Tennessee Could Make Bible the Official State Book

[tres borrachos]

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.

But it is a book.

 

[Dragonfly]

It's really just a book, though a hugely successful and very influential book.

So if some state decided to select the Koran as their "state book" ?
That would be okay?

 

[Frank Apisa]

soon they'll be like qatar and publish only 2 books a year

i'm mostly amazed anyone in TN can read

Read???

Here are some pages from the particular one they chose:

 

[Gringo allstar]

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.

I'm sure the Netherlands is just full of these types, while pushy secularists are a rare breed...

 

[joG]

What a bunch of idiots.

Tennessee Could Make Bible the Official State Book - US News

It seems unconstitutional and the stupid backlash overshoot one would expect after the braying Neo-Liberal bigotry of recent.

 

[Grant]

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest took place in Oregon.

Yes, and the cuckoo flew right over your head as well.

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?

No, Kobie, the Bible wasn't written in Tennessee. It is about history and relates to many people, just as many books do. The tomato didn't originate in Tennessee either, nor did the Purple Passion Flower, but they are both official state symbols.

How is a book forcing anything on you? Your fears are unwarranted, unless you believe that Tennesseans are now being forced to eat tomatoes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Tennessee_state_symbols

 

[Grant]

Yes, the Bible is "just a book." Just like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest!

That's right. Some call it a "Holy Book", others just call it a book. Nothing to be afraid of at all.

 

[joG]

I'm sure the Netherlands is just full of these types, while pushy secularists are a rare breed...

Do you think? I have never actually discussed religion with anyone in Holland. On the other side of the boarder it is different. There it is the secularists that are pushy.

 

[Grant]

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.

I think it's a brilliant stroke, beating every other State to the greatest best seller of all time!

Of course once this bit of excitement dies down and the knickers get knotted over some other minor issue, this "Official" book will be as as forgotten as the official flowers symbols, tree symbols, metal symbols, and all the rest. Being anti-Christian just happens to be in vogue, to an incredible degree with a competitive religion especially, so some get easily excited at anything which might possibly proselytize their innocent minds.

 

[Gringo allstar]

Do you think? I have never actually discussed religion with anyone in Holland. On the other side of the boarder it is different. There it is the secularists that are pushy.

The only people who ever bring up the religious "talk" when I'm outside my own home are atheist that I know.... This whole "thumpers pushing religion on people" is a strawman if there ever was one.

 

[Peter King]

I'm sure the Netherlands is just full of these types, while pushy secularists are a rare breed...

Nope, I never said that only in Tennessee this happens. In the Netherlands there is one political party (which usually gets around 2 or 3 seats in the election, out of 150) who base every decision they make on the bible.

But when MP's swear in an oath of loyalty to the constitution, or swear loyalty to the King, they have the option of doing a religious oath or a non-religious oath. And that is how it should be, the state should not mandate people to swear on something they do not believe in. Governments should not promote a religion or atheism, they should be neutral as much as humanly possible.

 

[Frank Apisa]

I think it's a brilliant stroke, beating every other State to the greatest best seller of all time!

Of course once this bit of excitement dies down and the knickers get knotted over some other minor issue, this "Official" book will be as as forgotten as the official flowers symbols, tree symbols, metal symbols, and all the rest. Being anti-Christian just happens to be in vogue, to an incredible degree with a competitive religion especially, so some get easily excited at anything which might possibly proselytize their innocent minds.

Ahhh...so this has to do with anti-Christian...even though over 90% of the Bible is about Jews, Jewish history, and Jewish tradition?

 

[Grant]

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.

And what are these 'true intentions'? The Bible plays a significant role in American history, in the history of all the democracies in fact, so making it an official book shouldn't be that big a deal.

Of course it's being recognized as a very special book, and that's actually what it is to a great many people and in our mutual history, whether it's acknowledged or not. It's not that the federal government is doing anything Christian, perish the thought, but if the people of Tennessee want to do it, why not?

 

[ludin]

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.

actually not correct this also goes down to the state level as well.
but these types of things are mostly symbolic in nature and carry no legal weight or authority.

 

[Somerville]

It does look like some who call themselves Christian prefer following the commandments found in the Old Testament over the words of Jesus.

Group's Veterans Director Resigns amid Threats over Bible Removal

The director of veterans' affairs for a civil rights organization resigned Tuesday just days into the job after he and his family were threatened by religious extremists angry over his role in the removal of a Bible from a missing man memorial at a veterans clinic in Youngstown, Ohio.

On Monday, Jordan Ray, a retired Army captain who served multiple overseas tours, started his job with the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. On Tuesday, following Military.com's report about Bible's removal and Ray's role in it, he and his family were stunned and frightened by the threats made against them in online forums.

"I cannot believe I deployed five times to fight radical Islamists overseas only to come home, voice my opinion, and be attacked by radical Christians," Ray, 41, said in his letter of resignation, a copy of which was provided to Military.com on Wednesday. "Who's persecuting who?"

There are frightening parallels between the two groups, radical Islamists and radical Christians: Don't mess with their sacred text, kill the gays, anti-abortion, women should be subservient to men, only their specific beliefs are acceptable in society and all government regulations should comply with those beliefs.

 

[radcen]

I'm just happy that the state of Tennessee has a book.

*rimshot*

 

[radcen]

I think it's silly. I'd prefer they didn't. But, if they do I'll just :yawn:.

 

[Moon]

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.

Good thing that's not happening in this case, then.

 

[Grant]

It does look like some who call themselves Christian prefer following the commandments found in the Old Testament over the words of Jesus.
There are frightening parallels between the two groups, radical Islamists and radical Christians: Don't mess with their sacred text, kill the gays, anti-abortion, women should be subservient to men, only their specific beliefs are acceptable in society and all government regulations should comply with those beliefs.

You should get up to speed. http://indefenseofchristians.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Genocide-report.pdf

But this is just Tennessee, has nothing to do with abortion, and is not an international crisis.

 

[Bootlace]

(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.

So what does a state bird or state flower force on you?

 

[Grant]

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.

I've noticed the same about non-Christians as well. Atheists seem to enjoy boasting about their lack of belief.

 

[radcen]

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.

You could legitimately argue that making the Bible the state book would be the state "promoting" a particular religion. "Practicing" would be questionable. But, absent any other action, "enforced" and "dictated" do not apply here.

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

There is plenty of historical relevance for them to do this and most likely the easy book to pick, if you're going to have a "state book."
This stuff is yawn worthy, to get up in arms about.

 

[Grant]

There is plenty of historical relevance for them to do this and most likely the easy book to pick, if you're going to have a "state book."
This stuff is yawn worthy, to get up in arms about.

But that 'up in arms' is what's interesting about this kerfuffle.

 

[tessaesque]

I think taking time out of the legislative process to make anything the "State ______" is kind of a waste of time. What the hell does it matter if there's a state pie or not? Does anybody really care if we have a state bird? State book? State color? State fart sound?