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HCON 284 IH
Encouraging the President to proclaim 2008 as `The National Year of the Bible'.
January 29, 2008
Mr. AKIN (for himself and Mr. CLEAVER) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Encouraging the President to proclaim 2008 as `The National Year of the Bible'.
Whereas the Bible has had a profound impact in shaping America into a great nation;
Whereas deep religious beliefs stemming from the Old and New Testament of the Bible have inspired Americans from all walks of life, especially the early settlers, whose faith, spiritual courage, and moral strength enabled them to endure intense hardships in this new land;
Whereas many of our Presidents have recognized the importance of God and the Bible, including George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, FDR, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, and especially Ronald Reagan, who declared 1983 as `The National Year of the Bible';
Whereas shared Biblical beliefs unified the colonists and gave our early leaders the wisdom to write the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, both of which recognized the inherent worth, dignity, and inalienable rights of each individual, thus unifying a diverse people with the right to vote and the freedoms of speech and religion which gave men like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the courage to lead the Civil Rights Movement;
Whereas the Bible has been the world's best selling book since it was first published in English in 1526, and has influenced more people than any other book;
Whereas the Bible has been a cornerstone in the development of Western civilization, influencing the nations in the areas of history, legal and political systems, culture, music, literature, art, drama, and especially moral philosophy;
Whereas the Bible, used as a moral guide, has inspired compassion, love for our neighbor, and the preciousness of life and marriage, and has stimulated many benevolent, faith-based and community initiatives which have healed and blessed our families, communities, and our entire Nation, especially in times of crises and tragedies;
Whereas the Bible has inspired acts of patriotism that have unified Americans, commemorated through shared celebrations such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Thanksgiving, Independence Day, and Memorial Day, as well as Labor Day and Presidents Day; and
Whereas 2008 is an appropriate year to name `The National Year of the Bible' since it is the 25th anniversary of the 1983 Year of the Bible: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the President is encouraged--
(1) to designate an appropriate year as `The National Year of the Bible'; and
(2) to issue a proclamation calling upon citizens of all faiths to rediscover and apply the priceless, timeless message of the Holy Scriptures which has profoundly influenced and shaped the United States and its great democratic form of self government, as well as its rich spiritual heritage, and which has unified, healed, and strengthened its people for over 200 years.
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I am an Evangelical Christian and I take my faith seriously. I oppose this bill because the Bible has ALSO been used in this country to justify slavery, genocide of Native Americans, racial segregation including inter-racial marriage, a second-class citizen status of women by denying them property rights, voting rights, and the right to divorce or to seek protection from abusive husbands. It is currently being used by theocrats who want to claim that their conservative, nationalistic interpretation of the Bible led to the progress made throughout the history of this country, when exactly the opposite is true. Throughout history, conservatives have used the Bible to claim that their own prejudices and bigotry are God's will, to justify their own evil behavior, the persecution of people with other religious beliefs and/or practices, or who were just eccentric, and of scientists and academics, and to increase their own wealth and power, all the while claiming "God's blessing" and favoritism. This is completely opposed to the spirit of the Bible, -- both of Jesus and of the Hebrew Prophets. It also violates the separation of Church and State. No. This bill is just another attempt to move the U.S. toward being an authoritarian state controlled by a group of conservative Christian ideologues.
Isn't there more important things to be voting on than THIS!!! Don't get me wrong, I believe we need God back in our schools, but our country has all these illegals, that won't learn the English language, want us to speak Spanish for them to understand US, not a strong boarder wall, criminals that are set free, and now they want to tie up valuable time. Have you lost your mind?!?!
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