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Tennessee Could Make Bible the Official State Book

They should have school plays where the kids recite the Song of Solomon. Word for word.

All of a sudden you would have conservative parents lined up for miles to ban the Bible. :D
 
What a ridiculous waste of taxpayer $$, for legislators to be spending time on this. Every single resident should be outraged.

If you have strong faith, why do you need anyone else to recognize the importance of the Bible, much less 'the state?'
 
Top Cat said:
What a bunch of idiots.

Tennessee Could Make Bible the Official State Book - US News
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Actually, the states have the power to do that if they want to. The First Amendment restricts Congress, not the states, from establishing a religion: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; ..."

However, having the power to do a thing does not necessarily make doing the thing the right thing to do.
 
Lursa said:
If you have strong faith, why do you need anyone else to recognize the importance of the Bible, much less 'the state?'
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Christ declared that whoever does not believe will be damned. So if one believes, and loves one's neighbors, one will wish that they also believe.
 
Paleocon said:
Christ declared that whoever does not believe will be damned. So if one believes, and loves one's neighbors, one will wish that they also believe.
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(emphasis added by me)

Agreed. Yet - Wishing it and trying to force it are two separate and distinct actions. Having the state establish a religion is the latter, not the former.
 
I'm just happy that the state of Tennessee has a book.
 
Beaudreaux said:
(emphasis added by me)

Agreed. Yet - Wishing it and trying to force it are two separate and distinct actions.
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No one is forcing anyone to do anything.

Having the state establish a religion is the latter, not the former.
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No, it isn't. Not unless you mangle the English language and define force along the lines of "pressure or encouragement, however slight".
 
Beaudreaux said:
Actually, the states have the power to do that if they want to. The First Amendment restricts Congress, not the states, from establishing a religion: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; ..."

However, having the power to do a thing does not necessarily make doing the thing the right thing to do.
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Tennessee Constitution, Article 1 "declaration of rights," section 3.

"... that no preference shall ever be given, by law, to any religious establishment or mode of worship."

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/about/docs/tn-constitution.pdf
 
Paleocon said:
Ad hominem.
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That's not what ad hominem is.

Ad hominem is saying "their position is wrong because they are idiots." Just calling them idiots is not ad hominem.
 
Grant said:
They have State songs, state flowers , state mottoes, and so on. Why not a State book?

Georgia could select 'Gone With The Wind', for example, Minnesotans might select 'Main Street', and Californians would probably nominate 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'.
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One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest took place in Oregon.

Was the Bible written in Tennessee, or is it about Tennessee? Or is this, yet again, an attempt by Republicans to force religion on people?
 
Grant said:
Well, they won't be doing any of that. It's really just a book, though a hugely successful and very influential book.
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Yes, the Bible is "just a book." Just like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest!
 
Grant said:
Well, they won't be doing any of that. It's really just a book, though a hugely successful and very influential book.
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I think it will come down to the argument, as we have entered an awkward condition on the practical implications of assigning a "official book" status to the Bible. I question how much of this is really about a symbolic gesture of historical significance (however misguided) vs. where and how it will be mentioned on this new status for the Bible in Tennessee. How that is referenced going forward may open the door to a challenge on "preference... to any religious establishment or mode of worship." It is a line Tennessee seems to be willing to walk that could be problematic.

Assuming this passes as is of course, this is not quite a done deal just yet.
 
soon they'll be like qatar and publish only 2 books a year

i'm mostly amazed anyone in TN can read
 
Kobie said:
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest took place in Oregon.

Was the Bible written in Tennessee, or is it about Tennessee? Or is this, yet again, an attempt by Republicans to force religion on people?
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obviously the 2nd coming will take place in TN
 
This is wrong, in my eyes.

To do this under the guise of calling the Bible a "book" is deceptive and skirting the proponents true intentions.
 
Chomsky said:
This is wrong, in my eyes.

To do this under the guise of calling the Bible a "book" is deceptive and skirting the proponents true intentions.
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What is the Bible if it isn't a book?

Fill us in.

:lol:

I doubt that this will have any effect on anything that's happening on this planet.
 
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Lursa said:
What a ridiculous waste of taxpayer $$, for legislators to be spending time on this. Every single resident should be outraged.

If you have strong faith, why do you need anyone else to recognize the importance of the Bible, much less 'the state?'
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Because sadly some christians are pious to the level of being boastful, intolerant, self-aggrandizing, arrogant and inconsiderate to anyone not as devout and pious as they are. Religion should be a personal faith, not a government enforced/practiced/promoted/dictated state affair.
 
Beaudreaux said:
Actually, the states have the power to do that if they want to. The First Amendment restricts Congress, not the states, from establishing a religion: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; ..."

However, having the power to do a thing does not necessarily make doing the thing the right thing to do.
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Is it your view, then, that a state could constitutionally ban the practice of Christianity?
 
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