Kamala Harris Attacked Over Hindu Religion In US: 'Vengeful Godess.'
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has been attacked for her religious beliefs as a fresh controversy brings forward her association with Hinduism while sparking a new debate over her faith. Critics, including conservative commentator Charlie Spiering, said Harris' religious background is inconsistent with her current statements on faith.
In a public forum Harris said she prays once a day sometimes twice after President Joe Biden endorsed her. She described a call to her pastor, Reverend Amos C. Brown from the Third Baptist Church in San Francisco, saying: "I instinctively understood the gravity of the moment, the seriousness of the moment," and said she needed spiritual connection, prayer.
However, Spiering maintained that Harris' description of her faith has changed. In his Twitter post, he said that last night Kamala Harris stated, "I was raised to believe in a loving God, to believe that your faith is a verb, you live your faith." According to Spiering, she was, in fact raised by her mother to believe in a vengeful Hindu goddess if you listen to her early political speeches in SF.
In the book, Spiering quotes in reference to Harris mentioning Hindu goddesses, especially Parvati and Kali, in her first political campaign. According to reports, Harris was allegedly drawn to the story of Kali, grim-visaged dark goddess who can easily be recognized by four arms and carrying the severed head and sword, to prosecute as a profession. She continued that the story of Kali that had been told to her by her mother during childhood days instilled in her a sense of justice where she strived to defend it for herself and others.
Disclosures about Harris's cultural and religious identity have sparked fierce debates. Now that Harris, long ago, proudly declared herself to be of Indian and African-American descent, critics are taking a closer look at her references to Hindu deities, in particular Kali, who, according to Hindu mythology, can be fierce and vengeful at times.
Faith in the Public Eye
Harris has maintained for years that her spiritual life is complicated. Her religious background had both Hindu and Christian influences because one parent, mother Shyamala Gopalan, was from India and the other parent, Donald Harris, was an African-American. Harris has often referred to faith when talking about her career. Harris has often said faith is an integral part of her life. But in recent years she has been stressing again Christianity, and, in many instances, talking about the power of prayer.
This back lash over Harris's Hindu background mirrors much wider discussions within the United States on issues of religious pluralism and faith in public service. While some regard her openness to diverse influences as a virtue, others describe shifting narratives.
Cultural Impact and Political Ramifications
This latest controversy, coupled with the timing, has sparked wider discussion. As the U.S. presidential election approaches, any challenge to Harris's personal or political background may be particularly influential. Others view criticism as a serious attempt to undermine Harris's credibility; still, others see criticism as reflective of the complexities of religious identity in public life.