When Tulsi Gabbard, a Hawaii resident who made history this month at the first Hindu elected to Congress, attends her swearing in ceremony in January, she's poised to mark another first in American politics: Gabbard will take her oath over the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text.
While no religious ceremony is legally required for those elected to Congress and the Senate, many choose to take oaths of office over Christian and Jewish texts, and Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, a Muslim, took his oath over a Quran. But Gabbard's use of a non-Abrahamic text will be unique and is symbolic of the growing religious diversity of Congress.The Huffington Post
Tulsi Gabbard, First Hindu Elected To Congress, Will Swear In On Bhagavad Gita, Sacred Hindu Text
Jaweed Kaleem
Preceded by two Buddhists.
Congratulations to the two Buddhists in the U.S. House of Representatives -- the first two Buddhists in Congress -- who won re-election yesterday (2008).
Congresswoman Mazie Hirono represents Hawaii's 2nd District. A Democrat, she was first elected to Congress in 2006 and was raised in the Jodo Shinshu sect of Pure Land Buddhism.
Representative Hirono has told interviewers she does not practice daily, but that the Buddhist values of tolerance and respect guide her judgments.
Congressman Hank Johnson represents Georgia's 4th District and is a member of Soka Gakkai International. The Congressman, a Democrat, also was first elected to Congress in 2006.About.com
Buddhists in Congress
Barbara O'Brien
Buddhism is considered atheistic in the West, although that is not technically correct. Buddhism is non-theistic rather than atheistic in the contemporary sense. Buddhism is a form of transcendentalism. Atheism rejects transcendentalism.
No comments:
Post a Comment