2010: Year of the Bible

Ok, I'm sure that this has been done to death already, but I'm finally getting a moment to sit down and get something up about this. A bill has been introduced to the House of Representatives urging President Obama to declare 2010 'Year of the Bible'. I urge you all to go here and read the bill for yourself.

I'm not sure what surprises me more, the fact that something like this is being considered or the fact that it has happened before. "Ronald Reagan, who declared 1983 as ‘The National Year of the Bible’". Actually it doesn't surprise me as much as I would like it to. But if there's a bill for a Year of the Bible, I would like to say that I would love a 'Year of Harry Potter' or a 'Year of The Origin of Man'. Let's see how well those propositions would go over in the House.

The most appalling thing though, in this bill has to be the last paragraph:

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.

While I agree that the messages contained within the Bible still hold true today, i.e. 'love thy neighbour as thyself', ect. The very idea of 'proclaiming' that people of other faiths 'rediscover' what the Bible has to say sickens me. I hope that this bill gets shot down immediantly. If not, I suggest we all get together and demand a 'Year of Harry Potter'!