Want more hot BPR News stories? Sign up for our morning blast HERE
Legislators from the state of Tennessee caused controversy Tuesday over the text they chose as their official state book.
The bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Steve Southerland, to make the Bible Tennessee’s official state book passed with a vote of 19 – 8 after 30 minutes of deliberation and now awaits the signature of Republican Gov. Bill Haslam, the Tennessean reported.
Of those who opposed the measure, two different arguments were made: There are those that believe making it the state book violates the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution while others believe it dilutes the religious significance of the book.
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, a Republican, said the argument made by Southerland that the Bible is a history book was wrong.
“This is much more than a history book,” he said before saying he believed Haslam should veto it, according to the Tennesseean.
The American Civil Liberties union believes the move promotes Christianity above all other religions.
“Lawmakers’ thinly veiled effort to promote one religion over other religions clearly violates both the United States and Tennessee Constitutions, as our state attorney general has already pointed out,” ACLU-Tennessee Executive Director Hedy Weinberg said.
“Privileging one religion over another not only tramples on the Constitution, it marginalizes the tens of thousands of Tennesseans who choose to practice other religions or not to practice religion at all,” she added, echoing Ramsey’s contention that the bill should be vetoed.
Republican Sen. Kerry Roberts argued that the Bible did have historical significance.
“The very founding of our nation — the very form of government that we have today — was put forth by men of faith, based on their faith, based on what they read in Holy Scripture,” he said.
“This book has done more to bring us to where we are today than any other book in the history of mankind,” Roberts added.
Sign up for our morning blast HERE
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- Britney Spears shows off her rockin’ new bod, but had to spoil it with a liberal message about ‘Dreamers’ - December 24, 2017
- Border patrol forget they’re supposed to be heartless, deliver beautiful baby at the border - December 24, 2017
- After scoring tax cut victory, Trump sees ‘tremendous Democrat support’ for his next big initiative - December 24, 2017
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
