FARGO (KFGO-AM) - Republican leaders in the North Dakota House canceled their opening prayer on Ash Wednesday because it was scheduled to be led by a Muslim. Some house members say it would have been more appropriate to have a Christian lead the prayer because Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Easter season.
Valley City Republican Rep. Dwight Kiefert says he would welcome a Muslim to lead the prayer as long as the prayer is held on a different day. “That’s what the objection was. They didn’t feel comfortable being forced to partake in breaking the First Commandment,” Kiefert said. “What you are actually asking (Christians) to do is to break with the Ten Commandments, to actually sin and partake in a prayer they don’t believe in. So we just suggested that maybe this wouldn’t be a good day to do this. They should probably have somebody from the Christian faith and do the Muslim prayer a different day.”
The issue came to light after a controversial Facebook post by District 24 Republicans. The post mentioned the 9-11 terrorist attacks and said the decision to have a Muslim speak on Ash Wednesday was "political correctness at its worst."