Tennessee Legislature Passes bill to make the Holy Bible the State Book

[Templar 331]

Is preference, by law, being given to a religious establishment or mode of worship?

You do understand what religion the Bible is the holy book for right?

[Malachi256]

The bible is a history book and the constitution is based on bible teaching. What?

The Bible is incredibly valuable as a historical text. Like any other ancient text it is rightfully subject to much questioning and criticism, but that doesn't change its validity as such.

And if you had to choose from a list of belief systems, which would you pick as most influential on the birth of the U.S.? Buddhism? Atheism? Pantheism? Animism? Taoism? Judaism? Islam?

Again, I think this official state book thing is ridiculous and is probably unconstitutional (establishment clause), but let's not throw out the baby with the bath water. They put it in the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

[In Ogres We Trust]

Do you think states should be allowed to tacitly endorse a religious text? What Would Scalia Do? Supporters of this bill, is this different than a state endorsement of a religion, what some ME countries have been doing?

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news...slam/82625250/

Discuss.

Also, as it relates to Scalia, he would have taken the Originalist's position (as he did on numerous occasions).

[Gheld]

I guess we should make the official U.S. book the Quran then.

It's not a law, it isn't given preference, it's just put up as the official book of the U.S.

I don't care what the official U.S. book is. I don't live in the U.S. I think you're mistaking me for some xenophobic trump supporter just because I don't agree with you on this one. BUt *shock* *gasp*. There's atheist liberals who think people who get their panties in a knot over something like this are ridiculous.

[Ragnarocket]

It is an endorsement of religion as the bible is a holy book. As for the rest, not going to entertain it.

It doesn't endorse anything. It's simply the state saying "we want this to be our state book, we think it's representative of Tennessee".

It doesn't state that "Christianity is the best guys! You gotta read this book before coming to Tennessee!!"

[Kraenen]

Except the state isn't endorsing a religion. SJWs are reaching at straws to manufacture fake controversy because no cis white men have farted within a mile of a female on this slow news day.

The bible is a religious book. This is a real issue since the US is secular.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Is preference, by law, being given to a religious establishment or mode of worship?

By making the Holy Bible, the religious text of The Christian Church, which is, I'm sure you are aware, a religious establishment? Yeah, they are passing a law that favours one religion over others.

[GennGreymane]

It doesn't endorse anything. It's simply the state saying "we want this to be our state book, we think it's representative of Tennessee".

It doesn't state that "Christianity is the best guys! You gotta read this book before coming to Tennessee!!"

That is an endorsement of a religion.

[Gheld]

You do understand what religion the Bible is the holy book for right?

And so what? As long as they don't force others to acknowledge it as a holy book, I don't care what they want to waste legislative sessions on.

[Pangean]

I don't consider the bible a holy book.

But the ones who made it the official book do and that was the reason they did it.

[Kraenen]

The Bible is incredibly valuable as a historical text. Like any other ancient text it is rightfully subject to much questioning and criticism, but that doesn't change its validity as such.

There's very little historicity to it, and yes, after being criticized and scrutinized that does change its validity and value as a historical text.

[Belize]

I don't care what the official U.S. book is. I don't live in the U.S. I think you're mistaking me for some xenophobic trump supporter just because I don't agree with you on this one. BUt *shock* *gasp*. There's atheist liberals who think people who get their panties in a knot over something like this are ridiculous.

Jesus, and you're accusing us to be grasping at straws.

Where did I ever call you a xenophobic trump supporter? I was just making up an example.

Get down from your period high horse, and chill, there's no one attacking you because they disagree with you.

[In Ogres We Trust]

You do understand what religion the Bible is the holy book for right?

Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Edit: Each faith recognizes certain elements from it (not that it's the official book for all three).

[Kalis]

I don't consider the bible a holy book.

Even if it is not holy to you, it is still a holy book.

[Xar226]

Was it an issue voted on? If yes, then there is no problem. It was apparently what a majority wanted.

The idea that there is "no problem" if something was voted on is asinine. Have you never heard of "tyranny of the majority?" It's the reason we have a Bill of Rights in the first place.

[Buckeyenut88]

It doesn't endorse anything. It's simply the state saying "we want this to be our state book, we think it's representative of Tennessee".

It doesn't state that "Christianity is the best guys! You gotta read this book before coming to Tennessee!!"

The book is what Christianity is built, how does that not endorse Christianity? The Bible belt does some silly things.

[GennGreymane]

Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

No, the Torah is for Jews, the Bible is for Christians, and the Quran is for Muslims. (although there is overlap)

[Templar 331]

There's atheist liberals who think people who get their panties in a knot over something like this are ridiculous.

Maybe you should live in the Bible belt a few years before commenting on how much of a nonissue this is.

[Gheld]

Even if it is not holy to you, it is still a holy book.

No, because a holy book isn't actually a thing. There's no empirical measure of holiness. Ergo a physical object such as a book can't actually have any property of holiness to it.

[Ragnarocket]

That is an endorsement of a religion.

I don't consider it to be. I feel it's more of a representation of a general population. As someone who lives in Tennessee, Christianity is everywhere. There's a church literally on every corner. Christianity is something that you can't deny is something you will encounter in this state...fairly frequently.

It's not forcing anyone to convert or even read the dang thing. It's just symbolic.

Why is the Tulip Poplar our state tree? Because it's abundant and was used historically to construct homes and farms all over the state.

I think it's really a perspective on what being a State "X" is. I don't see a State Book as being any kind of endorsement. Sorry.