prays to is different from the imaginary sky fairy everyone else prays to. To paraphrase another group from later in the year, what makes this Wednesday different from any other Wednesday?
fahvel February 20th, 2015 at 11:58 am
think about it – a room filled with true xians with ashes on their heads. Somewhere in this scenario (sorry catholics) there’s a disconnect between ritual and and devotion. So, when an asshole speaks that the musselman prayer would not be understood, all the fun goes out of the ash heads.
NW10 February 20th, 2015 at 11:59 am
Yet the right are crapping their pants because President Barack Hussein Obama wants to “fundamentally transform” America.
allison1050 February 20th, 2015 at 12:02 pm
When did all so called christians suddendly decide that they even knew about Ash Wednesday? They don’t acknowledge it so who do they think they’re kidding..no one.
mfr4 February 20th, 2015 at 12:08 pm
A prayer they don’t agree with? What was the guy going to say?
allison1050 February 20th, 2015 at 12:09 pm
What difference would it have made? Whatever he had planned had as much significance as a baptist that doesn’t know squat about Ash Wednesday.
Larry Schmitt February 20th, 2015 at 12:22 pm
He was going to call down a fatwa on North Dakota.
Suzanne McFly February 20th, 2015 at 12:55 pm
I always had a feeling that would be the state where the fatwa would start.
bpollen February 21st, 2015 at 4:22 am
Isn’t winter in ND enough of a curse?
KABoink_after_wingnut_hacker February 20th, 2015 at 12:49 pm
Why are there any prayers at all in our public buildings?
I say keep your superstition in your homes or places of worship and out of our democratic governance.
Suzanne McFly February 20th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Okay, don’t force Christians to listen to a Muslim prayer (which I am pretty sure they have a lot of similarities) but force everyone else to listen to a Chrisrian prayer? And if it was so offensive to listen to a Muslim on a Christian holiday, why did they schedule it that way? Ash Wednesday is held on the exact same Wednesday every year, it’s not a surprise holiday.
Larry Schmitt February 20th, 2015 at 1:06 pm
Actually, Ash Wednesday moves around, but it’s on most calendars, and it’s in the news, it’s mentioned almost every time Mardi Gras is mentioned, so it’s definitely not a surprise. But if you read the prayer, it’s very generic. If you didn’t know it was written by a Muslim, you couldn’t tell.
Suzanne McFly February 20th, 2015 at 8:09 pm
Well I guess you can tell I haven’t been to Mass in awhile. I go to church between services to pray and pay my respects. I find the church hard to support due to its past and the fact that I am a second class member simply because God didn’t give me a wiener, she gave me a brain instead 🙂
Larry Schmitt February 20th, 2015 at 8:16 pm
Is it not at least theoretically possible for some of us to have both? I quit praying when I found I was talking to myself.
Suzanne McFly February 20th, 2015 at 8:24 pm
Of course some of us have both, I in fact know a couple who do lol. I have some personal experiences for why I believe, but I hold nothing against those who question or disbelieve in the existence of a God.
Bunya February 20th, 2015 at 1:48 pm
First of all, why are they having prayers said in public places anyway, and why can’t they have two prayers said on the same day? This is totally stupid and Dwight Keifert is trying to keep the hatred of Muslims going.
tracey marie February 20th, 2015 at 4:24 pm
and the people without ash on their forehead are forced to listen to your mythical prayers that they do not agree with.
Ronald L February 20th, 2015 at 9:29 pm
Nothing wrong with mythology.
John_St_John February 21st, 2015 at 3:11 pm
Being forced to participate in that false narrative is wrong though.
nola878 February 20th, 2015 at 4:54 pm
Sasquatch and I totally beleive their excuse.
Warman1138 February 20th, 2015 at 9:18 pm
Maybe they are afraid someone will pray them away.
Ronald L February 20th, 2015 at 9:29 pm
I’m a devout Christian and I would have no problem praying with a Muslim. I consider Jews and Muslims my spiritual cousins.
That being said, it does make more sense to have a Christian prayer on Ash Wednesday. Invite the Imams to pray on Eid.
But why have prayers at a government event at all? I believe in separation of church and state.