By Jim on
Anything Else
Politics

Tennessee’s Bible bill cleared another hurdle Thursday when it passed the House Calendar and Rules committee. HB 615, which has 19 co-signers, is now scheduled for a debate in the full house on Tuesday.

Full text TN HB 615

Discussion

Sat, 04/11/15

Bible Deserves To Be More Than Trivia Answer

Nearly two months ago, we noted that the Bible is the world’s best-selling book and contains all of the necessary information needed for personal salvation, but said making it Tennessee’s “official state book” was trivializing it to the maximum.

Nevertheless, it appears a bill doing just that will reach the state House and Senate floors next week and would have enough votes to pass. Who, after all, wants to be the candidate in a conservative, rural county in 2016 who voted against the Bible?

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Jim's Doctrinal Statement

Sat, 04/11/15

1) Lawmakers need to find something more important to spend their time on.

2) It is unconstitutional federally (and apparently on a state level in Tennessee) to give preference to Christianity over other religions. I am against this kind of attempt to circumvent the law and try to cram the Bible down the throat of the people of Tennessee. Christians should oppose this kind of legislation not only because it is illegal but also because the day may come when we are no longer the majority. Who wants the book of some other religion crammed down our throat?

Sun, 04/12/15

…with Jesus as the State Mascot and the Ol’ Rugged Cross as the State Tree.
*sigh*

Tue, 04/14/15

….it brings to mind times when I’ve prayed for God to forgive me for not simply walking out when a pathetic, ecumenical excuse for a prayer was offered at public events. To paraphrase something someone smarter than I noted about the Ten Commandments, if you want to honor the Bible, LIVE IT.

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.

Fri, 04/17/15

Tennessee Senate shelves bill that would name Bible as state book

Republicans, who hold strong majorities in the state House and Senate, were divided over the proposal, and the Senate on Thursday referred the proposal to its Judiciary Committee, which is not scheduled to meet again this session.

Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey, a Republican who serves as speaker of the Senate, said he was a Christian, a constitutionalist and a conservative who opposed the bill. Sending it to the committee was the right thing to do, he said.

“The Bible is my official book but it need not be the official book of the state of Tennessee,” Ramsey said in a statement.

Supporters had said it was worth a fight to make the Bible the official state book. Opponents cited concerns about the cost of legal challenges, how the law might be perceived outside Tennessee and the addition of the Bible to an array of other official designations for a state dance, song or amphibian.

“We don’t need to put the Bible beside salamanders, tulip poplars and “Rocky Top” in the Tennessee Blue Book to appreciate its importance to our state,” Ramsey said.

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Jim's Doctrinal Statement