The Honorable Zach Wamp, U.S. Representative
The Bible and our Country

Tuesday, October 2, 2001 - House of Representatives

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the critical problems facing lawmakers, law enforcers, and social, civil, and religious leaders in our nation. These problems are being addressed by the International Bible Reading Association, as well as by Senators, Representatives, and civic, religious, and national statesmen who are confident that the Bible contains the answers to our nation's dilemma.

The great American scholar Noah Webster wrote: ``All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.'' Noah Webster stated the facts over 150 years ago; but, because of the increased pace of our society over just the past 50 years, reading the Bible has declined and violence and immorality have accelerated.

The Bible has had a monumental impact upon the development of our Western civilization, whose literature, art, and music are filled with images and inspiration that can be traced to its pages. More importantly, our laws, our sense of justice, our charity, and our moral standards all find their origin in the Bible. Bible reading impresses upon the minds of readers the principles of morality, truth, justice, and respect for the sacredness of human life.

The Bible, which is a fundamental part of our national heritage, has had a more profound affect on the moral fabric of American society than any other document. It was the basis for our Founding Fathers' belief in the inalienable rights of the individual--rights which they found explicit in the Bible. This same sense of individual freedom and justice permeates the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The influence of both the Old and New Testaments has formed the basis of our laws, our national character, and our system of values. It was the biblical view of man--affirming the dignity and worth of the human person made in the image of our Creator--which inspired the principles upon which the United States is founded. Many historians credit George Washington with identifying the United States as ``One Nation Under God''; therefore, today we inscribe In God We Trust on our coins.

Responding to a Joint Resolution of the House and Senate, in a 1990 Proclamation, President George Bush wrote: ``I invite all Americans to discover the great inspiration and knowledge that can be obtained through thoughtful reading of the Bible.''

The Bible has not only influenced the development of our nation's values and institutions, but has also enriched the daily lives of millions of men and women who have looked to it for comfort, hope, and guidance.

Mr. Speaker, because of the overwhelming acceptance of the Bible in the history of our nation, I invite my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in commending the International Bible Reading Association for its request to George W. Bush, President of the United States, to proclaim 2002 as the Year for all America to read through the Bible.