A former Christian bookstore owner turned Republican Oklahoma state representative has introduced legislation that would make the Holy Bible the state’s “official book.”
Tulsa CBS reports:
A Republican Oklahoma representative, and former Christian Bible bookstore owner, has filed a bill that would make the Holy Bible the state’s official book. House Bill 3890 was crafted by Rep. Tammy Townley, R-Ardmore. The bill will be taken up for consideration by Oklahoma State Legislators on Monday, Feb. 7. If passed, the Holy Bible would become the state’s official book starting Nov. 1, 2022. Lawmakers in Tennessee and Texas have filed similar bills over the last few years.
Townley explained why she’s in favor of such a move in a press release:
“We are people of great faith. The Holy Bible is an integral part of numerous faiths and is deeply important to many Oklahomans. Even when we don’t always agree with each other, we always know that we have a foundation higher than politics that we can rely on to remain unshakeable when times are tough.”
We? What about the agnostics and atheists who live in Oklahoma? What about Muslims, who believe the Koran is the word of God and sacred? Can you imagine the hissy fit Townley and others like her would pitch if someone suggested the Hindu Bhagavad Gita be the state book of Oklahoma? Or what about Satanists, who might want the Satanic Bible included in any discussion of what books have to sit alongside the Christian Bible?
The Founding Fathers were very clear where they stood on religion: There isn’t supposed to be an official state religion, which means there isn’t supposed to be an official state book that just so happens to be the book Christians want to see adopted as representative of the Sooner State. Religion has no place in government and government has no place in religion. Period.
Rep. Townley needs to read whatever book gives her the most comfort. But she has no right to impose that book on others.
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