3 Republican lawmakers protest Hindu prayer in the Idaho state Senate

Rajan Zed in the Idaho state Senate. — (Image credit: Twitter.com/IdahoPubRadio)

Three Republican lawmakers in Idaho refused to attend the state Senate's daily invocation because it was being given by a Hindu guest chaplain.

On Tuesday, Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, shared a prayer in English and Sanskrit that focused on selflessness and peace and was well-received by the senators who listened, The Associated Press reports. The three who sat out — Sens. Steve Vick, Sheryl Nuxoll, and Lori Den Hartog — did so because of their belief that the United States is a Christian nation, Nuxoll said. "Hindu is a false faith with false gods," she told AP. "I think it's great that Hindu people can practice their religion but since we're the Senate, we're setting an example of what we, Idaho, believe." She also stated that she thought a Christian prayer should have been said along with Zed's Hindu prayer.

When the Senate and House in Idaho convene, a prayer is said by the chamber's chaplains from Christian denominations, AP reports, and guest chaplains are also often invited to speak. Zed has delivered Hindu prayers to the U.S. House and Senate as well as several state legislatures.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.