National "Shut the Fuck Up Day" makes a comeback!
From Politico:
"When the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31, 2009, Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) hopes you’ll be ringing in “the Year of the Bible.”
It’s probably just wishful thinking.
Broun’s simple congressional resolution aimed at honoring the Good Book has produced a push-back of biblical proportion in the blogosphere, with critics dismissing it as either unconstitutional or a waste of time. Jews in Congress and atheist activists are dismissing the resolution, while none of the many Democrats in Congress who are Christian have bothered to sign on as co-sponsors....
....Broun rejects the critiques leveled at this effort.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with Christianity,” he 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." "
I thought the Enlightenment (historic period occuring in 18th Century Europe and, eventually, America, defined by the embrace of reason and science) was the basis for governments that allow freedom of religion, while, correct me if I'm wrong, the bible provides a basis for Jewish and Christain beliefs, essentially qualifying the existence of other religions as heresy? Don't all religious books exist to claim that their religion is the ONLY religion? Isn't that the point? If this guy wants to honor the freedom of religion, shouldn't he be legislating Immanuel Kant Month, John Stewart Mill Month, Voltaire Month, Ben Franklin Month or Thomas Jefferson Month? I mean, REALLY? Christianity needs more advertising? There's someone out there who missed the bus on Christianity? This dude has nothing better to do with his time as a United States Congress, now, here, as this moment in history? Is it a slow day on the Hill? Really?
"When the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31, 2009, Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) hopes you’ll be ringing in “the Year of the Bible.”
It’s probably just wishful thinking.
Broun’s simple congressional resolution aimed at honoring the Good Book has produced a push-back of biblical proportion in the blogosphere, with critics dismissing it as either unconstitutional or a waste of time. Jews in Congress and atheist activists are dismissing the resolution, while none of the many Democrats in Congress who are Christian have bothered to sign on as co-sponsors....
....Broun rejects the critiques leveled at this effort.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with Christianity,” he 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." "
I thought the Enlightenment (historic period occuring in 18th Century Europe and, eventually, America, defined by the embrace of reason and science) was the basis for governments that allow freedom of religion, while, correct me if I'm wrong, the bible provides a basis for Jewish and Christain beliefs, essentially qualifying the existence of other religions as heresy? Don't all religious books exist to claim that their religion is the ONLY religion? Isn't that the point? If this guy wants to honor the freedom of religion, shouldn't he be legislating Immanuel Kant Month, John Stewart Mill Month, Voltaire Month, Ben Franklin Month or Thomas Jefferson Month? I mean, REALLY? Christianity needs more advertising? There's someone out there who missed the bus on Christianity? This dude has nothing better to do with his time as a United States Congress, now, here, as this moment in history? Is it a slow day on the Hill? Really?