Steven Waldman

Steven Waldman

National “Year of the Bible” — The 2010 and 1983 Versions

posted by swaldman | 11:40am Friday May 22, 2009

Rep. Paul Braun (R-Ga) wants 2010 to be “The Year of the Bible.” His Congressional resolution would encourage the President:

“to issue a proclamation calling upon citizens of all faiths to rediscover and apply the priceless, timeless message of the Holy Scripture which has profoundly influenced and shaped the United States and its great democratic form of Government, as well as its rich spiritual heritage, and which has unified, healed, and strengthened its people for over 200 years.”

Politico reports:

“‘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.”

Rep. Barney Frank’s rebuttal: “Does that mean 2009 is not the year of the Bible? What is 2012 the year of? The Quran?”
What I didn’t realize is that 1983 was also the Year of the Bible.
Here’s Broun’s full resolution followed by the 1983 version:

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Encouraging the President to designate 2010 as ‘The National Year of the Bible’.
Whereas the Bible has had a profound impact in shaping America into a great Nation;
Whereas deep religious beliefs stemming from the Old and New Testament of the Bible have inspired Americans from all walks of life, especially the early settlers, whose faith, spiritual courage, and moral strength enabled them to endure intense hardships in this new land;


Whereas many of our Presidents have recognized the importance of God and the Bible, including George Washington; Franklin D. Roosevelt; Harry Truman; John F. Kennedy; Ronald Reagan, who declared 1983 as ‘The National Year of the Bible’; and especially Abraham Lincoln, whose 200th Birthday Celebration in 2009 highlighted freedom for the slaves;
Whereas shared Biblical beliefs unified the colonists and gave our early leaders the wisdom to write the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, both of which recognized the inherent worth, dignity, and inalienable rights of each individual, thus unifying a diverse people with the right to vote, and the freedoms of speech and vast religious freedoms, which inspired courageous men like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to lead the Civil Rights Movement;
Whereas the Bible has been the world’s best selling book since it was first published in English in 1526, and has influenced more people than any other book;
Whereas the Bible has been a cornerstone in the development of Western civilization, influencing the nations in the areas of history, law, politics, culture, music, literature, art, drama, and especially moral philosophy;
Whereas the Bible, used as a moral guide, has inspired compassion, love for our neighbor, and the preciousness of life and marriage, and has stimulated many benevolent, faith-based community initiatives and neighborhood partnerships that have healed and blessed our families, communities, and our entire Nation, especially in times of war, tragedy, and economic and social crisis;
Whereas the Bible has inspired acts of patriotism that have unified Americans, commemorated through shared celebrations such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas; and
Whereas 2010 is an appropriate year to designate as ‘The National Year of the Bible’: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the President is encouraged–
(1) to designate an appropriate year as ‘The National Year of the Bible’; and
(2) to issue a proclamation calling upon citizens of all faiths to rediscover and apply the priceless, timeless message of the Holy Scripture which has profoundly influenced and shaped the United States and its great democratic form of Government, as well as its rich spiritual heritage, and which has unified, healed, and strengthened its people for over 200 years.
Here’s the proclamation issued by Ronald Reagan:

Proclamation 5018 — Year of the Bible, 1983
February 3, 1983
By the President of the United States
of America
A Proclamation

Of the many influences that have shaped the United States of America into a distinctive Nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible.
Deep religious beliefs stemming from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible inspired many of the early settlers of our country, providing them with the strength, character, convictions, and faith necessary to withstand great hardship and danger in this new and rugged land. These shared beliefs helped forge a sense of common purpose among the widely dispersed colonies — a sense of community which laid the foundation for the spirit of nationhood that was to develop in later decades.
The Bible and its teachings helped form the basis for the Founding Fathers’ abiding belief in the inalienable rights of the individual, rights which they found implicit in the Bible’s teachings of the inherent worth and dignity of each individual. This same sense of man patterned the convictions of those who framed the English system of law inherited by our own Nation, as well as the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
For centuries the Bible’s emphasis on compassion and love for our neighbor has inspired institutional and governmental expressions of benevolent outreach such as private charity, the establishment of schools and hospitals, and the abolition of slavery.
Many of our greatest national leaders — among them Presidents Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, and Wilson — have recognized the influence of the Bible on our country’s development. The plainspoken Andrew Jackson referred to the Bible as no less than “the rock on which our Republic rests.” Today our beloved America and, indeed, the world, is facing a decade of enormous challenge. As a people we may well be tested as we have seldom, if ever, been tested before. We will need resources of spirit even more than resources of technology, education, and armaments. There could be no more fitting moment than now to reflect with gratitude, humility, and urgency upon the wisdom revealed to us in the writing that Abraham Lincoln called “the best gift God has ever given to man . . . But for it we could not know right from wrong.”
The Congress of the United States, in recognition of the unique contribution of the Bible in shaping the history and character of this Nation, and so many of its citizens, has by Senate Joint Resolution 165 authorized and requested the President to designate the year 1983 as the “Year of the Bible.”
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, in recognition of the contributions and influence of the Bible on our Republic and our people, do hereby proclaim 1983 the Year of the Bible in the United States. I encourage all citizens, each in his or her own way, to reexamine and rediscover its priceless and timeless message.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of February, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and seventh.
Ronald Reagan



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Comments read comments(11)
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jestrfyl

posted May 22, 2009 at 4:20 pm


Give it a REST! My first inclination is to wonder what he is trying to hide by redirecting people’s attention to a cause as benign as Year of the Bible. This is either a kiss-up or look-over-there strategy. There does not seem to be any other reason for a stunt like this.



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Mr. Reason

posted May 22, 2009 at 5:52 pm


This is a load of bull****. These right-wing, idiotic Christians are really f***ing a******s. They just can’t accept the fact that America is NOT a Christian nation. NO, we are not! Most of our fore-fathers were deists or Freemasons… that’s it. And most of them agreed with the separation of church and state. I don’t care what those fundamentalists perspective is. They by NO means should be saying that Holy Scripture should be added to society. This is just another way of shoving their faith down other people’s throats. We are destroying American values of tolerance and freedom of religion by valuing the Bible as ultimate, supreme and infallible. Religion must be put in it’s proper place… outside of society. If these Christians want political power so bad… I suggest they start paying taxes. YES, TAX RELIGION!!!



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Tim

posted May 23, 2009 at 8:04 am


No disrespect to Representative Braun, but if he thinks that it isn’t about christianity or that it doesn’t run the risk of getting people of other faiths offended, then I am afraid that he perhaps think the general population was kind of born yesterday.
The fact that he says that 2010 should be the “year of the Bible” is pretty much saying that America should be a Christian nation- only. That would only work if America is a homogeneous society like Japan.
But modern-day America with its population full of immigrant roots, and new naturalised citizens from Asia, South America, Eastern Europe et al is a pluralistic society. Therefore a one-size-fits-all and top-down approach, even for Christianity is not going to go down very well.



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Rob the Rev

posted May 23, 2009 at 9:08 am


Just which bible is going to be “honored?” I vote for the Jeffersonian bible.



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Mordred08

posted May 23, 2009 at 11:45 am


Rob the Rev: “Just which bible is going to be ‘honored?’ I vote for the Jeffersonian bible.”
My vote’s for the Skeptic’s Annotated Bible. Also, how about making 2023 the year of the Principia Discordia?



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Guy Allen

posted May 23, 2009 at 1:52 pm


Here’s a “Workable Compromise” Let’s call it the year of the “WISDOM BOOK(S)”. This would cover all faiths and people of no faith.
Remember IT’S ALWAYS ABOUT THE WISDOM.



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Your Name

posted May 25, 2009 at 11:45 pm


There is a segment of the American electorate that is always in fear of the unknown and they must be stroked and reassured that everything is going to be ok. This bill is just another stroking session for the fear crowd. This bill clearly tries to make “christian” values paramount in America. This is comforting to the fearful. But it is in direct violation of the Freedom of Religion. Just think, if this were to become the law, the next thing would be that it is the Baptists or Methodists or Catholic or ??? group that would be the prime “christian” religion. Suppose we make some evangelical group like Southern Baptists the “founders” religion of choice. Then the Baptists will have to put down all their competitors to remain at the top of the heap. Welcome to the next religious war.



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JJ

posted May 26, 2009 at 12:25 am


If any version of the bible should be observed in 2010 the year of the bible it really shouldn’t matter. Even though the King James version & the New International versions are the most commonly used all translations of the holy bible should be observed during the year of the bible. And another thing, about the Muslims and other religious groups being offended by the proposal to make 2010 the year of the bible those groups get offended by just about anything we do anyways. I grew up as a catholic but I have become a born again Christian as of late and speaking on behalf of other Christians out here we should support the proposal to make 2010 the year of the bible. Not as a way to get people to convert to Christianity but to educate people and hopefully to restore the moral ethic fibers that this country was originally founded upon.
Thank you and god bless.



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Ken

posted May 26, 2009 at 8:48 pm


2010 year of the Bible? Which version? Why now? What do we do between now and then? Better late than never? Why not the year of Jesus? Why is Government putting its nose in our Bible now of all times? From the beginning, this proposed legislative measure is failed. They have conveniently removed the word “HOLY”.
At one time in our nation’s history the Holy Bible was the rod, the staff, the law, the moral compass that guided ordinary men to become leaders of men, of women & children of a nation founded on its principals, destined for greatness.
Now Government is blowing over 200 years of dust off of their Bible and lifting it up as a good luck charm? Thinking it is going to be the answer to all that has gone wrong with our country morally, financially and spiritually?
Even Christians can’t agree on which version of the Bible to have in their homes, churches or pulpits. The Bible has been distorted & desecrated under the name of humanistic, feel-good, spineless committees that has removed the blood and the deity of Christ from His book and replaced it in part with their own agenda.
To have a Year of the Bible is too open. To have a year of the “Bible” would open the doors for the Koran, the Satanic Bible, the bartenders’ Bible, the mechanics’ Bible – any Bible without the distinction of being “HOLY”! To have a year of the “Holy Bible” Is more acceptable in my opinion.
For Government to have the audacity to proclaim a certain year as the time we recognize God’s Holy Word as being somewhat significant in our nation’s short history is presumptuous at best. However if Government was to repent and to serve with conviction and leading of God’s Word in His Holy Bible, this country may have a chance.
Try to remember it is called Government not Godvernment.



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Your Name

posted August 18, 2010 at 4:19 pm


People that oppose a day of the bible, are certainly “ungodly men”, and shall be removed from this earth “quickly.” I wish God will remove you all from this earth and take you to a place called “hell.” I’m sure there, you will feel at home. If you pass away, trust me, i will certainly not cry.



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