WASHINGTON, D.C., August 10, 2007: Idaho U.S. Congressional Representative Bill Sali has questioned a Hindu prayer that was offered to open the U.S. Senate last month. Sali is quoted on OneNewsNow.com that when a Hindu prayer is offered, “that’s a different god” and that it “creates problems for the longevity of this country.” Sali was not commenting on what the Senate should be able to do, Sali spokesman Wayne Hoffman said. But Hoffman said the congressman did oppose a Hindu prayer to open the Senate. Hoffman said the Sali interview when he made the remarks took place on the American Family Network.
“What Congressman Sali is saying is that he happens to disagree with the notion of offering a prayer to Hindu gods, plural,” Hoffman said. “Are we going to start our mornings reaching out to the hand of God or spinning the wheel and choosing what god it lands on?” Sali respects other religions and bears no ill will towards Hindus, Hoffman said. But he recognizes that the United States was built on Christian principles. “This county … continues to prosper because of that devotion to those principles,” Hoffman said. “(Sali) believes the prayer offered at the beginning of each session of the Senate is a meaningful thing. It’s not something you do to take up time. It’s something you do because you truly want to reach out to God for guidance.”
Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, selected one of his constituents to offer the Hindu prayer. “(We’re) disappointed that the Congressman may have some issues with that,” Reid spokesman Jim Manly said Thursday. “Anyone who would have listened to the prayer that morning would have found it very inspirational and very uplifting.”
OneNewsNow.com also said Idaho U.S. Rep. Bill Sali remarked in a radio interview last week that a Muslim congressman “was not what was envisioned by the Founding Fathers.” Sali spokesman Wayne Hoffman said Sali’s remarks about the Muslim Congressman were taken out of context on the Web site. He said it has no reflection on his willingness to work with Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minnesota. “What he’s saying is it’s very different from what the Founding Fathers had contemplated,” Hoffman said. “That’s not making a positive or negative statement about it. It’s just a matter of fact.” Hoffman said the congressman did not mean Muslims should not serve in the House.
For the original report, minus the spokesman’s “clarifications,” click here.