Members of the Tennessee House of Representatives voted to make the Holy Bible the official state book, beating back an attempt to elevate Andrew Jackson's Bible to the same level. But some see the vote as an act of Satan.
"History's going to tell us where we stand on this," said Republican Bean Station, about his vote in favor of the measure, the Tennessean reported. "I'm grateful to have the opportunity to have the side that I'm on. It may be kind to me in the future and it may not be kind and that's OK. I made a decision for today and I feel good about it."
Only Six Democrats joined Station in voting for the bill. And not only was the decision centered on whether to make the Holy Bible the official book of Tennessee, but also on whether another version of the Bible was the better option. Other lawmakers, for instance, questioned: What about Jackson's Bible, or Elvis' Bible or Davy Crockett's Bible?
Still others expressed concerns over the legal ramifications and wondered out loud if the American Civil Liberties Union was planning a lawsuit.
And still another argued making the Bible a tool of the political world was actually a boon for Satan.
"I sure hope it won't pass [the Senate]," said Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, the Tennessean reported. "I think it'll be a dark day for Tennessee if it does. All I know is that I head Satan snickering. He loves this kind of mischief. You just dumb the good book down far enough to make it whatever it takes to make it a state symbol and you're on your way to where he wants you."
Members of the House voted 55-38 in favor of the Holy Bible bill. These same members voted 48-41 to kill the amendment that would have specified a Jackson Bible as the state book. A Senate committee, meanwhile, voted in speedy favor for the measure and it's now headed to the full Senate for consideration. It's not clear if the governor will sign it if it's presented for consideration.