Establishment Clause? We don' need no stinkin' Establishment Clause.
Earlier this week, the Pennsylvania Legislature brought to the floor a nonbinding resolution declaring 2012 "The Year of The Bible".
So as to expedite the process, it was called "noncontroverisial", therefore bypassing committee hearings.
It's the sheer arrogance and ignorance that gets me. The text of the resolution pretty much speaks for itself.
Excuse me while I go and down a handful of beta-blockers.
PA House Resolution No. 535 (introduced as noncontroversial resolution)
A RESOLUTION
Declaring 2012 as the “Year of the Bible” in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, The Bible, the word of God, has made a unique
contribution in shaping the United States as a distinctive and
blessed nation and people; and
WHEREAS, Deeply held religious convictions springing from the
holy scriptures led to the early settlement of our country; and
WHEREAS, Biblical teachings inspired concepts of civil
government that are contained in our Declaration of Independence
and the Constitution of the United States; and
WHEREAS, Many of our great national leaders, among them
President Washington, President Jackson, President Lincoln,
President Wilson and President Reagan, paid tribute to the
influence of the Bible in our country’s development, as
exemplified by the words of President Jackson that the Bible is
“the rock on which our Republic rests”; and
WHEREAS, The history of our country clearly illustrates the
value of voluntarily applying the teachings of the scriptures in
the lives of individuals, families and societies; and
WHEREAS, This nation now faces great challenges that will
test it as it has never been tested before; and
WHEREAS, Renewing our knowledge of and faith in God through
holy scripture can strengthen us as a nation and a people;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives declare 2012 as
the “Year of the Bible” in Pennsylvania in recognition of both
the formative influence of the Bible on our Commonwealth and
nation and our national need to study and apply the teachings of
the holy scriptures
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is protesting an unconstitutional resolution naming 2012 the "Year of the Bible," unanimously passed (193-0) in the Pennsylvania General Assembly this week.
Pennsylvania legislators have no right to endorse the bible as "the word of God," much less to direct state and national citizens to study and apply it. Most perniciously, the resolution implies our nation was founded on the bible, when in fact our nation is founded on an entirely secular and godless constitution, whose only references to religion are exclusionary, such as there shall be no religious test for public office.
In a letter to Speaker of the House Samuel Smith and House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, the FFRC charges:
Pennsylvania's state Constitution clearly guarantees that no citizen:
can of right be compeled to attend, erect or, support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against this consent; no human authority can in any case whatsoever, control of interfere with the limits of conscience, and no preferences shall ever be given by law to any religious establishment or modes of worship. Art. 1, Section 3.