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Louisiana Closer to Making Bible Official State Book After Bill Passes House Committee
Christian Post ^ | 04/14/2014 | Katherine Webber

Posted on 04/14/2014 1:19:15 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

The House Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs voted 8 to 5 to pass the legislation, entitled House Bill 503. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Thomas Carmody (R-Shreveport), argues that the purpose of the bill is not to establish an official religion in the state, but rather to reflect America's history and founding principles as outlined by the country's Founding Fathers.

"It's not to the exclusion of anyone else's sacred literature," he told the House committee, according to The Associated Press.

Carmody added later: "This is not about establishing an official religion of the state of Louisiana."

When one lawmaker asked Carmody if he was prepared to offend Louisiana's non-Christians with his bill, Carmody repeated that the purpose of the legislation was not to offend or establish a state religion.

"It's not meant to be offensive," Carmody said. "There's no requirement that they would have to follow this particular text."

Some skeptical lawmakers were concerned that the bill's original text referenced a specific version of the bible, one published by Johannes Prevel and found in the Louisiana State Museum system, to be used as the state book. Carmody then changed the text of the bill to allow the King James version of the bible to be used instead.

Those critical of the bill argued the legislation was unnecessary and would make the state more vulnerable to lawsuits. The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana has also expressed its concern regarding the legislation.

"[The official state book] ought to be one that relates to the history of Louisiana and not one that is going to discriminate against a large number of Louisianans," said Executive Director Majorie Esman, according to The Times-Picayune.

There have been other recent stories of U.S. cities and states adopting the bible as part of their identity. Back in January, Mayor Tom Hayden of Flower Mound, Texas declared 2014 the "Year of the Bible." Hayden was clear in saying his proclamation was not a law, but rather an attempt to encourage residents to live by biblically-based principles.

Pennsylvania lawmakers also voted to establish 2012 as the "Year of the Bible," causing uproar from atheist groups who then placed a billboard in the center of the state to protest the resolution.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Louisiana
KEYWORDS: bible; establishmentclause; firstamendment; holybible; kingjamesversion; louisiana; redmeat

1 posted on 04/14/2014 1:19:16 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Which version?


2 posted on 04/14/2014 1:19:58 PM PDT by fwdude ( You cannot compromise with that which you must defeat.)
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To: SeekAndFind

They shouldn’t call their parishes parishes if they want to be PC.


3 posted on 04/14/2014 1:24:07 PM PDT by Genoa (Starve the beast.)
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To: SeekAndFind

So despite Catholic France establishing Louisiana and it was ruled by Catholic Spain for a few decades, Catholic versions did not make the cut.


4 posted on 04/14/2014 1:28:23 PM PDT by C19fan
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To: SeekAndFind

Some of these lawmakers get it. They know Who is in charge of their next breath! Without God we are NOTHING!


5 posted on 04/14/2014 1:29:39 PM PDT by Maudeen (Jesus is the Answer. . .now what is the question?)
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To: Maudeen

I am all for Christianity...but this isn’t a good idea...An official book walks right up to that establishment line, in my opinion...


6 posted on 04/14/2014 1:33:08 PM PDT by Tulane
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To: C19fan

The Latin Vulgate is what they need.


7 posted on 04/14/2014 1:33:41 PM PDT by Genoa (Starve the beast.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Uh....what?

How about a book on the history of the state?


8 posted on 04/14/2014 1:36:35 PM PDT by VanDeKoik
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To: SeekAndFind
an attempt to encourage residents to live by biblically-based principles

And this will certainly accomplish that. /s

9 posted on 04/14/2014 1:44:26 PM PDT by Genoa (Starve the beast.)
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To: Genoa

Shut down the French quarter?


10 posted on 04/14/2014 1:46:30 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans!)
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To: Tulane

But that's kind of the point. Congress can't establish a religion. State can do what it likes. Furthermore, Louisiana is not establishing a religion; it is naming a state book (just like a state bird, flower, or tree). I think this illuminates the limits of Federal power brilliantly. I hope it succeeds.


11 posted on 04/14/2014 1:55:19 PM PDT by so_real ( "The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.")
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To: Tulane

You may be right, but at least these lawmakers are taking a stand on what they believe. There was a time when the Bible was THE textbook in the school and law was patterned after the Ten Commandments (not the ten suggestions). Now look what we have. . . a society out of control and unless God performs a miracle after much repentance from the citizens of our country. . then as my grandfather use to say, “that’s all she wrote”.


12 posted on 04/14/2014 3:06:10 PM PDT by Maudeen (Jesus is the Answer. . .now what is the question?)
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To: SeekAndFind

Egad, the Muslims are coming, the Muslims are coming!!


13 posted on 04/14/2014 3:10:43 PM PDT by 353FMG
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To: SeekAndFind
1) KJV ain't a Catholic version, which is going to tick a fair amount of Catholics off.
2) There is NO DOUBT that this will turn into a lawsuit. I can see it from here: ACLU is going to say making the Bible the official state book is government officially promoting a religion and claiming relief under 1st and 14th Amendments.
14 posted on 04/14/2014 5:12:34 PM PDT by GAFreedom (Freedom rings in GA!)
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To: so_real

The first amendment most definitely applies to state government action. They can’t tell you what to say or who to pray to...

I think an official state book that happens to be a religious text is pretty darn close if not over the line.


15 posted on 04/15/2014 4:20:44 AM PDT by Tulane
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To: Tulane

7 of the 13 States had Religious Establishments in one form or another at the time of the founding. Had the Constitution been considered a threat to those establishments, it would not have been adopted.

The BoR is a set of constraints upon the general government, not the States. Only with post civil war court cases do we see the eventual incorporation of all the BoB against the States (most recently Heller et al.)

However, the 1st amendment is specifically targeted “Congress shall make no law...” A State is not Congress. To broaden the reach of the amendment is to rewrite it, something that the constitution reserves to the People and Congress, not the Court.


16 posted on 04/15/2014 7:08:26 AM PDT by nonsporting
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To: nonsporting

The Supreme court has long held that the 1A applies to state government, as does the second. Next time a state government tries to ban the sale of firearms, let me know your thoughts on that.


17 posted on 04/15/2014 7:57:32 AM PDT by Tulane
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To: Tulane

Considering in our Founder's days, states like Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Vermont all required those holding office to swear an oath to Christian adherence prior to assuming office ... I think it is easily argued that no Constitutional lines are over-stepped by making a state book out of the Bible. After all, why should the book we call the Bible be singled out and discriminated against just because 80% of our citizenry consider themselves students of its teaching? If that's the qualifier, all educational and informational books would be off the table. I guess we'll agree to disagree, but I do hope this sticks.


18 posted on 04/15/2014 1:09:07 PM PDT by so_real ( "The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.")
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To: Tulane; nonsporting

Next time a state government tries to ban the sale of firearms, let me know your thoughts on that.

That's easy. The phrase "shall not be infringed" is not constrained, whereas "Congress shall make no law" is. Apples and Oranges. Speaking in terms of colonial history, had the Constitution interfered with the states religious disciplines, it never would have been ratified; it would have been a non-starter. Even in those days the states, though decidedly Christian in nature, had significant denominational differences. Attempting to blot them out at the Federal level would have caused quite a stink. The goal was to prevent the Federal government from blotting them out and making all things equal.


19 posted on 04/15/2014 1:19:28 PM PDT by so_real ( "The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.")
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