House passes Pro-Christian Legislation - no joke

[donsu]

http://www.talk2action.org/story/2007/12/13/163645/55


Iowa Representative Passes Pro-Christian Legislation, Urges Americans to "Worship Christ"


On Tuesday, our brave US House passed HR 847 by a count of 327-9 recognizing "the importance of Christmas and the Christian Faith", because - really, these days - what else possibly deserves more of their attention?
The sponsor was Rep. Steve King (R-IA), who - as Think Progress reported - voted against similar legislation honoring holidays of other faiths. He then appeared on Fox News to explain the real reasoning behind this - I suppose - innocuous, if annoying bill. His actual intentions are of course far more expansive. Read on...



In more of a speech than an interview, King explained that his motivation was to uphold America's status as a "Christian nation."

It's time we stood up and said so, and said to the rest of America, Be who you are and be confident. And let's worship Christ and let's celebrate Christmas for the right reasons.

This is, of course, outrageous behavior from a sitting US Congressman. For one thing, it shows that his token recognition bill was really an attempt to encourage Americans - through legislation - to embrace the Christian faith. Second, it belies efforts to hide the common "Christian nation" remark behind claims of mere historicism. "We only mean that America was founded on Christian principles", they like to say, when called on it. But, when Rep. King says "America is a Christian nation", he's not making a statement about the past, or even really the present. He's prescribing his utopian future, and trying to do his part as a Congressman to make it happen. It's not just a (faulty) view of history; it's a plan.
-----------------------------


the worst of times

[Deja Q]

1. "for the right reasons". Wal-mart and every other retailer's gonna be pissed...

:hide:

[spanone]

2. i guess he doesn't have a Jewish constituency?

they don't want to be seen as soft on Christ

[Deja Q]

3. Now there's a double entendre for the history books...

:7

[NJCher]

4. I think this is the same moran...

...who sent my dad a solicitation for funds so he could do more union busting. King said he wanted to make it so that there could be no more paycheck withholding for the union. I told my dad that if that passed, it would mean some people would get a free ride (salary negotiations) off the union.

Unions have to have those contributions from everyone in the workplace; they can't support themselves without it. It's a minimum contribution. If you want to contribute the full amount, you can elect to do so. Those of us who believe in unions nearly always do so.

My dad is a former union member and he agreed with me. I belong to a union (college teacher's union), so I know a bit about how this works.



Cher

[iamahaingttta]

5. Jesus Titty-Fucking Christ!

Don't these people have anything better to do with their time and our money?

[Akoto]

6. I often wonder ...

Have these people ever read the Treaty of Tripoli, or are they just hoping that the average American hasn't?

"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

It's right there, in plain English, in the first line of Article 11. It was approved and sent for ratification by John Adams, our second president and one of the writers of the Declaration of Independence. If that doesn't qualify him to say that, I don't know what will.

[skipos]

7. There was already a bunch of hoopla about this, especially because Kucinich voted for it

You must have missed the excitement.

[Union Thug]

8. I expect this from fantasy-worlder Repukes, but the fact that so many

Dems voted for this makes me the most upset. It's this kind of crap that pushes me closer to dropping my party affiliation. We have the goddamned majority; there is no reason that this kind of theocratic bullshit should be getting through the house..NONE. And yet here we are.

I expect this waste of time, money and energy by the theocratic assholes in the Republican party, but what the hell is wrong with the Dems????

[EFerrari]

9. Isn't this a law respecting an establishment of a religion?

:wtf:

[nickinSTL]

11. I think it's a non-binding resolution, rather than a law

but it certainly violates the spirit, if not the letter, of the Constitution.

[nickinSTL]

10. What a repulsive piece of legislation

I guess the path towards the US government of the Christian Taliban is closer than I ever imagined.
:puke:

[treestar]

12. Amazing how "Christian" their attitude is toward the poor,

the imprisoned and the foreigner.

If this were a "Christian nation," there would be no problem with health care for the poor or welfare. Everyone who got rich would rush to give their $$ to the poor, out of fear of self-preservation in eternity, it being harder for a rich man to get into heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of the needle, etc.

[L0oniX]

13. There is no biblical basis for a repeated celebration the human birth ...

of Jesus. No one in the new testament ever honored the birthday of Jesus year after year. These people who claim to be Christian almost never actually read a bible. If they did they would find out that only the sheep herders were there at the nativity seen and not the wise men. The wise men came a few days later after Herod had summoned them and sent them out to find the new born king because Herod wanted to kill him. It was then and is still customary to bring a gift or gifts when rulers or emissaries meet. Certainly Joseph made sure they got a room at an inn the very next day as the day of the birth the inns were all full when they arrived in the city. Christmas was and is an attempt to mix the new year Saturnalia the feast at which the Romans commemorated the dedication of the temple of the god Saturn with the newly formed religious day of the celebration of the birth of Jesus. It was formed by Constantine and was done so he could get more influence, control and power over the non believers of the times.

It's disgusting that these public servants would waste tax payers money on such foolishness. The only reason for christmas is so that the corporations who use Chinese slave labor can make money from all you suckers who believe crap you don't even know about!

[marmar]

14. America has become a cruel joke......

.... and not a particularly funny one.

[Ytzak]

15. Oh my (enter prefered God or non-God here) Congress recognizes Christians...

House Resolution 635
, which passed 376-0 in October, recognizing the Muslim holiday of Ramadan and stating that the House "recognizes the Islamic faith as one of the great religions of the world ... expresses friendship and support for Muslims ... acknowledges the onset of Ramadan ... and conveys its respect to Muslims ... rejects hatred, bigotry, and violence directed against Muslims ... commends Muslims who have privately and publicly rejected interpretations and movements of Islam that justify and encourage hatred, violence and terror."

I mean, what happens if they recognize Judaism, Budhism, Hinduism and all those other isms as great religions of the world.
:wtf:

[ixion]

16. Jesus is cool, but xianity can (and will) go to the hell of their own creation

:grr:

[JBoy]

17. Steve King is a douchebag

He's the dick who, after the death of al-Zarqawi, said "There probably are not seventy-two virgins in the hell he's at, and if there are, they probably all look like Helen Thomas".

And here's one of his recent childish visual aid:



Merry fucking Christmas, you prick.

[bowens43]

18. Our country is doomed. We are the next Afghastan

and christians are the next Taliban.

We need more lions.....

[undeterred]

19. My state has two Jewish Senators- Feingold and Kohl

How is it members of Congress don't even respect the diversity of the group they belong to much less the group they represent?

[VP505]

20. I found this disgusting

enough to FAX all of my states House reps and give them and earful.

Representative________, I want you to know that this voting taxpayer is absolutely appalled that the House of Representatives would be wasting its time and the Taxpayers money on crap nonsense like this, Rep. Steve King's (R-IA), HR 847 bill. With American troops and Iraqi civilians being SLAUGHTERED daily, millions of American children going hungry, struggling to keep warm without healthcare, thousands of homeless Veterans and numerous other vital needs, what are elected representatives wasting their time with, HR 847 "Recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith"? By the way, if all of you are so concerned about the importance of the Christian faith, how can you support so much KILLING, or doesn't "THOU SHALL NOT KILL" matter anymore ? SHAME on you Congress/man/woman and shame on the House of Representatives. Do you and your colleagues still wonder why the American people have such a low opinion of the HYPOCRITES in Congress?