“Prayer to a Demon”: Responses to the events at the summit that elevated Trump

The GOP National Convention session, which officially nominated Donald Trump as the party’s presidential candidate for 2024, concluded with a prayer to a neutral deity of the Sikh religion, a faith that holds beliefs in rebirth and karma.

High-profile Republican attorney Harmeet Dhillon took the stand, covered her head, and recited “ardas” prayers to “Waheguru, our only true god,” seeking blessings and protection for former President Trump’s candidacy.

This act troubled some Christian commentators, who perceived it as an affront to Catholic and evangelical Christians, who constitute the majority of the Republican Party.

“Imagine being at a huge event, watching Trump survive the assassination, convincing yourself that he has some kind of mandate from heaven, and then seeing the RNC open with a prayer to a demon,” said Ben Zeisloft, editor of the Republic Sentinel.

“America must turn to the Triune God. Not to Allah. Not to Vishnu. No to ‘Waheguru,’” Zeisloft said in a new post on X.

Matt Gaspers, managing editor of Catholic Family News, said:

“They let Harmeet Dhillon invoke the name of a false god, thus giving the impression that all religions are equal.

“Wow: 2024 is that year when Republicans’ association with evangelism officially ends,” said Anthony Bradley, a researcher at the Acton Institute.

“Harmeet Dhillon thanks the Chardikala spirit for closing the RNC session,” Bradley continued. “He said in prayer, ‘Dear Waheguru, our only true God.’

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The prayer has elicited numerous reactions and is perceived by some as an attempt to dissociate the Republican Party from national conservatism. This movement regards Christianity as the optimal means to safeguard the United States and the Western world against the increasing power and influence of globalist neo-Marxist ideologies.