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Here are links to info about the offending items:
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ABSOLUTLY THE WORST LEGISLATURE EVER! (Posted May 31, 2025)
This spring, Christian Nationalists in the Texas legislature -- elected officials who swore an oath to uphold both state and federal constitutions -- have done their level best to tear down the wall of separation between church and state that our founders so wisely erected by enacting several laws and resolutions which are clearly designed to promote and advance the Christian religion, above all other beliefs, and in three instances, turn our public schools into extensions of churches. In doing so, these officials, almost all of whom are Republicans, have not only violated their oaths, but also the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, as well as Article I, Section 6 of the Texas Constitution, which plainly states: "no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious society or mode of worship." At least one of these ill-conceived acts, the school voucher law championed by Governor Abbott, also goes against Section 7 of Article I, which says, "No money shall be appropriated, or drawn from the Treasury for the benefit of any sect, or religious society, theological or religious seminary; nor shall property belonging to the State be appropriated for any such purposes."
How so?
On the surface, the law that provides vouchers to parents so that they can send their kids to private schools, seems harmless, and it would if vouchers were used exclusively for non-religious schools. As it happens, however, most of the private schools in Texas are Christian academies and while it's true that public money will not be given directly to such schools, whether direct or indirect, it's going to end up in their pockets, which apparently Governor Abbott hopes we won't notice.
Unsatisfied with that violation, these same misguided officials have also passed bills that authorize public schools to set aside time for prayer and Bible study, require the posting of the Ten Commandments in every public classroom in Texas, and require the use of anachronistic Christian designations for years, A.D. ("Anno Domini," or "Year of Our Lord") and B.C. ("Before Christ:), instead of the more widely used C.E. ("Common Era") and B.C.E. (Before Common Era) which is favored by academics.
As for those of us who are not schoolchildren, a resolution declaring the month of May to be "Promise Month," for the next ten years, has also been introduced, unabashedly proclaiming: "The promise of God is His word, which is revelation from Him, showing the way of Salvation, through His Son, Jesus Christ, the Truth and Life." The resolution also incorrectly claims that "America was founded upon Biblical principles and Christian values," which it wasn't. I defy anyone to find a single Bible verse that says anything about republics or representative democracy.
What all this means is that not only have all these elected representatives violated their oaths and the constitutions they swore to uphold by passing these ill-thought laws and resolutions, they have, in effect, endorsed Christianity as the government-favored religion of this state. Yet according to a 2023-2024 Pew Research Study, fully twenty-six percent of Texans identify as nonreligious, with another six percent practicing religions other than Christianity.
It is not the job of our elected official to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ or advance belief in a deity that not all Texans worship or even believe in. If they want to preach, let them get themselves a church or a soapbox on the corner of some street. We need representatives who will work for all the people of Texas, not just a select class. What they are doing is not only unconstitutional, its downright un-American.
Almost all these bills and resolutions originated in the Senate, but the House concurred. Unfortunately, the Democrats, who are outnumbered, couldn't stop them. The only thing good that can be said about these laws is that at least some of them are going to be challenged in court by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Unfortunately, the state's defense will be paid for with public money, i.e. your tax dollars and mine.
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