Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Politics, Religion

States Pass Resolution Declaring Israel As A Land Ordained By God

170px-rembrandt_harmensz-_van_rijn_079-1In 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?

7350132Ken 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.

71 thoughts on “States Pass Resolution Declaring Israel As A Land Ordained By God”

  1. Darren,
    Your comment,
    “More like Bar Sinister, methinks.”
    Heralds illegitimate fruit. It left nothing sinister to bar.

  3. Ralph Adamo – you still don’t have the dosage right, ask your doctor to evaluate your meds as they obviously are not getting you the relief from the delusions you need.

    That is the only response possible to that screed

  4. SlingTrebuchet – actually there are some people who claim he did give boundaries. I am somewhat embarrassed to mention this as I don’t remember reading it when I read the bible but the claim is that there is a passage in the New Testament that claims he gave them all the land between the Nile and the Euphrates rivers (I’ll pause here to give everyone a chance to visualize that land grant and what it really means).

    I am aware that there are wingnut groups in Israel that take this as their starting point which naturally upsets some people living the area, particularly since the believe has some traction in the Likud

  5. The Palestinians were escheated out of their land, and it reverted to the Lord, who subsequently conveyed it to Israel.

    I read that on a scroll at the Dead Sea County Assessor’s Office.

    I wish some people would Quit Claiming they own the world. Show some Restraint On Alienating everyone’s belief in justice.

  6. Bob wrote:
    “Left is sinister, right?”
    ~+~

    More like Bar Sinister, methinks.

  7. Gene H.:

    I believe that the original rule made reference to a life in being plus 6,000 years.

  8. rafflaw:

    Is a deed to Jews only violative of public policy?

  9. Gene,
    Your question reminds of an old law school exam! I am sweating again!!

  10. Mike A.,
    You must have missed that last deed into trust where Jesus deeded Palestine into his Jews only trust. 🙂

  11. Mike A.,

    You raise another point tangentially: Is the Lord of Israel subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities? :mrgreen:

  12. Ralph, you old leftist, you,
    “For the zillionth time…”
    “I’ve explained this too, many times.”

    We can’t understand your leftist rants. This may be why you feel compelled to repeat them, endlessly. You leftists rant incoherently, but you’re never right. Repeating leftist gibberish doesn’t clarify it.
    Why are you so obsessed with being a leftist, Ralph?
    Your admiration for leftists like yourself intrudes on your writing, making it undecipherable.
    Left is sinister, right?
    Or is that a somewhat left-handed compliment?

  13. I’m not technically a dirt lawyer, but I did examine a lot of title abstracts as a baby lawyer, and I can truthfully say that although many Florida titles are traced back to Spanish land grants, I never encountered a deed naming the Lord of Israel as grantor. And I rather doubt that any of the title insurance companies with whom I have dealt over the years would recognize such a deed as a legally sufficient root of title.

  14. Respect those who seek the truth; beware of those who find it…

  15. leecarrol, you say “well gee Ralph if there is no difference then why do you refer to “leftists’ only?” I’ve explained this too, many times. The left has successfully hijacked what used to be called right-wing, so as a convenient short-cut, I simply use the term “Leftist” for any political philosophy in which an “elite” centralized group determines what everyone else must do. There are degrees of leftism, of course, but the concept and philosophy are the same. Some want to do it in stages, like Mayor Bloomberg, who would–if he had his way totally–dictate what you may eat or drink and where you may do and under what circumstances. That’s Leftism in small stages. Others want it to happen in broad stages, like Obama. And still others are out for a grand revolution of leftism, like the Muslims. You probably think of Nazis, like those on Stormfront, as being right-wing. But the label is stale and is absurd because Stormfront agrees 100% with Muslims, in much the same way that the Grand Mufti joined hands with Hitler, and for the same purpose: to institute centralized control. Key to the Leftist plan is to exterminate all contributors to civilization, as they insist on freedom, which has no place in the Leftist ideology. Ironically, many believers in Leftism are simply naïve or dumb about what it means, and when they really find out–when it has advanced to the point that the power really does start to get centralized, they are among the first casualties.

  18. Isn’t it sad when dreams come true, and bring no happiness or beauty?

    I don’t think that’s how god works.

  19. Darren Smith, this comment seems to apply to you.
    leejcaroll
    1, May 10, 2013 at 7:55 pm

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