In states from Texas to Oklahoma to Iowa, legislators have introduced resolutions that appear to proclaim Israel as a nation ordained by God. Most recently, the Texas enrolled SR 694 — a resolution introduced by Republican Senator Ken Paxton of McKinney, Texas and entitled “Commending Israel for its relationship with the United States.” It is not the title but the first sentence that is surprising: “WHEREAS, Israel has been granted her lands as recorded in the Old Testament.” That sounds a lot like saying that the nation of Israel is ordained by God and that religious claim is being ratified by the Texas legislature.
The first proclaimed fact in many of these bills introduced across the country is a whooper for those concerns about the wall of separation between church and state: “Israel has been granted her lands under and through the oldest recorded deed, as recorded in the Old Testament, a tome of scripture held sacred and revered by Jews and Christians, alike, as presenting the acts and words of God.”
The language has been duplicated and introduced in states across the country. It is rare for states with no foreign policy functions to hold forth on international matters of this kind. However, one could certainly understand the desire to affirm the close alliance between the United States and Israel. However, that can be express in a variety of ways referring to the countries and their history. There was a clear desire to have an expression of faith in the legislation — a faith-based claim that is not shared by many non-Christian and Jews including atheists and agnostics.
Do you consider this type of language appropriate?
Ken Paxton is a graduate of Virginia Law School. His campaign literature states that he “is an active charter member of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, where he has participated in various leadership roles.”
Here is the language of the Texas bill:
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 694
WHEREAS, Israel has been granted her lands as recorded in the Old Testament; and
WHEREAS, The presence of the Jewish people in Israel has remained constant throughout the past 4,000 years of history; and
WHEREAS, The basis for the establishment of the modern State of Israel was a binding resolution under international law, which was unanimously adopted by the League of Nations in 1922 and subsequently affirmed by both houses of the United States Congress; and
WHEREAS, This resolution affirmed the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in the historical region of the Land of Israel; and
WHEREAS, Israel declared its independence and self-governance on May 14, 1948, with the goal of reestablishing its lands as a homeland for the Jewish people; and
WHEREAS, The United States, having been the first country to recognize Israel as an independent nation and as Israel’s principal ally, has enjoyed a close and mutually beneficial relationship with Israel and her people; and
WHEREAS, Israel is a great friend and ally of the United States in the Middle East; and
WHEREAS,
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd Legislature, hereby commend Israel for its cordial and mutually beneficial relationship with the United States and with the State of Texas and support Israel in its right of self-governance and self-defense.
Screw Israel. Bottom line, the Arabs are going to kill them. Want to do something about it? Take a chair.
Insanity.
If we get lucky the middle east will blow themselves up and we will be done with it
Illinois is The Land of Lincoln. I bet he would object to that!
Those who want laws based on religion are theocrats.
They are enemies of democracy and should be charged with sedition – prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned.
Or they can keep their religion to themselves and freely practice, which they are already allowed to do.
Raff,
We are like a whole nuther country…..
Whereas, the USA is an enabler of Israel’s crimes against humanity…..
Wow. Why in the heck would any state want to make that statement? The Texas legislature is certifying the Old Testament as being the deciding factor in the legitimacy of a nation state. Since when is Texas involved in international politics?
Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, the. Moabites, the Egyptians, Amorites and the people in Jericho are all divided. That made for war. The borders they made were imaginary lines in their head. Have us be under one invisible flag of the Lord God Jesus Christ will eliminate lines. People will respect people wherever they are.
Have us be under one invisible flag of the Lord God Jesus Christ will eliminate lines. People will respect people wherever they are. says Jonathan Hughes
Uh I guess unless they are not Christian, or maybe your desired denomination of Christianity.
This goes against the spirit of the US Constitution:
“Section. 10.
No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation;”
This is one of those instances I wish the Lemon Test wasn’t so narrow in application. This is clearly endorsement under the plain language meaning of endorsement.
Didn’t it like get reestablished like in 1948…..or somewhere around there….
The People of The Great State of Texas kill humans. They do so in the name of the People of the Great State of Texas. They term the killings “Executions”. They violate the Sixth Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Kill. There aint no Texas exception laid down by the Lord which says Y’all can.
This little apCray about God and the promised land is a drop in the bucket compared to the violations by Texas of the human rights ordained by God and The Lord. If God is going to draw boundaries he may just draw a line around Texas and designate it at Hell and send the rest of us there when our time comes and we done wrong.
I don’t suppose that God drew a map of the boundary?
The morons who introduce and vote for such bills very likely look down on Palestinans and Arabs as religious nutters.
Way to go America.
Screw with the planet. Destabalize governments and install/support friendly dictators. Invade – kill a lot of people and then leave an unstable mess. Bomb and drone women and children. Abduct and torture in black prisons. Keep GITMO going. Be exceptional!
Don’t wonder why people might be irritated by all of this,
Just pass these sorts of inflammatory bills and damm the blowback. It’s not as if they are going to “hate our freedoms” any more because of it.
Cub fans want the Chicago City Council to declare Wrigley Field a “Land ordained by God.” However, the fans are not willing to pony up the required “donations” to council members.
Such childish clinging to religious entitlements is at the core of what ails us.
THIS IS JUST GREAT!
God is a real-estate agent, apparently.
Myths are the greatest inhibitors to civilization’s advance.
They hope that people who can read, think and interpret logically will not see the wording of these bills, or get that their are big issues with it.
“In states from Texas to Oklahoma to Iowa, legislators have introduced resolutions that appear to proclaim Israel as a nation ordained by God.”
The famous conservative Winston Churchill believed that the end-time battle of Armageddon. so to give Britain an edge he switched the Navy from burning coal in ships to burning oil.
That required “managing” the middle east since Britain had no home based oil.
Hence, the focus on the Middle East and the Israeli – Arab conflicts.
Conservatives in the House act like they want to bring the end to their majority in the House.
It figures.