A Pennsylvania lawmaker, Rep. Stephanie Borowicz has incurred the wrath of many for the opening prayer she said on Monday in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Rep. Stephanie Borowicz began the day’s session with a less than two minutes Christian invocation in which Jesus’ name was mentioned 13 times and so much emphasis laid on ‘God forgive us’.

The prayer has been criticized wildly because it was an opening prayer before the first Muslim woman to join the Pennsylvania House was sworn-in.

Movita Johnson-Harrell, the first Muslim woman lawmaker and a Democratic representative from Philadelphia, was sworn in to office after the invocation from Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, a Republican from Clinton County. Johnson-Harrell described the content of the prayer as a “political statement.”

It is common for the Pennsylvania House to open its sessions with a prayer. While religious leaders typically gave the prayers in the past, a federal judge ruled last year non-theists are allowed deliver invocations. The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that after the ruling, the House has used lawmakers to give the prayer.

Borowicz’s prayer drew immediate condemnation. Toward the end of her invocation, another representative could be heard objecting. After Republican House Speaker Mike Turzai briefly touched Borowicz’s arm, she quickly wrapped up the prayer.

In a statement to the Capital-Star, Johnson-Harrell said the prayer “blatantly represented the Islamophobia that exists among some leaders — leaders that are supposed to represent the people.” She said she brought 55 guests to her swearing-in ceremony, the majority of whom were Muslim.

Borowicz was “intentionally being offensive,” Johnson-Harrell told Philadelphia public radio station WHYY. The prayer was further hurtful because, she said, Muslims “actually believe that Jesus was a prophet. Muslims understand the significance of Jesus in this world and in our own personal lives.”

House Minority Whip John Harris (D) told Penn Live in a statement that Borowicz used her religion and the prayer to “intimidate, demean and degrade” Johnson-Harrell.

“Let me be clear. I am a Christian. I spend my Sunday mornings in church worshiping and being thankful for all that I have,” Harris said. “But in no way does that mean I would flaunt my religion at those who worship differently than I do. There is no room in our Capitol building for actions such as this, and it’s incredibly disappointing that today’s opening prayer was so divisive.”

Following the legislative session, House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody gave a speech on the floor, saying the opening prayer should bring representatives together.

“This morning on a very important day, on a day where we’re swearing in a new member, the first woman Muslim serving in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in history, there was a prayer that was not meant to inspire us. There was a prayer that was not meant to bring us together,”

“Never have we started out with a prayer that divides us,” Dermody said on the floor afterward. “Prayer should never divide us, it should be inspirational.” Dermody said, which drew applause from members.

https://www.expressiveinfo.com/pennsylvania-lawmaker-faces-backlash-for-this-christian-prayer/


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America is a Christian nation Muslim should go to Saudi and stop terrorizing people all around the world

That was too much though.

Muslim should limit their myopic mindset in there region.American is a Christian nation . you cant call Jesus in Saudi Arabia Parliament and not be stone to death.

trouble dey sleep jeje, yanga dey go wake ham.
that is their trade mark, intolerance.
my advice is the son of God should not court the daughter of the devil because he would never be at peace with his father-in-law.

mentioned jesus 13 time. That lady wicked

Fed up with these Christians who wouldn't bother owning slaves today if slavery were still "legal".

panafrican:
Fed up with these Christians who wouldn't bother owning slaves today if slavery were still "legal".

and what of Arabs who are still in biz?

jesmond3945:
and what of Arabs who are still in biz?

They are not hypocrite Christians.
How can a Christian own slaves ? You

panafrican:

There are not hypocrite Christians.
How can a Christian own slaves ?

lol you are being delusional. Arabs are still buying and selling black people even till today. They even started selling and owning black slaves even before the europeans. Fully supported by their prophet Muhammed where in the quaran they are called Abeed and that if you want to see Shaytan look at a black man. Even me as I speak with you upon all the internationals I work with it is only them that detest black people but you see them looking inferior when they meet white people. It is only an idiot with low self esteem black man that would think an Arab is his friend.

jesmond3945:
lol you are being delusional. Arabs are still buying and selling black people even till today.

. One thing at a time.
We are not talking about Arabs here, we are talking abiyt Europeans, mainly Christians.So do not mix the wood because Arabs' actions do not excuse Europeans .
For instance, it was not Arabs who told the Church to write the Black code.

panafrican:
. One thing at a time.
We are not talking about Arabs here, we are talking abiyt Europeans, mainly Christians.So do not mix the wood because Arabs' actions do not excuse Europeans .
For instance, it was not Arabs who told the Church to write the Black code.

thats double standard bro. You cannot codemn the lesser devil while leaving out the bigger one. I have never had any issue with white people but i have serious issue with arabs. Probably when you experience them we can discuss objectively.
Besides if it was the church that wrote the black code why are african americans trooping to church in miilions? Why is christianity still thriving in Africa?

jesmond3945:
thats double standard bro. You cannot codemn the lesser devil while leaving out the bigger one. I have never had any issue with white people but i have serious issue with arabs. Probably when you experience them we can discuss objectively.
Besides if it was the church that wrote the black code why are african americans trooping to church in miilions? Why is christianity still thriving in Africa?

You contradicted yourself when said you had more issues with Arabs and no issue with Europeans, after stating that one cannot excuse the lesser devil while leaving out the bigger one. Are you saying slavery under Europeans helm was a heavenly act ?

Nonetheless you asked some interesting questions about Christianity striving in Africa and Black Americans being Christians. The answer to your question is simple: Europeans are liars and hypocritical. Many of them are atheists and opportunists.
They twisted Christianity to serve they imperialist needs. They joked about having used religion to conquer peoples in foreign lands. They even joked about sins, the same way the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah laughed when God warned them.
You know how those two cities ended.

The time is not far when an African Pope will be appointed to rid the Church of pedophiles and usurpers.

panafrican:

You contradicted yourself when said you had more issues with Arabs and no issue with Europeans, after stating that one cannot excuse the lesser devil while leaving out the bigger one. Are you saying slavery under Europeans helm was a heavenly act ?

Nonetheless you asked some interesting questions about Christianity striving in Africa and Black Americans being Christians. The answer to your question is simple: Europeans are liars and hypocritical. Many of them are atheists and opportunists.
They twisted Christianity to serve they imperialist needs. They joked about having used religion to conquer peoples in foreign lands. They even joked about sins, the same way the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah laughed when God warned them.
You know how those two cities ended.

The time is not far when an African Pope will be appointed to rid the Church of pedophiles and usurpers.

for your first paragraph no. Granted you are angry because of the past, the past remains the past. What I am concerned is how can slavery be still going on in 2019? How can you attack europeans who abolished slavery several years ago and leave out arabs who are still trading slaves in 2019?
Now why do you think is christianity that made them enslave us? Afterall our brothers sold each other to them for money. If we resisted them they would have left but our people sold their brothers to them and they had no choice to buy. It is chtistianity that is making them give money to feed the poor among your midst when your leaders cannot do so through the USAID and Worldbank. it was christianity that made angela merkel takes 1 million refugees when no one came to their aid, the name of her party is Christian Democrats. It was chrsitianity that made mary slessor to stop the killing of twins in calabar. It was the world council of churches that fed igbo children during the civil war It was chrsitianity that made you type on nairaland through the father of electronics an english missionary. So if you are so ungrateful to blame christianity rather than praise for what it has done as compared with what it didnt do well, then it is safe to say you need help for chronic narcissm.

jesmond3945:
for your first paragraph no. Granted you are angry because of the past, the past remains the past. What I am concerned is how can slavery be still going on in 2019? How can you attack europeans who abolished slavery several years ago and leave out arabs who are still trading slaves in 2019?
Now why do you think is christianity that made them enslave us? Afterall our brothers sold each other to them for money. If we resisted them they would have left but our people sold their brothers to them and they had no choice to buy. It is chtistianity that is making them give money to feed the poor among your midst when your leaders cannot do so through the USAID and Worldbank. it was christianity that made angela merkel takes 1 million refugees when no one came to their aid, the name of her party is Christian Democrats. It was chrsitianity that made mary slessor to stop the killing of twins in calabar. It was the world council of churches that fed igbo children during the civil ....

Do you know how many Nigerians ( Igbo,Yoruba, Hausa ,...) died to save Europe from Hitler ?
Do you know the exact number ?
How were Nigerians WW2 veterans paid compared to those from the UK ?

Talking about Europeans having abolished slavery ?
Well, check the timeline of the industrial revolution. The more technology was being used in farming, road infrastructure and other civil works at affordable price, the less slave masters needed slaves.

Buying a machine that could do the same job as 100 slaves was less costly and above all posed no risk compared to having to get on a boat , travel for one month or more to go to African jungles and risk one's life to capture slaves. That was why they stopped slavery for " human reasons" the same way they stopped using horses in farming and transportation when cars were invented. Got it ? !

Remember this : When the industrial revolution was coming to life, slave masters had already spent two or three centuries practicing slavery and making big fortunes out of slave labor.

About your " ours own brothers sold us " stuff. It is pure nonsense when you know Europeans came to Africa with chains and guns on purpose to capture slaves. They waged devastating wars, burning down kingdoms, kidnapping Kings , peasants, men, women and children on purpose to deport them to the so - called New World and use them as free labor.

Personally I had an uncle who died 40 years ago ( 1979) at the age of 100 or more. Still remember when he was telling us how during the late 1800 , people were running away from the white man , how women had to kill their own babies to prevent the baby from crying in the bush. It was the cries of the babies that help slave hunters locate anyone in hiding.
Those stories are not from a book written by a
" compassionate Christian and former slave owner who apologised " after making a fortune from slave labor.

Back to the good Samaritan during the war in Nigeria.
Have you heard about Jacques Baulin? He was an former influencial advisor to president Houphouet Boigny of Cote d' Ivoire? Baulin was a Christian.

He was one of the Europeans who couldn't stand the size of Nigeria. They were afraid Nigeria could become an African superpower.Baulin wrote a book in which he spent most of his time complaining why Nigeria was so big .
Him and other imperialists were behind the scene , taking advantage of the mayhem in Nigeria to fuel the civil war.
It comes to no surprise when Ojuku fled to
Cote d' Ivoire for asylum when things turned ugly.

Now Markel. She accpeted refugees thanks to her humble background in East Germany where she was born. She grew up under a communist Soviet - style regime, and learned how to help without always expecting any financial profit .

panafrican:


Do you know how many Nigerians ( Igbo,Yoruba, Hausa ,...) died to save Europe from Hitler ?
Do you know the exact number ?
How were Nigerians WW2 veterans paid compared to those from the UK ?

Talking about Europeans having abolished slavery ?
Well, check the timeline of the industrial revolution. The more technology was being used in farming, road infrastructure and other civil works at affordable price, the less slave masters needed slaves.

Buying a machine that could do the same job as 100 slaves was less costly and above all posed no risk compared to having to get on a boat , travel for one month or more to go to African jungles and risk one's life to capture slaves. That was why they stopped slavery for " human reasons" the same way they stopped using horses in farming and transportation when cars were invented. Got it ? !

Remember this : When the industrial revolution was coming to life, slave masters had already spent two or three centuries practicing slavery and making big fortunes out of slave labor.

About your " ours own brothers sold us " stuff. It is pure nonsense when you know Europeans came to Africa with chains and guns on purpose to capture slaves. They waged devastating wars, burning down kingdoms, kidnapping Kings , peasants, men, women and children on purpose to deport them to the so - called New World and use them as free labor.

Personally I had an uncle who died 40 years ago ( 1979) at the age of 100 or more. Still remember when he was telling us how during the late 1800 , people were running away from the white man , how women had to kill their own babies to prevent the baby from crying in the bush. It was the cries of the babies that help slave hunters locate anyone in hiding.
Those stories are not from a book written by a
" compassionate Christian and former slave owner who apologised " after making a fortune from slave labor.

Back to the good Samaritan during the war in Nigeria.
Have you heard about Jacques Baulin? He was an former influencial advisor to president Houphouet Boigny of Cote d' Ivoire? Baulin was a Christian.

He was one of the Europeans who couldn't stand the size of Nigeria. They were afraid Nigeria could become an African superpower.Baulin wrote a book in which he spent most of his time complaining why Nigeria was so big .
Him and other imperialists were behind the scene , taking advantage of the mayhem in Nigeria to fuel the civil war.
It comes to no surprise when Ojuku fled to
Cote d' Ivoire for asylum when things turned ugly.

Now Markel. She accpeted refugees thanks to her humble background in East Germany where she was born. She grew up under a communist Soviet - style regime, and learned how to help without always expecting any financial profit .

your last paragraph just destroyed your argument, why are core communist not harbouring refugees rather they fueling the war in syria no thanks to russia, merkel did it because of her christian beliefs period but in order for it to sell to the eu she called it political correctness.
Go and read the slave trade act 1807 to know the reason why slave trade was abolished and not the empty assumption you made up there. Many factors played a role.
You are a purveyor of conspiracy theories, who gives a damn about the size of Nigeria. Nigeria and africa can never be a threat to the west. The only threat to the west is islam. Africa has no religion and language. Either we are christian or muslim, either we speak english or french. Infact the west does give a damn about us. They only fear china and islam.
The baulin you wrote up there is a nobody, he has no influence whatsoever to the cause of history. Whether he made ojukwu to run to the ivory coast doesnt mean that the west caused the civil war. The civil war was caused because ojukwu who studied in uk had his mind transformed to never believe his people would play second fiddle.
Your uncle is a story teller and that what he is. I am intellectual that would buy an event that was properly documented and published all over the world after rigorous review. And the verdict is this people were sold by their brothers to the white man.

jesmond3945:
your last paragraph just destroyed your argument, why are core communist not harbouring refugees rather they fueling the war in syria no thanks to russia, merkel did it because of her christian beliefs period but in order for it to sell to the eu she called it political correctness.
Go and read the slave trade act 1807 to know the reason why slave trade was abolished and not the empty assumption you made up there. Many factors played a role.
You are a purveyor of conspiracy theories, who gives a damn about the size of Nigeria. Nigeria and africa can never be a threat to the west. The only threat to the west is islam. Africa has no religion and language. Either we are christian or muslim, either we speak english or french. Infact the west does give a damn about us. They only fear china and islam.
The baulin you wrote up there is a nobody, he has no influence whatsoever to the cause of history. Whether he made ojukwu to run to the ivory coast doesnt mean that the west caused the civil war. The civil war was caused because ojukwu who studied in uk had his mind transformed to never believe his people would play second fiddle.
Your uncle is a story teller and that what he is. I am intellectual that would buy an event that was properly documented and published all over the world after rigorous review. And the verdict is this people were sold by their brothers to the white man.

An intellectual who give in to absolutism.
Funny with your Africa has no religion and no language.Might be writing from another planet .
The slave code act in 1807 !
When did slavery start in America ? 1619 when that Deutsch slave ship brought 20 African Slaves to the British Colony of Jamestiwn Virginia.
From that date to 1807 , how many years was that ?
Almost two centuries ( 200 years ) not two weeks, not
two months ,not two years , but 200 years !

Do you know what happened in the years around 1807?
See industrial revolution timeline in England
https://webs.bcp.org/sites/vcleary/modernworldhistorytextbook/industrialrevolution/Timeline.html

As far as the commies are concerned they say they have no colony in Africa. They are not taking refugees because they did not plunder Africa .
Ask the French ,the British, the Deutsch, the Portuguese and Spain.
Ask the French why they overthrew Modibo Keita in Mali when he tried to get his country out of the Franc CFA ( a colonial currency mandated by De Gaulle).
Ask why President Olympio of Togo was killed .
Why Tombalbaye of Chad was killed. Ask why Ruben of Cameroon, Felix Moumie and Ouinde were killed in
Cameroon.