Guest Columnist Annie Laurie Gaylor is the co-founder and co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation A proposal to anoint the Bible as Tennessee’s official state book is not only unconstitutional, it is also an affront to true religious freedom. A resolution to do so passed the House on April 1 and has been sent to the Senate floor. The Tennessee Constitution specifically guarantees “that no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious establishment or mode of worship.” What could show more preference than having a state legislature designate one religion’s so-called holy book as its official book? Hear more Tennessee Voices: Get the weekly opinion newsletter for insightful and thought provoking columns. Such attempts have happened in the past In 2016, former Gov. Bill Haslam properly vetoed a similar bill after Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery noted that it violates both the federal and state constitutions. Imagine the uproar and consternation that would attend the introduction of a bill to designate the Quran as Tennessee’s official state book. It is equally contrary to our nation’s religious freedom to single out the Christian Bible. Under the First Amendment, citizens are free to choose any “holy book” […]
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