In their ritual of showing off how virtuous they are, some PA representatives are trying to again force their version of their religion on others in HB 1640, aka “National Motto Display Act”. The sponsoring representative is Chris Dush (such a name, miserable to grow up with and certainly appropriate now). The rest of the sponsors are: DUSH, BAKER, V. BROWN, FARINA, GROVE, KAUFFMAN, MAJOR, McGINNIS, MILLARD, MILNE, REESE, SACCONE, STAATS AND ZIMMERMAN. Pretty much the usual suspects, who need to show their constituents that they are indeed trying to make a theocracy. Of course, they can’t be honest about it. No, they hide under the skirts of nationalism. They intentionally lie to try to force their religion on others. I guess they must not have read the bit in their bible that says lying is bad and lying “for” their god isn’t good either (Romans 3)
HB 1640, titled the “National Motto Display Act”, is nothing more than an attempt to force religion into schools, using a phrase put on money (in a desperate attempt to curry divine favor during the US Civil War)and on the US motto in hysterical fear over Communism. Political leaders decided that we should curry favor with one god, out of fear of the “goddless Commies”, as if putting the word God on money and the motto would make them, what, burst into flames? Again, we have some Christians trying to force their version of their religion on others, now through the backdoor of patriotism when they now present HB 1640 for a vote. It seems that intentional dishonesty is what some Christians try to get their way
There is no place for sectarian nonsense in schools as a display to be respected as the authors and supporters of the bill want. Let the history of such silly attempts be told in history books. This attempt tries to force a single religion’s claim onto all Pennsylvanians, onto our children and ignoring any parent’s right to teach their own children about their own religion, or lack of one. The Pew Research Center has that here is around 70% Christians in the US (and we know that is far smaller since most of those Christians are sure that those Christians who don’t agree with them aren’t Christians at all). That means around 30% of us have no trust in the Christian god. This attempt at theocracy and petty nationalism has no place in our schools. These Christians can have whatever they want in their homes and churches, they have no right to force the rest of us to participate in their religion.
This idiocy is why voting matters.
PS – had some formatting issues.
PPS: with much thanks to Ron, here is the amendment offered for this stinker: Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVE McCARTER Printer’s No. 2388 1Amend Bill, page 4, by inserting between lines 1 and 2 2(d) Referendum.–Prior to a school district posting the3motto under subsection (a), it must conduct a nonbinding voter4referendum on the question of displaying the motto and which 5explains any possible cost or the potential cost of any6potential exposure to litigation as a result of displaying the 7motto.
Nah, they don’t know that they are wrong and completely anti-Constitutional, do they? Ooh fuck, don’t blame *us* if you get sued.
Club Schadenfreude 
I really must get frustrating having to fight the rain of such laws. I fear Brazil is heading down this path, though. Evangelicals are spreading rapidly down here, and they are in politics.
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Favorite line: “… Political leaders decided that we should curry favor with one god, out of fear of the “goddless Commies”, as if putting the word God on money and the motto would make them, what, burst into flames?”
Truth! Faith slogans are indeed impotent weapons!
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Yep, just like
“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
or
“1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”
or
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
or
“God will never give you anything you can’t handle.”
They all fail dramatically, indeed impotent weapons.
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Indeed. So why bother banning such powerless platitudes?
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Because the idea behind the impotent platitudes is not powerless. Which you knew but tried to be clever and fell on your face.
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Let me ask you, is “Arbeit Macht Frei” is a powerless term now. IS the idea behind it powerless?
If “In God We Trust” is so powerless, why do you want it up, John? If the ten commandments are powerless platitudes, why do so many Christians want them up everywhere? I know they cause harm. You claim that they are worthless, so you should have no opinion either way, right. IF they cause no good and no harm, then they are meaningless to you. Right?
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I don’t care about “In God We Trust”. It can disappear from public forums. Wipe if off our money. Erase every trace of it from culture.
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Good for you. I’m not sure how your audiences will feel about your declarations.
Now does this also mean you support the removal of all mentions of your religion, crosses on public buildings and equipment, the Ten Commandments, nativity scenes on public property, prayers said at public meetings.
If “In God we Trust” is impotent and meaningless, are these words also impotent and meaningless, since they convey the same meaning and intent:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.???
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You betcha!
Remove all mentions of religion in public buildings. Outlaw crosses. Get rid of the Ten Commandments. Ban nativity scenes. All of it.
Let’s build the Utopian society they enjoyed in Cambodia and Russia when they outlawed religion. See if North Korea will loan us their dictator to help us launch our godless civilization. Let the revolution start!
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Thanks, JB, for ignoring what was said and attacking more strawmen that you’ve created. It’s always nice to see that again a Christian goes out of his way to be dishonest and shows that the supposed font of objective morals can be ignored any time they want. Thanks for intentionally misrepresenting what I actually said; it seems that lies are all you have. I’ll post again what I actually said “Now does this also mean you support the removal of all mentions of your religion, crosses on public buildings and equipment, the Ten Commandments, nativity scenes on public property, prayers said at public meetings.” You are asked to apologize for your attempts to lie.
Now, we have you trying to claim that the lack of worthless faith slogans aka “powerless platitudes” by your own admission, the 10 commandments in public buildings, nativitiy scenes on public property, and crosses on public buildings lead to the disasters in Russia and Cambodia and North Korea. So, where’s you evidence of this correlation and causation, JB? I know you have no evidence as usual for your claims, but if you do have it, please provide it.
You’ve missed some questions so I’ll post them again.
If “In God we Trust” is impotent and meaningless, are these words also impotent and meaningless, since they convey the same meaning and intent:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.???
Let me ask you, is “Arbeit Macht Frei” is a powerless term now. IS the idea behind it powerless?
If “In God We Trust” is so powerless, why do you want it up, John? If the ten commandments are powerless platitudes, why do so many Christians want them up everywhere? I know they cause harm. You claim that they are worthless, so you should have no opinion either way, right. IF they cause no good and no harm, then they are meaningless to you. Right?
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Trying to point out the inconsistency of calling these platitudes ‘impotent’ and demanding they be stricken from public view at the same time. That’s all…
As to Cambodia and Russia, pick up a history book. Of course I cannot PROVE a correlation between the outlawing of religion and the treatment of those people so let’s just assume it was something in the water.
You’ve already lectured me that good and evil are subjective. So if you just say the Bolsheviks were humanitarians doing good work I can’t argue with you.
I guess I don’t understand. If “In God We Trust” is so powerless, why do you care about putting it up?
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Again, JB< thanks for ignoring my questions. Do you think the ideas behind such pointless faith slogans are dangerous, as the slogan Arbeit Macht Frei is a pointless slogan but the ideals behind it are potent?
Of course you cannot prove a correlation or causation between the disasters in Russia and Cambodia, etc, you can't even provide any evidence. You are just one more liar who tries to claim that if we just had in god we trust in every classroom in the US, things would be "better".
Yes, I have shown you that good and evil are subjective and poor ol' JB hasn't yet shown any evidence that they aren't. He just runs away, claiming how great he is for supposed giving the last word and then not doing that.
You're just running away again, after it is demonstrated that JB has nothing to support his claims and he intentionally tells lies, ignoring his Christian faith.
It seems you can't read either. I've already told you exactly why I am against putting up your slogans. The slogans are pointless, the ideals behind them are not. Now, if you aren't lying again, and you say you don't care at all for having them up at all, then having them down would make any difference to you at all. Since not all Americans are Christians, nor trust your God, and Christian law doesn't rule US, and it welcomes everyone, there is no need to mention your god at all in public places. If it is up, then someone who doesn't belive in your god, may think that public officials will give preference to Christians and we know that does happen (see idiots who refuse to give marriage licenses to gay folks).
The Bolsheviks were flaws as all humans are. Will you happily say the same thing about the leaders of your religion are flawed and provide the evidence that these men existed or the events claimed in the bible are true? Of couse, I suspect you'll whine that anyone that does anything bad isn't a TrueChristian.
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Oh, I do hope you comment on my latest post.
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In God We Trust…
But we’ll manitain the DoD, DHS, ATF, CIA, FBI, NSA, TSA, US Marshals and local police departments — just in case.
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Indeed. and most TrueChristians are gun nuts which indicates that they have no trust in this god.
or as Sinbad says in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad: Trust in Allah, but tie up your camel.
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Just out of curiosity, I note that under “Last Action” it says: Removed from table, April 12, 2016 [House]
Does that mean the bill was rejected or that it was passed on?
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passed on out of the committee to into the process to get a vote on it.
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Thanks. It appears they’re now considering an amendment that mandates a non-binding referendum that “explains any possible cost or the potential cost of any potential exposure to litigation as a result of displaying the motto” prior to posting the motto.
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ROFL. oh my. what an exercise of trying to cover their asses since they known they’ll lose.
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Yes. It looks like someone sought legal advice regarding a constitutional challenge, because it replaces Amendment A06583 (Y:83, N:112, L:8), which read:
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