2010 Year of the Bible?

2010 "YEAR OF THE BIBLE"?     CONGRESSIONAL BACKER HAS SORDID
      RECORD ON SEPARATION, BANKRUPTCY-ALIMONY FLAP, MORE
         Also Linked to Bizarre "Anointing" in DC Capitol Building

Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) wants to have the federal government pass
a decree proclaiming 2010 as "Year of the Bible."

Pundits say that the proposed measure, H.Con Res. 121, is unlikely to
pass and amounts to little more than a publicity stunt reflecting
tone-deaf Republican obsessions with divisive "culture war"
issues. Extreme religious right groups, however, are likely to
exploit the bill, and see in Broun a dependable ally who has
skillfully used his high-profile faith to gain public office.

The Resolution reads, in part:

"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 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 strengths 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 recognize the
inherent worth,dignity, and inalienable rights of each individual,
thus unifying a diverse people with the right to vote, and the
freedom of speech and vast religious freedoms, which inspired
courageous men like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to lead the Civil
Rights Movement..."

The Resolution has the endorsement of 13 co-sponsors in the House;
so far, there is no comparable measure being introduced in the
U.S. Senate.

Broun's call for a "Year of the Bible" drew quick responses,
particularly from state-church separationists and congressional
figures in Washington.  Reporter Victoria McGrane of the Politico.com
web site said that the measure, while unlikely to become law,
was one of the most blogged topics in cyberspace.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) described the proposed Resolution as an
unconstitutional "endorsement of religion by the federal government."

"Does that (the Broun proposal) mean that 2009 is not the year of
the Bible?" asked Rep. Barney Frank (D. - Mass.)  "What is 2012
the year of?  The Quran?"

The Progressive Puppy blogspot quipped: "Republican lawmakers with
apparently too much time on their hands and no solutions to offer
the country are pushing a resolution that will not address the
nation's problems or advance prosperity or even untangle their
previous government mistakes."

Broun's legislation is not the first time politicians have "pushed"
for government recognition of the Bible.  In 1983, President Ronald
Reagan signed a "Proclamation" declaring a "Year of the Bible."
That move came in response to an October, 1982 Joint Congressional
Resolution describing the Bible as "The Word of God" and citing
"our national need to study and apply the teachings of the Holy
Scriptures."

The current resolution has propelled Rep. Broun into the national
spotlight.  In Georgia, he has been a lighting rod for controversy
and critical comment even within the ranks of fellow Republicans
due to his checkered background and strident religious and political
views. Last November, for instance, Broun was locked in a fierce GOP
Primary contest against state Rep. Barry Fleming.  In an interview,
he questioned his opponent's religious convictions insisting that
Fleming "doesn't understand redemption and salvation and a changed
life in accepting Jesus as lord and savior."  Both candidates
were busy promoting their respective faiths as a credential for
public office.

Despite Fleming's insistence that he was a good Christian, Broun
remained on the offensive and accused his opponent of "bearing
false witness" by lying about his voting record.  Fleming went on
to point out that lying violated one of the Ten Commandments.

Broun however, has had his own problems, including revelations
of a bankruptcy and squabbles over alimony payments to one of his
three ex-wives.  In July, 2008, Mr. Broun's Washington, DC office
reportedly was experiencing "financial troubles."  Roll Call,
a capitol hill-based publication and web site noted that Broun's
operation "has nearly expended his national budget, and may be forced
to seek assistance to manage the office's day-to-day functions."
Nearly half of the $1.38 million budget had reportedly been used
for mailings to Georgia voters and other constituents.

More recently, Rep. Broun made overnight headlines when he described
President-elect Obama as a "Marxist" during an address to a Rotary
club.

                        Anointing the Capitol?

Rep. Broun has also been linked to a bizarre incident in the
U.S. Capitol involving the Rev. Rob Schenck, head of a group called
"Faith &
Action."  Schenck is a leader on the religious right, and no stranger
to publicity stunts.  His group. for instance, has called for
the display of the Ten Commandments on Capitol Hill, and erected
"temporary" Decalogue monuments.  Schenck and his brother Paul
worked closely with anti-abortion zealot Randall Terry and founded
Operation Rescue.  The pair were featured in Life Magazine; Robert
was shown holding an aborted 20-week-old fetus in his hands.  Later,
Robert Schenck --despite his extremist politics and reputation for
"in your face" stunts -- was later appointed to the U.S. Senate
Chaplain's Emergency Pastoral Response Team charged with handing
"emergencies" in the Capitol.  More recently, he has become a regular
at the National Prayer Breakfast, and is involved with the National
Bible Reading Marathon where dozens of volunteers read the complete
Old and New Testaments aloud.

Schenck and Rep. Broun crossed paths last January 7 while
Faith & Action was busy conducting a bizarre ritual inside
the Capitol. Schenck and the Rev. Pat Mahoney of the Christian
Defense Coalition were trying to "bless" and "anoint" a doorway
that President-elect Obama was to walk through on his way to the
inauguration.

According to a Washington Post story, "Schenck said the Capitol
Police refused to give him access to the doorway, but that changed
when Scheck and Mahoney ran into Rep. Paul Braun, a Georgia
Republican."

"It just so happened -- as it so often does for people of faith
--when we entered the Capitol complex, we met Congressman Paul
Brown of Georgia in the hallway... Congressman Broun is a dynamic
and unapologetic Christian.  I told him what God had prompted me
to do. He immediately agreed and joined me along with Rev. Mahoney
... as together we held a prayer service inside the U.S. Capitol
that included anointing the doorway President-Elect Barack Obama
will pass through..."

Despite prayers and "anointed" doorways, it is unlikely that
Rep. Broun's resolution will see much traction in the House.
Introducing these sorts of measures, though -- including calls
for display of the Commandments on public property, or permitting
organized prayer in public school -- keeps divisive "culture war"
issues alive, and in many parts of the nation generate votes for
religious right candidates at election time.

Links and resources for this story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE73OoC-njM
YouTube video of Capitol "anointing," includes Rep. Broun

http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/special-election-winner-broun-fighting-from-behind-vs.-fleming-2007-10-31.html
Background on Broun-Fleming Primary contest.

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