america the theocracy....House, Senate committees pass bill to make Bible official TN book

[spanone]

where does this shit end?

=======

Senate and House committees overwhelmingly approved measures Tuesday that would designate the Bible as the official book of Tennessee, despite reservations raised by religious leaders and some lawmakers.

The Senate State and Local Government Committee approved the measure by a 7-0-2 vote; no lawmakers voted against the bill, but two abstained. The House State Government Committee approved the bill by a voice vote about an hour later.

The House version includes added language in the form of an amendment. The amendment adds "talking points" in support of the bill, said House sponsor, Rep. Jerry Sexton, R-Bean Station.

"It doesn't in any way, shape, form or fashion say that anyone has to read this book. It doesn't mean anyone has to believe in the tenets of this book," said Rep. William Lamberth, R-Cottontown.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/insession/2015/04/07/senate---bill-to-make-bible-official-state-book/25408343/

[valerief]

1. Looks like the First Amendment's only purpose is to support

Citizen's United.

[2naSalit]

6. Sure does. n/t

[cali]

2. the claim that we are a theocracy is more than a little overblown.

[spanone]

3. trending...

[cali]

4. no more than over the past few decades. And there are competing trends.

[spanone]

5. opinions differ

[Rex]

13. I agree we live in a secular plutocracy that practices disaster capitalism.

Which is still better than living under the Taliban or ISIS. Just a different kind of fucking over going on.

[Tsiyu]

7. I'm just so glad that Senator Southerland

is doing so well in life! He has a beautiful home, plenty of money and all the time in the world on his hands to promote the elevation of the Holy Bobble to our state's official book!

We don't have poverty tn TN, everyone is covered by health care, we have a vibrant rapid transit system and our cities have their own broadband supplied to their residents!

Oh, wait. No. The TN legislature is killing rapid transit for working people ( if god wanted working people to have transportation, he'd give them all Escalades! ) and they're killing low-cost broadband because AT&T and Comcast are far more important to TN legislators than the actual citizens of TN; they killed any additional health care for anyone in TN and the TN House and Senate haven't done a damned thing to raise the standard of living here.

Nope, Southerland has so MUCH time on his hands, he believes everyone else does as well. We can all spend years deciding on which version of the Bobble to make "official."

King James? New Standard Revised? Jehovah Witness Bobble? Catholic Bobble? Which one shall we pick as the "official one?"

And Senator Southerland and the rest of the MOUTHBREATHERS that they elect here ( as long as the say "Jesus" they win the election, even if they only have the IQ of a sack of grits ) think TN has millions of dollars to defend the inevitable court challenges of making any religious tome the "offcial book" of a US state.

TN is going to sink far into the mire that is drowning all Red states. The people in TN let their elected officials waste time and resources on this kind of inane, meaningless crap, and then blame Obama because their lives suck so bad.

Thanks, Senator Southerland, for proving that TN is a lost cause.

[spanone]

8. God and guns...that's our legislature.

[Tsiyu]

9. Yep

But that's what the people of this state want, apparently. Who are we to argue? God must WANT people to make shit wages, have no health care and be denied all of the benefits of modern society.

While other states are seeing the lives of their citizens improve - because they raise the wages, provide adequate transportation and web connectivity and have health care - the people of TN will remain DIRT POOR, the citizens wailing and gnashing their teeth, blaming everyone but themselves.

All they need here is Jesus! He will fix the bridges! He will heal the sick or they weren't meant to be well! If god wanted poor people to have simple antibiotics and dental care, he'd drop medicine on their porches and miraculously manifest dental clinics!

JESUS IS LORD OF TN and he LURVES THE RICH AND GREEDY!

Let the rich eat the poor of Tennessee! That's GAWD'S WILL, MAN!


In Jesus' and Senator Southerland's name - A- Fucking - Men!

[Lars39]

10. These ignorant asses can just eat shit and die.

I am beyond disgusted with TN's brand of christianity. And you just know that when the lawsuits happen, and they will, that there will be yard signs handed out from the godsdamned pulpit saying "Defend the Bible."
Not enough puking emoticons in the universe to cover this fucking legislative swill.
People start wars over this kind of shit.

[Tsiyu]

11. What happened to live and let live?

Faith has no meaning when you force it on people. Most of my neighbors are 'faithful" but they don't cram it in your face. They prove through their ACTIONS that they are good people.

My 30+ year old mare died over the weekend. On Easter Sunday, my faithful neighbors helped me bury her without even being asked. That's faith in ACTION. They didn't bring up religion once, but they did comfort me when I really, truly needed it. And I love them. There are beautiful, kind, Christian people all over this state.

But forcing someone to believe your scripture or your faith is not effective or even what any true deity would want. If your faith is forced on you, it means absolutely nothing.

But politicians know how to drive the "unfaithful" faithful to the polls. These are the Religious Bullies - I call them the Moral Elite - who believe everyone should worship the same way, on the same day as they do. Freedom of or from religion is a foreign concept to these folks. And they love people like Senator Southerland for his bully ways.

[Lars39]

12. But your neighbors know you, Tsiyu, and somehow you've been approved.

They probably wouldn't be as friendly or helpful to a stranger, or to a person of whom they didn't approve. Been here most of my life and have seen 'live and let live' almost totally disappear.

[Tsiyu]

14. Not these neighbors. They know I'm not a Christian.

Another of their church members - also a neighbor - asked me to come help her do some activities with their church school. When I said "but I'm not a Christian," she said "So what?"

I didn't go because I feel I might say or do something to offend the kids, unwittingly, and I would not want to do that.

Most people, I believe, are not about forcing their faith on you. It's the vocal 'Moral Elite" who try to force their beliefs on the rest of us, solely for their own self-gain.

Sorry about your experiences. I have no quarrel with most people of whatever faith, but i wish they would vote to help their fellow man, rather than making symbolic votes based on lies and ramped up sentiments of victimization.