Hindu temple vandalised in US

New York In the latest attack on Hindu houses of worship in the US a temple has been vandalised in Texas horrifying both Hindus and nonHindus who have offered to help the temple clean the damage media reportedIn the attack at the North Texas Hindu Mandir in Lake Highlands suburb of Dallas vandals painted symbols of devil worship on the temples door media reports said on Saturday The attackers left behind on a shed at the temple the mark of Mara Salvatrucha an international gang originating among immigrants from the predominantly Catholic nation of El Salvador and active in the USThe 11CBS network in DallasFort Worth area reported that a temple board member Krishna Singh said mandir members discovered the graffiti last Monday That was a big shock really the network quoted her as saying It makes me sad inside a nineyearold child Gracie Reed told 11CBS To me its really horrifying because I dont know who would do this to a church the child said referring to the house of worshipDallas police have sent detectives from their gang unit to investigate the incident according to WFAA an ABC network affiliated local station While the administration of President Barack Obama who has criticised India over religious tolerance and Christian leaders have not reacted as of Sunday to the Texas vandalism nonHindu neighbours have offered to help the temple WFAA reported that a cleanup effort was scheduled for SundayTed Hoffman who lives across from the temple told 11CBS We all find it appalling and the neighbours have offered to help paint over the symbols The gesture of help from neighbours was welcomed by Hindus WFAA quoted the temple treasurers Karen Snorton as saying she found the offer reassuring Theyve been here so thats a positive thing thats come out of all of this In a statement Universal Society of Hinduism president Rajan Zed thanked the neighbours for offering the temple helpTo counter such attacks Zed urged fellow Hindus to educate Americans about Hinduism Basics of major world religions should be taught in high schools of the country and first responders should be imparted cultural competency training he added The temple supports community charities like food banks for the poor and an organisation that helps victims of child abuse Snorton told WFAA that MS13 was spraypainted on one of the sheds MS13 is the abbreviated name and tag or signature of Mara SalvatruchaAccording to 11CBS 666 and an upside cross were painted on the temple door They symbolise devil worship Some Christian leaders including a former candidate for the Republican Partys presidential nomination Pat Robertson have called Hinduism demonic Robertson is a pastor who has a following of millions in the US and abroad and his TV show Club 700 is carried on Christian Broadcasting Network which says on its website that it operates in IndiaThe attack is the latest in a series attacks on Hindu places of worship Two temples were vandalised in Washington State in northwest US in February In August a statue of Shiva at the Vishwa Bhavan Hindu Mandir in Monroe in the state of Georgia was desecrated with black paint The local sheriffs office arrested two people in connection with the attack Between July and October in Loudon County in Virginia police have documented 17 separate incidents of antiHindu vandalism the Hindu American Foundation saidThe attacks come amid antiHindu propaganda by Christian fundamentalist leaders Besides Robertson Christian pastor Franklin Graham has denounced Hindus as followers of a false religion and said that none of their 9000 gods is going to lead me to salvation We are fooling ourselves When Zed was invited to say the opening invocation at start of an Idaho state Senate session last month some legislators protestedSenator Sheryl Nuxoll said she boycotted the invocation because she said she believed the US is a Christian nation and Hindu is a false faith with false gods However Catholic Churchs leadership in Idaho state criticised her and declared her denunciation of Hinduism do not represent the opinions or teachings of the Roman Catholic Church Boise Bishop Peter Christensen or even our Holy Father Pope Francis who has been an outspoken supporter of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue