Posted on 04/22/2016 6:09:51 PM PDT by molewhacka
Last Thursday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam vetoed HB0615/SB1108; legislation that, in the exact language of the bill, stated “The Holy Bible is hereby designated as the official state book.”
Justifying his veto of a bill that passed with overwhelming support in both the House and Senate, Haslam wrote in a letter to the Speaker of the House, “In addition to the constitutional issues with the bill, my personal feeling is that this bill trivializes the Bible, which I believe is a sacred text.
“If we believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, then we shouldn’t be recognizing it only as a book of historical and economic significance,” he continued.
“If we are recognizing the Bible as a sacred text, then we are violating the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Tennessee by designating it as the official state book.”
Earlier this month, the bill’s sponsor — Republican Sen. Steve Southerland, an ordained minister — responded to questions on whether he considered the Bible a historical or religious book.
“It’s about a lot of different things,” Southerland said, according to an Associated Press article published in The Washington Post. “But what we’re doing here is recognizing it for its historical and cultural contribution to the State of Tennessee.”
Set aside for a minute whether or not you think the bill was a good idea and support Southerland’s and Rep. Cameron Sexton’s attempt to recognize the Bible for its historical and cultural impact on our state; or whether or not you agree with the governor and see the Bible as a sacred text and also believe — erroneously I might add — that it would be unconstitutional to recognize it as our official state book.
There is a bigger issue to discuss concerning Haslam’s statement and many of the legislators that supported this bill.
Haslam claims to believe the Bible is a sacred text. He has served as a deacon in his church. According to a politician whom I know, Haslam is very well versed in the Bible. He can quote scripture book, chapter and verse.
Normally, I would consider that a plus — even for most politicians.
But in Haslam’s case, I’m trying to understand how a politician who has served as a deacon in his church, quotes scripture and says he believes that the Bible is a sacred text could have made some of the statements he has made and taken some of the actions he has taken — or, in some cases, refused to take action.
How does a governor who claims to be a Christian decide within roughly an hour that a U.S. Supreme Court opinion must be obeyed when it alleges the power to replace the biblically “sacred institution of marriage” with acceptance of same-sex marriage?
He never even considered an appeal, much less standing up to the court.
Apparently when it comes to “obeying GOD or man,” man wins with Haslam if that man is from the federal government.
Furthermore, Haslam took an oath to uphold both the Tennessee and U.S. constitutions. That includes the 10th Amendment — which he is on the record as stating he doesn’t support.
That means this God-fearing Christian man took an oath which he had no intention of upholding!
When Haslam became governor, Tennessee had already passed the Marriage Amendment to our Constitution which specifically stated that traditional marriage would be the law of the land in Tennessee, any court decision notwithstanding.
That amendment to our state constitution was made fully anticipating that someday our ever-increasingly perverse U.S. Supreme Court would rule in favor of same-sex marriage.
Not only did Haslam have no problem personally violating that oath, but also he, in fact, ordered every other elected official in the state to do so.
Just last week, as the so-called “Bathroom Bill” (HB 2414) was being debated, Haslam expressed concern that we might lose some federal funding if the bill passed.
This bill was intended to ensure that, in this increasingly perverse world in which we live, males would be limited to male bathrooms and females to female bathrooms — specifically in our public schools.
Such a bill should not even be necessary, but there are already numerous cases where “gender confused” kids — and adults, for that matter — are demanding to use the bathrooms and locker rooms of the opposite sex.
Is it not bad enough that in this day and age we have to pass laws for what has always been commonsense and decency, but now we have a governor who opposes those protections for our wives and children just because we might lose federal funding?
Not to mention those are our own tax dollars (plus money borrowed from China, et al) that is being spent on things that are absolutely not a federal power or responsibility.
What Christian thinks this way?
Much of what I have written here about Haslam also applies to the legislature, as well — especially as it relates to upholding their oaths of office.
The legislature repeatedly defers to Haslam, refusing to effectively defend the Constitution and common-sense morality.
Tennessee Republicans repeatedly sidestep opportunities to both honor God and restore at least one facet of the 10th Amendment here in “red state” Tennessee.
The current committee process is stacked with Haslam/Harwell supporters who do their best to kill any truly conservative legislation. So much for the benefits of a Republican supermajority.
Personally, I would rather have elected officials who actually stand up for biblical and constitutional principles, rather than just supporting a bill that purports to symbolically honor the Bible.
Our governor — and many in our legislature — are guilty of hypocrisy of biblical proportions!
Guess what, the Lord never established a state church, the sole exception being historical Israel.
Haslam is right: it belittles the book.
The idea of even having an “official state book” is stupid.
The Bible is my official book.
Whish version? There’s gotta be 30 versions, at least.
The K.J.V. is my official version, yours may certainly differ..
King James, just like what Jesus used.
This is truly a confused concept, having the Bible as a state book. That said, The Bible by itself does not say what books should be in it. That was decided by the Church. And the cannon was chosen to agree with the teaching of the Apostles and their successors like St Justin Martyr and Saint Ireneus, who both wrote about the real presence in the eucharist before the cannon was decided
I believe you may have intended to use the word “canon.”
Also any evangelical scholar worth his salt will point out with many examples that your claim is begging the question.
God is sifting out the hearts of men.
To find out if they will treat the Bible like the state flower. Gotcha.
Well, then those scholars would disagree with 2000 years of church teaching
It was only 1700 years that the church was teaching lies that the state and church should mix.
They would disagree with the take from the church-state era on what Christ gave the church prior to that.
To make a state go with a spiritual impetus, you can’t be offering a salvation. That is too voluntary. You have to wham down a superstition on them.
The Catholic Church has existed prior to the New Testament. What I am telling you is that whatever the problems that the Church has had over the centuries it has stayed true to the teaching of Jesus that “this is My Body” “Unless you eat My Body and drink My Blood you will not have life in you.” The Jews of His day feared cannibalism and Jesus assured them that was not what He was telling them, and they still could not believe.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.