Washington, D.C. ? Keith Ellison, who will become the first Muslim member of Congress next month, has offended some conservatives with his plan to use the Quran during his ceremonial swearing-in.

The decision by Ellison, D-Minn., to use the Muslim holy book for the ceremony instead of the Bible triggered an angry column by Dennis Prager on the Web site Townhall.com this week.

Headlined, “America, Not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on,” Prager argued that using the Quran for the ceremony “undermines American civilization.” Conservative bloggers have picked up the criticism and run with it.

Ellison was unavailable for comment Friday, but his incoming chief of staff, Kari Moe, dismissed the brouhaha.