Post by Paddy by Grace on Mar 9, 2009 15:49:31 GMT -7
www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=439148
Religious books legal for Penn. lawmakersCharlie Butts - OneNewsNow - 3/8/2009 4:10:00 AM
Americans United for Separation of Church and State is upset over Pennsylvania lawmakers using state funds to purchase religious books for members of the legislature.
State funds were used to buy Bibles, the Koran, and the Torah as lawmakers took the oath of office at the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel says it is completely legal.
"They could either select them or they didn't have to -- it was up to the individual members of the legislature," he notes. "Only seven members chose not to receive one."
Staver contends state dollars are used to purchase other books for lawmakers, so denying the right to buy Bibles would be discriminatory.
"The fact is Thomas Jefferson, when he was president, actually had the federal government buy Bibles for the Indian tribes so that we could take these to the Indian tribes because it was necessary to maintain our freedom to be able to extend the gospel," he adds.
Thomas Jefferson also attended church on government turf, Staver says. "The largest church in the country literally was housed in the nation's capitol buildings," he concludes.
Staver says purchasing the religious books is just as legal.
Religious books legal for Penn. lawmakersCharlie Butts - OneNewsNow - 3/8/2009 4:10:00 AM
Americans United for Separation of Church and State is upset over Pennsylvania lawmakers using state funds to purchase religious books for members of the legislature.
State funds were used to buy Bibles, the Koran, and the Torah as lawmakers took the oath of office at the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel says it is completely legal.
"They could either select them or they didn't have to -- it was up to the individual members of the legislature," he notes. "Only seven members chose not to receive one."
Staver contends state dollars are used to purchase other books for lawmakers, so denying the right to buy Bibles would be discriminatory.
"The fact is Thomas Jefferson, when he was president, actually had the federal government buy Bibles for the Indian tribes so that we could take these to the Indian tribes because it was necessary to maintain our freedom to be able to extend the gospel," he adds.
Thomas Jefferson also attended church on government turf, Staver says. "The largest church in the country literally was housed in the nation's capitol buildings," he concludes.
Staver says purchasing the religious books is just as legal.