Bluegrassrivals

Quote:The director of Flex Films (USA) said comments made Tuesday by GOP gubernatorial candidate David Williams were offensive and hurtful and called for the state Senate president to be “ostracized” from his own party.


Ben Sheroan
A Hindu priest, left, conducted a traditional ground blessing ceremony Friday at the site of the new Flex Films (USA) manufacturing plant on the west side of Elizabethtown. Participants included company officials and government leaders, including Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear and City Attorney D. Dee Shaw.
Anantshree Chaturvedi and Elizabethtown officials voiced outrage following Williams’ comments criticizing Gov. Steve Beshear’s participation in the Bhoomi Poojan, a traditional Indian ground blessing ceremony performed Friday to usher in construction of the company’s manufacturing plant in the T.J. Patterson Industrial Park on Black Branch Road.

The company has estimated it will invest $180 million in the Elizabethtown plant and create 250 or more jobs in Elizabethtown after choosing Kentucky over several competing states because of the hospitality received from state officials.

During a campaign stop in Bullitt County, Williams chastised Beshear for participating in the ceremony, which called for guests to take off their shoes and sit cross-legged on white cushions. For more than an hour, participants observed the traditional Indian blessing through a haze created by burning incense and a ceremonial fire as a priest chanted Hindu prayers. At the end of the ground blessing, participants shoveled the newly blessed earth into a hole in the center of the pit.

Williams questioned Beshear’s judgment in joining the ceremony, saying it is contradictory to the values held by most Kentuckians and unbecoming of a governor who touts his upbringing as the son of a Christian minister.

Williams also equated it to idolatry, or the worship of false idols, and said he hopes those who practice Hinduism find Jesus Christ as their savior.

Chaturvedi said members of the Hindu faith were dumbfounded by disparaging comments toward their religion from someone who holds such a lofty stature in the state.

“I was deeply shocked and deeply surprised,” he said Wednesday during a telephone interview.

Chaturvedi also said he was upset someone would cast judgment on a ritual they know little about. While the ceremony holds religious meaning, Chaturvedi said it also is a common economic practice in India to bless the ground during construction of new homes or businesses.

“It wasn’t like that at all,” Chaturvedi said, refuting what he said were misconceptions about the ceremony. “This was an economic ceremony representing Kentucky and welcoming them into the Flex family.”

Chaturvedi said Williams should have celebrated the investment but instead he offended practitioners of an entire religion.

“I absolutely do think he should apologize for the comments he made,” he added.

Williams repeated his criticisms in Elizabethtown on Tuesday night during a visit with the Central Kentucky Tea Party Patriots. Bobby Alexander, chairman of the CKTPP, said about 75 people were in attendance an

http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content...d-blessing

I do not like David Williams and will not vote for him but I appreciate that he took a stand for his faith. I appalaud his actions. As far as the Governors race, I will vote for Gatewood as a NO vote to both parties.

TheRealVille Wrote:http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content...d-blessing

You got to like a man that says what he feels, especially when it come to a Brother in Christ.

The Hindu Priest should have been more offended by the Governor faking it than by the words of Williams. He either faked it or he didn't. If he is a Christian, he faked it.

The Governor would have been a better representative of his faith and state if he had let the Hindus do their blessing, then if he felt the need, ask for blessings as a Christian would ask.

If you think Williams was out of line, then you must think the Hindus were also out of line for ostracizing Williams for defending the faith he and Beshear share.

E-town is full of nothing but a bunch of vagina's anyway...

The governor was being respectful for a culture and employer in the state. Mr. Williams is an idiot for making an issue of this.

A non-issue, IMO. Both are pandering to their constituents in their own way. The governor was trying to be respectful to a company that is bringing jobs to the state but maybe fully participating in a Hindu ceremony was taking things a bit too far. Williams should have kept his mouth shut.

I carpool with a devout Hindu everyday. When he drives, he prays silently before he starts the car. I sit silently for a few seconds out of respect for him and his deeply held beliefs. Respecting peaceful people's religious beliefs is just what civilized people do. Maybe the governor could have shown his respect a little differently without offending his hosts, but it seems to me that his motives were fine.

Null and void (posted in wrong thread and deleted)

SKINNYPIG Wrote:You got to like a man that says what he feels, especially when it come to a Brother in Christ.

The Hindu Priest should have been more offended by the Governor faking it than by the words of Williams. He either faked it or he didn't. If he is a Christian, he faked it.

The Governor would have been a better representative of his faith and state if he had let the Hindus do their blessing, then if he felt the need, ask for blessings as a Christian would ask.

If you think Williams was out of line, then you must think the Hindus were also out of line for ostracizing Williams for defending the faith he and Beshear share.

Here is why a professing christian cannot do what Beshear did. These are the first four of the Ten Commandments, and they apply to man's relationship with his Creator (the rest of the commandments deal with man's interactions with himself)

Exodus 20:1-11 (KJV)
1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 T hou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.


Pretty clear that publicly and privately we who are professing Christians are to honor God and Him only with our actions and specifically our acts of worship. Governor Beshear, fraught with contradictions, pro gambling and though it's really hard to pin him down as far as I can tell he's pro choice. Yet tries to sell himself as a conservative because his dad's a minister. I don't buy any of it. None the less if professes Christ he should get up close and personal with commandment #2 which I have bolded and particularly the
part that is bolded and underlined. Williams is right, of course he's not being politically correct but, I sincerely doubt we will get any bonus points with the Lord for being tolerant of other gods.

TheRealThing Wrote:Here is why a professing christian cannot do what Beshear did. These are the first four of the Ten Commandments, and they apply to man's relationship with his Creator (the rest of the commandments deal with man's interactions with himself)

Exodus 20:1-11 (KJV)
1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 T hou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.


Pretty clear that publicly and privately we who are professing Christians are to honor God and Him only with our actions and specifically our acts of worship. Governor Beshear, fraught with contradictions, pro gambling and though it's really hard to pin him down as far as I can tell he's pro choice. Yet tries to sell himself as a conservative because his dad's a minister. I don't buy any of it. None the less if professes Christ he should get up close and personal with commandment #2 which I have bolded and particularly the
part that is bolded and underlined. Williams is right, of course he's not being politically correct but, I sincerely doubt we will get any bonus points with the Lord for being tolerant of other gods.

Who can say with certainty that in the midst of a Hindu religious ceremony, Gov Beshear was not praying for the salvation of his hosts? Not likely, I will admit, but being at a religious ceremony of a faith not your own is not necessarily turning your back on God, nor is it necessarily violating any of the Ten Commandments.

Defending a liberal Democrat over attacks from Christians is not a position in which I often find myself, but I think that this is a case where the Governor deserves the benefit of doubt. I am not saying that what he did was right but none of us can see into his heart. But then, I believe that freedom of religion (not freedom from religion) is a natural human right. I would have no problem voting for a Hindu candidate, provided they were not a Democrat. :biggrin:

I do find it odd that RV is defending Beshear's participation (passive or not) in a religious ceremony in his official capacity. I guess it is only Christianity that offends his delicate sensibilities. Of course, it could also be that Beshear is a Democrat mixing religion and politics and his critic is a Republican, but I digress.

Remember reading this once before

But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

The governor was just being neighborly

^Right, I agree with you guys from a strictly secular viewpoint. However, Williams' criticism of Beshear is that IF the Governor is truly a Christian as he claims, he knows he cannot honor another god by kneeling, praying, paying homage by sitting with one's legs crossed etc. privately or publicly. It's like telling your wife you love only her but spending your free time looking at porn sites. Neer the twain shall meet. In other words Williams is making the same mistake Perry made when he preached or envoked God's word to make a point that castigates another candidate for personal behavior that he feels is contrary to God's law. Williams is right about what he said, he just should not make the mistake of thinking that very many folks are going to line up with him about it.

These guys need to stop using their candidacy as a pulpit. They can make decisions based on Godly perspective AFTER they get elected. and even then they shouldn't wave the Bible at the situation publicly.

Hoot Gibson Wrote:Who can say with certainty that in the midst of a Hindu religious ceremony, Gov Beshear was not praying for the salvation of his hosts? Not likely, I will admit, but being at a religious ceremony of a faith not your own is not necessarily turning your back on God, nor is it necessarily violating any of the Ten Commandments.

Defending a liberal Democrat over attacks from Christians is not a position in which I often find myself, but I think that this is a case where the Governor deserves the benefit of doubt. I am not saying that what he did was right but none of us can see into his heart. But then, I believe that freedom of religion (not freedom from religion) is a natural human right. I would have no problem voting for a Hindu candidate, provided they were not a Democrat. :biggrin:

I do find it odd that RV is defending Beshear's participation (passive or not) in a religious ceremony in his official capacity. I guess it is only Christianity that offends his delicate sensibilities. Of course, it could also be that Beshear is a Democrat mixing religion and politics and his critic is a Republican, but I digress.

I'm neither defending him or not defending him, I just posted the article. But, if I were going to defend a peaceful religion, I would defend hindus before christianity, because christianity isn't a peaceful religion.

TheRealVille Wrote:I'm neither defending him or not defending him, I just posted the article. But, if I were going to defend a peaceful religion, I would defend hindus before christianity, because christianity isn't a peaceful religion.

RV, what are you talking about? Yes, there have been some atrocities committed in the name of Christianity but, that doesn't mean God endorsed those atrocities. You know better than this.

TheRealVille Wrote:I'm neither defending him or not defending him, I just posted the article. But, if I were going to defend a peaceful religion, I would defend hindus before christianity, because christianity isn't a peaceful religion.

The British and Muslims who have faced the Hindus in battle might disagree with you. They are not war mongers but they are willing and able to defend themselves when attacked. The same is true of Christians. OTOH, Islam was spread primarily at the point of a sword under the orders of a charismatic military man.

TheRealThing Wrote:RV, what are you talking about? Yes, there have been some atrocities committed in the name of Christianity but, that doesn't mean God endorsed those atrocities. You know better than this.

No, he really does not know better, or if he does he hides his knowledge very effectively.

Hoot Gibson Wrote:The British and Muslims who have faced the Hindus in battle might disagree with you. They are not war mongers but they are willing and able to defend themselves when attacked. The same is true of Christians. OTOH, Islam was spread primarily at the point of a sword under the orders of a charismatic military man.

Hindus should defend themselves when attacked. Christians should too , on the other hand, christians have attacked and killed many, just because they wouldn't convert to their religion. Even today, christians are a very mean people to non christians, for the most part.

TheRealVille Wrote:Hindus should defend themselves when attacked. Christians should too , on the other hand, christians have attacked and killed many, just because they wouldn't convert to their religion. Even today, christians are a very mean people to non christians, for the most part.

Christians have been the persecuted far more often than they have been the persecutors. The latest example is the violence by Muslims against the Coptic Christians in Egypt. Muslims are even attacking Catholics on their way to mass in France. In Saudi Arabia, Muslims who convert to Christianity are subject to the death penalty. Islam is not a religion of peace, yet you attempt to portray Christianity as the root of all evil in this world. Your view of the world is backward, inverted, and upside down.

Hoot Gibson Wrote:Christians have been the persecuted far more often than they have been the persecutors. The latest example is the violence by Muslims against the Coptic Christians in Egypt. Muslims are even attacking Catholics on their way to mass in France. In Saudi Arabia, Muslims who convert to Christianity are subject to the death penalty. Islam is not a religion of peace, yet you attempt to portray Christianity as the root of all evil in this world. Your view of the world is backward, inverted, and upside down.

Try thinking of christianity of 3rd century rome on up until the dark ages of europe, and even during the history of america. It is a very mean and controlling religion.

hawg laig Wrote:I do not like David Williams and will not vote for him but I appreciate that he took a stand for his faith. I appalaud his actions. As far as the Governors race, I will vote for Gatewood as a NO vote to both parties.

So, you aren't really concerned with whether the candidate is actually conservative or not? It's because Beshear is registered as a democrat, even though he acts like a conservative.

TheRealVille Wrote:Try thinking of christianity of 3rd century rome on up until the dark ages of europe, and even during the history of america. It is a very mean and controlling religion.

I don't know about you, but I don't live in the 3rd century. We are talking about today and today a large number of Muslims want Christians and Jews dead and to make everybody subject to a 7th century system of governance based on sharia law.

TheRealVille Wrote:So, you aren't really concerned with whether the candidate is actually conservative or not? It's because Beshear is registered as a democrat, even though he acts like a conservative.

Real conservatives don't support socialist presidents. When push comes to shove, there is not a Democratic governor, senator, or member of the House of Representatives that will not stand shoulder to shoulder politically with Barack Hussein Obama - except as an election approaches. That is the bottom line.