I didn't participate in the most recent Blog Against Theocracy simply because I didn't have the time to get a post in. Ok, I just forgot about it. But I am pretty busy, you know.

Yesterday an event happened in the US Senate that highlights why some of us are so worried about the idea of a theocracy in this country. Rajan Zed, a Hindu -priest? cleric?- was invited by Senator Reid to offer the morning's invocation. He was introduced, went to the microphone, and that's when some "Christian" protestors decided to heckle him. Here's the video:



Here's how the first protester started:

Lord Jesus, forgive us, Father, for allowing a prayer of the wicked, which is an abomination in your sight.

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "wait a minute. The doctrine of the Trinity doesn't allow for us to address Jesus as 'Father.'" Yeah, I know. But in addition to their complete lack of understanding regarding foundational Christian beliefs, what they did was reprehensible.

Operation Save American claimed responsibility for the act (where have we heard this type of language?) and issued the following press release:

Theology Moved to the Senate and was Arrested

Theology has moved from the church house onto the floor of the United States Senate, and has been arrested.

Ante Pavkovic, Kathy Pavkovic, and Kristen Sugar were all arrested in the chambers of the United States Senate as that chamber was violated by a false Hindu god. The Senate was opened with a Hindu prayer placing the false god of Hinduism on a level playing field with the One True God, Jesus Christ. This would never have been allowed by our Founding Fathers.

"Not one Senator had the backbone to stand as our Founding Fathers stood. They stood on the Gospel of Jesus Christ! There were three in the audience with the courage to stand and proclaim, 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' They were immediately removed from the chambers, arrested, and are in jail now. God bless those who stand for Jesus as we know that He stands for them." Rev. Flip Benham, Director, Operation Save America/Operation Rescue

They've obviously confused the Senate chambers with the Hebrew Scriptures' description of the Temple of Yahweh. The United States Senate is not a temple. It is not a place of worship - indeed, it would be best to discontinue the archaic and inappropriate practice of having an invocation at all. The best way to preserve citizens' right to worship as they please is to not force anyone, anywhere, to worship as they might not please.

Operation Save America doesn't think like that, of course. They think that the US Senate chambers are like Solomon's Temple. They think that those chambers are holy ground, dedicated to Jesus Christ, and to have a prayer offered to any other deity is to profane that temple and dishonor Jesus.

Operation Save America wants America for the Christians, and only for the Christians. They believe that "freedom of religion" means freedom to choose from more than one type of Christian church. What happened in the Senate yesterday morning is a textbook example of why right-thinking people of any religious persuasion - or none - need to be deeply concerned about the issue of theocracy, what it means and the tactics of those who would impose one upon the rest of us.

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