Caru Das, president of the Lotus Temple in Utah, participated in the National Prayer Day Observances across the country on May 6 by speaking at the Provo Taberanacle on the evils of “party spirit” among religions.

Caru’s topic was a response to the feeling of many evangelical Christian leaders that Hindus, Muslims and Mormons do not pray to the same God, and their resultant efforts to exclude them from the majority of services organised by the National Prayer Day Task force.

Caru’s talk consisted of an extended quotation by the prominent 19th century Vaishnava leader, Bhaktivinode Thakur. The Thakur specifically points out that “Both the Western Christian and the Eastern devotees will utter the same sentiment, but they will fight with each other only because they have arrived at their common conclusion by different ways of thoughts.”

He also warns that,”Party-spirit––that great enemy of truth––will always baffle the attempt of the inquirer, and will make him believe that absolute truth is nowhere except in his religious book.”

In an interview on May 4, Franklin Graham, Honorary Chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, had mocked Muslims and Hindus and said that they “do not worship the same God I worship.”

This article is based on material adapted from utahkrishnas.org. For the entire speech, click here.