Republican congressman wants 2010 declared the “year of the Bible”
posted at 6:10 pm on May 22, 2009 by Allahpundit
As Politico notes, Reagan and a Democratic Congress had no problem pushing this through in 1983. A quarter of a century later, has atheism come so far that it can afford to ignore the feds trying to pass a similar resolution now? Oh yes, my friends:
“This doesn’t have anything to do with Christianity,” [Broun] said in an interview with POLITICO. Rather, he says, it seeks to recognize that the Bible played an integral role in the building of the United States, including providing the basis for our freedom of religion that allows Muslims, Hindus and even atheists to vocalize their own beliefs…
Atheists, who might feel themselves a particular target with the declaration of a biblical year, aren’t even worried about Broun’s effort.
“Right now, we’re seeing atheism on such a rise,” said David Silverman, vice president and national spokesman of American Atheists, a group dedicated to fighting for the civil rights of atheists.
“We are seeing Christianity on such a dramatic decline that we’re not particularly worried about it. We’re thinking that this kind of old-style George W. Bush Republicanism is about to go away,” Silverman said, referring to the latest Pew Forum survey of American religious life, which showed nonreligious Americans as the fastest-growing group.
Snarks Barney Frank, “Does that mean 2009 is not the year of the Bible? What is 2012 the year of? The Quran?” Actually, if this gets passed, maybe. Once Congress recognizes a “year of the Bible,” inevitably there’ll be a push from interest groups to recognize other faiths — and non-faiths. If you don’t want 2015 to be a “year of ‘The Origin of Species’” or whatever, you’ll side with the godless on this one.
Exit question: If they did pass it, would The One sign it? I know which way I’m betting!
Blowback
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The book of acts spoke of the early church entering communism. It lacked the tyranny we see coupled with socialsim today.
seven on May 22, 2009 at 6:14 PM
He’ll have to hold on ’til 2010 for that. 2009 has already been dubbed “the year of the Bible-burning.”
cackcon on May 22, 2009 at 6:15 PM
Wow, I actually agree with Barney Frank here.
This is total stupidity. Go back to your office and actually do some work. You know…read bills that you vote on or something..I dunno~
bridgetown on May 22, 2009 at 6:15 PM
Look, I’m all about the Bible. But don’t our Congressmen have other things to do? I don’t need a Year of the Bible nearly as much as I need some opposition leadership to beat back Obama’s destruction of America and our liberties.
J.E. Dyer on May 22, 2009 at 6:17 PM
The proverbial Pandora’s box of diversity will be opened. *sigh*
I love Scripture and my life has been changed by Christ and the Bible, but really—why? Enough already.
Hawaii passed a resolution recognizing an “Islam Day” recently, but where was the outcry of separation of church and state over that issue? It should be equal with all faiths, even if it’s my own. I’m sure he means well, but he’s just picking an unnecessary fight. We don’t need to pass a law stating how important the Bible is–just live it.
conservative pilgrim on May 22, 2009 at 6:19 PM
The Bible has done pretty well for thousands of years without a congressman’s help. Maybe he should earn his salary dealing with policy issues instead of symbolic gestures.
dedalus on May 22, 2009 at 6:19 PM
FIFY.
TMK on May 22, 2009 at 6:20 PM
You know the idiocy is just too thick in the air when you start agreeing with Barney Frank.
CherokeeJack on May 22, 2009 at 6:22 PM
This moron should be looking at ways of thwarting the socialist destruction of our country not this stupidity.
elduende on May 22, 2009 at 6:22 PM
That… is a really dumb idea.
AbaddonsReign on May 22, 2009 at 6:23 PM
What a waste of time. Of course, maybe that’s a good thing…
WisCon on May 22, 2009 at 6:23 PM
I would just note a couple of interesting parts from the Old Testament that go apply, quite nicely, today:
1) Judges should NOT use empathy (Exodus 23:3)-
2) Flat tax (Exodus 30:14) -
There’s a ton of brilliance in the bible (Old Testament for me, as I am Jewish) and people today would do well to read it and learn, whether they are religously inclined, or not.
As far as the Koran, there is nothing of value to be found in its pages, except an understanding of the basic, and deep, insanity of the arab/persian/mulsim enemies.
progressoverpeace on May 22, 2009 at 6:24 PM
I am a Christian, and I support NO state supported prayer in school. This is simply stupid.
ladyingray on May 22, 2009 at 6:25 PM
Agreed, Congress needs to go back to doing important things. Like investigating steroid use in baseball or trying to redraw NCAA brackets.
TheMightyMonarch on May 22, 2009 at 6:26 PM
What happened to all the Christians on this site? No one wants to feed me a crap sandwich on this? Sheesh.
Allahpundit on May 22, 2009 at 6:26 PM
What kind of a putz introduces an idea like that?
beatcanvas on May 22, 2009 at 6:26 PM
Why not make 2010……..
……… “The Year to Throw the Bums Out!!!”
Seven Percent Solution on May 22, 2009 at 6:27 PM
LOL!
elduende on May 22, 2009 at 6:27 PM
They seem to be more complex than we supposed.
DarkCurrent on May 22, 2009 at 6:28 PM
When am I going to see Year of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets?
Lehosh on May 22, 2009 at 6:29 PM
Actually, I wish they would just do this kind of stuff. Imagine what a better place this would be if Congress spent all its time passing “Year of the Bible” resolutions instead of the Porkulus, TARP, AIG Tax, etc, etc.
Norwegian on May 22, 2009 at 6:29 PM
About what, exactly? That Christians and Christianists have no burning desire to have the Bible officially recognized by “the most ethical Congress evah?”
TMK on May 22, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Year of Less Government Intervention WTF.
12thMonkey on May 22, 2009 at 6:32 PM
I think most are simply happy to read it and respect it on their own.
Jamson64 on May 22, 2009 at 6:32 PM
+1000
Jamson64 on May 22, 2009 at 6:33 PM
Well, they’re mostly conservative Christians, AP. Meaning they don’t look to government to validate their identities.
J.E. Dyer on May 22, 2009 at 6:39 PM
What exactly did anyone think would be accomplished by this? Fund raising? What’s the angle?
petunia on May 22, 2009 at 6:41 PM
How about making it the year of exposing the Democrats or the media? Or, how about the year of Republicans remembering who they are supposed to be? How about that?
TheBigOldDog on May 22, 2009 at 6:42 PM
I called you an atheist theocrat in the comments section. Don’t ask to be fed crap sandwiches if you’re not even gonna chew them a little.
Darth Executor on May 22, 2009 at 6:42 PM
Can citizens make resolutions? Cause I’d sign that one.
petunia on May 22, 2009 at 6:44 PM
Heh. Nope, I agree with you on this one.
Weight of Glory on May 22, 2009 at 6:47 PM
All together, “Waaa!”
Hey AP, as painful as it was, I did send you this link earlier (check your HA email). Sending some kindness to my favorite atheist blogger on a slow Friday afternoon.
I’m with J.E. Dyer on this one.
conservative pilgrim on May 22, 2009 at 6:50 PM
Separation, of Church, and State.
We don’t need to single out, any denomination, or belief, thru Congress, and exalt it. This is ludicrous.
capejasmine on May 22, 2009 at 6:53 PM
Neither God nor the Bible requires a PR department, especially one in the form of the U.S. Congress. As J.E. Dyer said, one doesn’t require a government resolution to validate religious beliefs.
amerpundit on May 22, 2009 at 6:55 PM
A. The government has better things to do.
B. Our society is a bit different than 1983. Pretty sure the 1983 bill probably made some ecumenical/historical points, but wasn’t as apologetic as 2009′s “it’s not about Christianity.” HUH? Let’s remember the Bible’s impact on culture, but ignore the faith it inspired in many early leaders?
C. Just have to note the obvious: Reagan and Obama seem to be pushing culture in different directions, and it’s kind of crazy to try to push a similar bill under the Obama govt.
(Oh, and Acts isn’t about communism. The “wasn’t the money yours to do with as you wish?” passage undercuts compulsory redistribution in favor of voluntary charitable acts).
cs89 on May 22, 2009 at 6:58 PM
No such animal. The refusal to make a choice is a choice.
spmat on May 22, 2009 at 7:05 PM
If they can have an “Islam Day” in Hawaii then I see no reason why we can’t have a “Year of the Bible” in a country where the people are majority Christian.
darwin on May 22, 2009 at 7:08 PM
As I noted in the headlines, I would like it if everyone gave the Constitution a look. Maybe if they dedicated a year to it Congress might become more familiar.
Cindy Munford on May 22, 2009 at 7:10 PM
Why not cut to the chase and declare 2010 the “year of the republican party marginalizing itself out of existence”?
benny shakar on May 22, 2009 at 7:10 PM
Translation: AP is disappointed that the Christians on this site aren’t the inbred hoot-and-holler Holy Roller type, whom he can blow holes in their theology when they go bats–t insane over this issue, giggling like a schoolgirl with atheistic glee all the while.
My brothers and sisters in Christ…I hate to say this…but a ‘year of the Bible’ will do NOTHING good at this point.
Our country has long ago jettisoned the solid Judeo-Christian foundation it was built on for ‘situational ethics’, kicked God out of schools and government, and adopted self-centered thinking in many areas. We’d need a nationwide revival on a scale that would make Billy Graham jealous for this declaration to do any real good at all.
Dark-Star on May 22, 2009 at 7:11 PM
Yeah, still trying to figure out what happened to our Constitutional Right to Petition for Redress… they kinda forgot to put any mechanism in place to support it…
As to “Year of the Bible”…. Dumb Dumb Dumb to do it now… more than leaving GitMo open, this would proove a Propoganda point to the Islamists PROOVING the US is not a secular government.
Romeo13 on May 22, 2009 at 7:12 PM
While I would truly love to see the Year of the Bible declared to piss-off the hypersensitive Muslims, it’s a huge mistake for the Republicans to annoy the atheists, Hindus, those apathetic about religion and what few Republican Buddhists and pagans there are. We need to look at the picture and try to form coalitions and not be divisive.
thuja on May 22, 2009 at 7:13 PM
I’d actually rather see it declared the “Record Year of Democrat Corruption”.
It’s only May and I believe they’re already in the record books.
darwin on May 22, 2009 at 7:13 PM
How come these same people don’t get ticked off with Islam Day? Did the democrats alienate anyone?
darwin on May 22, 2009 at 7:15 PM
Brilliant idea,me likey!
But China,is going to call,the Liberal Party,
“Year of the Snakes“!!!!!!!!!(Sarc).
Year of the Bible
—————–
Just think how much it would piss off Liberals,that
alone would be worth it!!!!!!!
canopfor on May 22, 2009 at 7:21 PM
A basic, demonstrable knowledge of the US Constitution should be a requirement in order to be able to vote for any office in the federal government.
progressoverpeace on May 22, 2009 at 7:23 PM
Year of the Perpetual Lying Pelosi!!
canopfor on May 22, 2009 at 7:23 PM
Bunny Shaker is spreading his idiocy yet again. In 2008 we ran the most Christiany person ever as VP and we still got 46% of the vote. So how exactly are we marginalized? I am pretty sure no one on the 2012 ticket will be as friendly to the social cons as Palin was.
Speedwagon82 on May 22, 2009 at 7:24 PM
This guy should quit politics and become a priest… or do actually do his job.
Either/or. I have no patience for this nonsense. It’s just dumb.
Karmashock on May 22, 2009 at 7:25 PM
Ewwwww… Great Idea… make it like the Wonderlic test for the NFL draft… then publish the results PRIOR to election Day!
Romeo13 on May 22, 2009 at 7:27 PM
Year of the Lizard People!!!!!!!
Exit question: There no way,shape or form that Hopey would remotely consider signing on,not with the Left’s ongoing
onslaught of Christian bashing,especially in the media!!
canopfor on May 22, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Dear Allahpundit, you are a master baiter.
Loxodonta on May 22, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Crap,that should be There’s,spelling boo boo,le Ugh!
canopfor on May 22, 2009 at 7:32 PM
What’s up with these Republicans wanting to officially rename the democrats and recognize the year of the Bible? This is ridiculous. How about the following:
2009 – the year of Pelosi’s Deceit
2010 – the year of Inflation
2011 – the year the Republicans better start fighting harder
2012 – the year we scrubbed out America’s Skid Stain.
Upstater85 on May 22, 2009 at 7:37 PM
2010: The Year we start getting out of Debt.
Loxodonta on May 22, 2009 at 7:40 PM
You use to have to know it to graduate from high school. I am sure your suggestion is discriminatory in every way imaginable.
Cindy Munford on May 22, 2009 at 7:42 PM
Well, some did! It’s just that too much of the entire population including Jews and Christians are taught to believe that Islam is some harmless little culture–not a mass murder cult. I find that comparing Christians opposing gay marriage to Muslims murdering gay people is an effective way to get the truth across.
thuja on May 22, 2009 at 7:43 PM
I wish, but I don’t see that happening.
Upstater85 on May 22, 2009 at 7:44 PM
Enough fiscally conservative Senators to sustain a filibuster. That’s possible. At the very least, we can slow the amount of additional debt.
Then, a close enough election in the House to put the fear of Republicans in Congress back into the Debtocrats hearts.
Loxodonta on May 22, 2009 at 7:50 PM
In less the Republicans start embracing your message soon, we are going to have to rely on the ever silenced Blue Dogs.
Upstater85 on May 22, 2009 at 7:53 PM
Yeah, and the experiment failed. Take notes.
A weird proposition to be sure, AP. I think I’m with you on this one. (I’m really disinterested.) However, the atheist guy’s an idiot. Christianity is so exponentially explosive in Latin America and Africa that the heathen dude loses all credibility, though the decline of the West is obvious.
emailnuevo on May 22, 2009 at 7:55 PM
From Library of Congress:
Aitken’s Bible Endorsed by Congress
INC on May 22, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Sigh. Don’t some people ever learn?
If they succeed in establishing religion as a basic Republican Party tenet, they could do us in. If that ever happens, kiss politics goodbye.
Well, I’ve spent quite a number of years carrying the flag of the ‘Old Conservatism.’ And I can say with conviction that the religious issues of these groups have little or nothing to do with conservative or liberal politics. The uncompromising position of these groups is a divisive element that could tear apart the very spirit of our representative system, if they gain sufficient strength. Being a conservative in America traditionally has meant that one holds a deep, abiding respect for the Constitution. We conservatives believe sincerely in the integrity of the Constitution. We treasure the freedoms that document protects. By maintaining the separation of church and state, the United States has avoided the intolerance which has so divided the rest of the world with religious wars. Can any of us refute the wisdom of Madison and the other framers?
The religious factions will go on imposing their will on others, less the decent people connected to them recognize that religion has no place in public policy. They must learn to make their views known without trying to make their views the only alternatives. We have succeeded for over 200 years in keeping the affairs of state separate from the uncompromising idealism of religious groups and we mustn’t stop now. To retreat from that separation would violate the principles of conservatism and the values upon which the framers built this democratic republic.
Ever good Christian should line up and kick that fellow right in the ass.
- Barry Goldwater
MB4 on May 22, 2009 at 8:06 PM
Next time the Brits send troops and cut off our Bible supply, we’ll know what to do.
J.E. Dyer on May 22, 2009 at 8:11 PM
There are no “non-faiths”. Atheism & agnosticism are religions, too.
jgapinoy on May 22, 2009 at 8:11 PM
It’s not just atheism that has increased, but an absolute intolerance for anything Christian or Biblical, as if THAT is a reasonable position…
This perversion should be called exactly what it is….
HATE
bperiwinkle on May 22, 2009 at 8:11 PM
We need someone who is reliably, deeply and broadly conservative enough to energize the base and stop the internecine warfare among our camps. BUT, with enough charm, humor, intelligence, empathy, and a common touch to attract moderates and libertarians who want fiscal responsibility and a strong defense.
That’s all.
I really miss Reagan!
Loxodonta on May 22, 2009 at 8:15 PM
No! Don’t you ever learn?
Loxodonta on May 22, 2009 at 8:16 PM
If congress were to declare 2010 the “Year of the Bible”, you know damn good and well that they would rewrite it. Instead of the Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, it would be the Gospel according Nancy, Harry, Barney and Ted.
MB4 on May 22, 2009 at 8:16 PM
Want to really piss those suckers off? Let’s start a movement to declare Pope Urban II’s birthday a national holiday!
MB4 on May 22, 2009 at 8:20 PM
You can be very funny. So, continuing with this:
Tiny Tim Geithner can rewrite the Book of Numbers.
McCain can rewrite Exodus into ImmigrateUS.
And we can leave the rewrite of Lamentations to the voters.
Loxodonta on May 22, 2009 at 8:22 PM
Call them agnostic, atheistic, progressive, Christ-hating or any other term…..
There is no more bigoted and resentful bastards than the so called enlightened vermin who can’t let others exercise their right to express faith. What is it to these Christ-haters if Christians put up nativity scenes and talk about salvation? Do they respect those who believe in Christ? NO! We are all forced into a world where faith is demonized by the filthy bastards who will give Christians the right to believe in public.
highhopes on May 22, 2009 at 8:22 PM
…according to Nancy,Harry,Barney,and Ted.
MB4 on May 22,2009 at 8:16PM.
MB4: Thats an Amen,MB:)
canopfor on May 22, 2009 at 8:22 PM
I think Gingrich could help, but I hope there are some younger people out there…
Upstater85 on May 22, 2009 at 8:23 PM
+10000
Upstater85 on May 22, 2009 at 8:24 PM
If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.
- Confucius
MB4 on May 22, 2009 at 8:24 PM
Homosexuals like Barney have a reason for hating the Bible. If America were really a “Christian Nation” and lived up to the teachings of Christ, Barney would be in his rightful place in society instead of sitting in Congress.
highhopes on May 22, 2009 at 8:24 PM
And Barney Frank can write about that Sodom and Gomorrah stuff.
Ted Kennedy can write about how not to part the sea.
MB4 on May 22, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Don’t go all serious on us now. As much as we need intelligence, we need humor to survive the Obamanation that’s in office. We may actually need humor more, because he and his gang, and their MSM handmaidens, are just so unrelentingly depressing.
Loxodonta on May 22, 2009 at 8:30 PM
How discrete of you. Thanks!
Loxodonta on May 22, 2009 at 8:33 PM
Just think, in another few years we will all be ridding in our plastic solar and wind power Obamawagens listening to DVD’s of the gospel according to Nancy, Harry, Barney and Ted while on our way to get our Obama/Kevorkian health care.
MB4 on May 22, 2009 at 8:35 PM
Ted may only be familiar with the parts where water is turned into wine.
dedalus on May 22, 2009 at 8:51 PM
(1) Communism is a specific socioeconomic and political system that took shape in the 18th/19th centuries. Which is about 1,700 years after the events of the Book of Acts. It’d be more feasible for Acts to be a foundation for communism — which it’s certainly not — than to assert that the early Christians were communists.
(2) Voluntary communalism, which is what the early Christians were described as doing in Acts, is pretty much the antithesis of communism, with the only common facet being that their possessions were shared or held in common. What those Christians were doing was akin to the sharing of resources in a family — the possessions were given by the gratuitous consent of the givers to their beloved coreligionists. Communism is a system in which one’s possessions are taken by force by an impersonal, oppressive political structure and redistributed to total strangers for whom one may have no affection or kinship.
(3) The reason what the Christians in Acts were doing “lacked the tyranny” of communism and other Marxist systems is that the Christians’ communalism grew out of their love for each other — it was the free exercise of their God-given right of liberty. Communism et al. are tyrannical because they use force to impose communalism on a people — violating the people’s God-given right of liberty.
With absolutely no offense to seven, I am sick and tired of hearing Marxist lies about the Bible like this reiterated.
I spent six years butting heads with priests and PhD’s at the university level who kept peddling to 20-somethings (who didn’t know their asses from a hole in the ground about Scripture and accepted whatever) the idiocy that all the exciting ideas in the Bible find their expression in Marxist praxes, when anyone who knows a minimum about the philosophy of Marx (and Engels) knows just how absurd any kind of synthesis between it and the Bible is.
Harpazo on May 22, 2009 at 8:56 PM
INC on May 22, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Thanks for posting that link. I poked around there, and found this proposal for a U.S. Seal, but Franklin and Jefferson.
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/vc006418.jpg
Religious imagery of the Red Sea events, and “Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God” as a motto. Sounds like a good Tea Party theme.
cs89 on May 22, 2009 at 9:18 PM
“but” = “by.”
cs89 on May 22, 2009 at 9:19 PM
At the risk of being burned at the stake, folks, it is not the bible. It has never been about the bible. The entire reason d’tere was to help guide the humans towards a better life. First with the 10 commandments and then with Jesus. The rest is just not important. Of course, those that wished to control or gain power or make money turned it into a religion, you can see that all over the world. Why Obama has turned Uberliberalism into the new religion for the Democrats….see?
sharinlite on May 22, 2009 at 9:21 PM
And what is that?
CherokeeJack on May 22, 2009 at 9:29 PM
The Year Of Me
Ortzinator on May 22, 2009 at 9:35 PM
As Ayn Ryan said, one should serve neither government nor religion.
MB4 on May 22, 2009 at 9:52 PM
Ayn Rand can kiss my ass.
Darth Executor on May 22, 2009 at 10:27 PM
We’re already in Year One of that.
Loxodonta on May 22, 2009 at 10:32 PM
For a whole lotta folks, every year is the year of the Bible, so this is just redundantly silly.
Little Boomer on May 22, 2009 at 11:14 PM
No, that’s just crazy talk.
Allah, no one seemed to think this was a good idea earlier either. There’s just not a single upside to the idea.
I don’t even see this as an establishment issue. It’s all symbolic. If they could do this, I don’t see any reason there couldn’t also be a year of Origin or any other book. But what does any of that even mean?
Esthier on May 22, 2009 at 11:39 PM
AP, you’re the best………god bless you
greataunty on May 23, 2009 at 12:18 AM
Naw, not 2015, because 2009 is the year of “Origin.” What is it? 150 years old? Light a candle.
Old Darwin himself is 200? Light another candle.
The darwinists even pulled a fossil out of a drawer from 1983 and lit a candle for it, calling it THE missing link, as if there only has to be one.
2009, the year Darwinists would have us believe we all crawled out of the goo, went into the zoo and then became you.
Light a candle! :)
Skidd on May 23, 2009 at 12:44 AM
Not really. People who think the early church practiced are reading way too much into it. What’s recorded, is that the Christians in the early church were willing to share anything they had with anyone else. Many who had wealth gave it away to the poor Christians who had need. Some even sold land and possessions so they could give more away.
But as long as it was freely given, it was more charity than it was communism. And while they were willing to share what they had with the poor, the poor were still expected to work.
If we call it communism anytime someone is given money they didn’t work for, then all charity is communism, and every home is a communist home. Except for those few where infants are expected to pull their weight….
ThereGoesTheNeighborhood on May 23, 2009 at 1:16 AM
Congress has been making symbolic statements like this for years. Declaring 2010 “The Year of the Bible” would be a nice way to show appreciation for a book that provides the legal underpinning of our system of laws, has shaped our language more than Shakespeare, and has stimulated many historical Reform movements in this country.
But it will not establish a state church or damage the mythical “separation of church and state.” It’s about the same as when the federal government declared a Day of Thanksgiving, or a Day of Prayer. The Republic Will Survive.
ThereGoesTheNeighborhood on May 23, 2009 at 1:30 AM
2008 was supposed to be the year of The Bible, but I didn’t file in time, and it ended up being the year of “Great Expectations.”
2009 was already booked as the year of “War and Peace.”
So, really, 2010 was our best shot, until, I think 2017….
2011 — The year of “The Foot Book”
2012 — The year of “Virgil’s Aeneid”
2013 — The year of “Kon Tiki”
2014 — The year of “Billy Budd”
2015 — The year of “Centennial”
2016 — The year of “Beowulf”
notropis on May 23, 2009 at 1:32 AM
And we are still doing this. For example the Tulsa Dream Center is funded by Christians, as is the Los Angeles Dream Center, as are countless benevolence funds run by Christian churches around the world.
Christian Conservative on May 23, 2009 at 1:40 AM
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