Pennsylvania State lawmaker criticized for 'disrespectful' prayer

Pluralism still remains a far cry in the USA where Christian evangelism seems to be the driving force with Trump ruling from the White House. The die-hard Xian evangelists have a very narrow view about the notion of One Nation Under God. While Muslims are the most monotheist among all the monotheists, their religion of Islam (where the Jewish and Christian prophets are respected and all considered to be rightly guided men of God) is not accepted as part of the so-called Judio-Christian nexus. Allah, the One God, invoked by billions of people (including Arab/Semitic Christians), is considered an alien or foreign God. There is so much pressure from the evangelical xians like Tony Perkins and many of the religious zealots to close the door of multi-culture and pluralism it is difficult to sometimes believe that we are living in the 21st century America and not medieval Europe that witnessed for decades to religious wars!
Recently, a bigot - PA rep Borowicz - created much fuss in her invocation at the PA state assembly by invoking the name of Jesus almost 19 times as if this country exclusively belongs only to Christians. This is unacceptable and absurd in our time when the world is becoming more inclusive and plural!.
Today, I saw Michael A. Smerconish's program aired in the CNN questioning Tony Perkins, who lied to his teeth to portray a very wrong notion about the world outside. Interestingly, in Trump's USA, such bigots are chosen to the highest position of the nation for religious freedom. What a joke!
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See the report below on PA Assembly:
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A Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is facing scrutiny for delivering an invocation that is being called religiously exclusive and political before the swearing in of the state's first Muslim woman lawmaker.
State Rep. Stephanie Borowicz delivered the prayer Monday on the floor of the state's General Assembly, injecting several political statements before ending. Republican Speaker Mike Turzai tapped on her elbow as the prayer neared two minutes, signaling it was time to end.
"God, forgive us. Jesus, we've lost sight of you. We've forgotten you, God, in our country. And we're asking you to forgive us, Jesus. That your promise and your word says that if my people who were called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek your face and turn from their wicked ways, that you'll heal our land," Borowicz said as the prayer went into its second half.
Borowicz did not respond to a request for comment on her prayer by CNN. She later told one reporter it was "how I pray every day" and that "I don't apologize ever for praying."
Shortly after Borowicz's prayer concluded, Democratic Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell was sworn in as the state's first female Muslim lawmaker. She was joined by scores of guests, all there to witness the moment.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Johnson-Harrell strongly criticized the prayer, calling it "disrespectful" and "immature" and saying that it was "meant to be inclusive and to bring everyone together."

 

"We as Republican and Democrat can find many many things to fight about -- prayer should not be one of them," she said, adding that she viewed it as a "political statement."
In one portion of the prayer, Borowicz began referring to President Donald Trump's policies toward Israel.
She continued: "Jesus, you're our only hope. God, I pray for our leaders, Speaker Turzai, Leader (Bryan) Cutler, Gov. (Tom) Wolf, President Trump. Lord, thank you that he stands beside Israel, unequivocally, Lord. Thank you that, Jesus, that we're blessed because we stand by Israel and we ask for the peace of Jerusalem as your word says, God. We ask that we not be overcome by evil and that we overcome evil with good in this land once again."
"I think we need to be very, very clear that everybody in this House matters, whether they're Christian, Muslim or Jew, and that we cannot use those issues to tear each other down," the newly sworn-in lawmaker said.
Johnson-Harrell also told reporters that Borowicz "definitely" needs to be censured for her prayer, adding that "we need to be promoting inclusion, not division."
Johnson-Harrell also did not respond to CNN's request for comment Wednesday.

 

In a statement to CNN, Christine Goldbeck, a spokesperson for Turzai, said, "members of the House come from a wide variety of faiths and we believe it is important to respect this diversity," a sentiment Goldbeck said Turzai shared Monday following the prayer.
"Speaker Turzai reminded the members that our guidelines ask them to deliver an inter-faith opening prayer," Goldbeck said, noting that a Muslim cleric also delivered a prayer at Monday's ceremony.
At least two other state Democratic lawmakers called out Borowicz's prayer, with Rep. Jordan Harris calling it hateful and saying she used the moment to "weaponize religion," and Rep. Kevin Boyle saying the prayer "epitomizes religious intolerance."
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PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Council will consider a resolution condemning a state legislator for a controversial prayer she said when Pennsylvania's first Muslim state representative was sworn in.
Councilman Curtis Jones introduced the resolution accusing Clinton County Rep. Stephanie Borowicz of being inappropriate and Islamophobic on the day that Movita Johnson-Harrell took office after winning a special election to represent West Philadelphia.
With Harrell's invited guests — 32 of whom were Muslim — in attendance for the swearing in, Borowicz said a prayer invoking Jesus 13 times, saying he is "our only hope," and asking his forgiveness because "we’ve lost sight of you, we’ve forgotten you, God, in our country."
Related: Johnson-Harrell breaks barriers as Pa.'s first Muslim woman state rep
Jones' resolution says the prayer excluded not only Muslims, but all other non-Christian members of the audience.
"We just can't sit by and let people just deliberately make people feel uncomfortable and unwelcome," Jones said.
Borowicz has declined to apologize, but other legislators have come to Harrell's side. The legislative black caucus says members were mortified and outraged.
Council will vote on Jones' resolution at its next session.