Congress to vote on Christmas’ significance

December 11, 2007

Many congressional Republicans have complained lately that lawmakers aren’t doing enough to tackle the policy issues that really matter. To help highlight his caucus’ concerns, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), easily among the top five looniest members of the chamber, will bring H.Res. 847 to the floor today. It will put the House on record stating that Christmas and Christians are important.

Seriously. The resolution was written to recognize “the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith,” and notes highlights the assertion that “Christians and Christianity have contributed greatly to the development of western civilization.” John Bresnahan noted:

Do we really need Congress to say Christmas and the Christian faith are important? Isn’t that pretty self evident by now? Don’t Christians already pretty much run everything in this country, except for the mainstream media, which is of course controlled by a Jewish-Illuminati-Bill Gates cabal? Don’t we already get Dec. 25 off? Wasn’t I forced to shell out $65 for a scrawny Christmas tree this weekend? Won’t I have to go to Pentagon City or some other godforsaken place and spend more money in the next couple weeks as part of this strange ritual? What about the terrible songs that get endlessly recycled year after stinking year? And the useless catalogs that clog my mailbox, despite my efforts to get off mailing lists? Where will the horror end?

So, in the war on Christmas, I must declare myself a warrior for the anti-Xmas side. Bill O’Reilly, please take note. You too, Mr. King.

Bresnahan’s tongue-in-cheek Grinch-itude notwithstanding, the measure will state that the House of Representatives “recognizes the Christian faith as one of the great religions of the world,” “expresses continued support for Christians in the United States and worldwide,” and among other things, “acknowledges and supports the role played by Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the western civilization.”

And what, pray tell, prompted Steve King to unveil the resolution? Apparently, spite — King is feeling bitter about the House recently honoring some religious minorities.

Amanda at TP gave King’s office a call.

A spokesman for King told ThinkProgress that the bill was introduced in response to previous resolutions recognizing the Muslim celebration of Ramadan and the Hindu Diwali. King, in fact, mirrored his Christmas resolution on the Ramadan one, according to the spokesman:

“The Christmas resolution Congressman King has offered is only being offered because there have been two previous resolutions earlier this year in October, one for the Muslim holiday of Ramadan and one for the Hindu holiday of Diwali.

It was actually entirely unprecedented to even consider them for a vote. Religions have not been singled out and honored previously in Congress. But now that this precedent has been set, Congressman King thought it was important to honor Christmas. This is just simply the exact same language used as the Ramadan resolution on Oct 2.”

King is obviously filled with the holiday spirit, isn’t he? Annoyed that Congress would honor Ramadan and the Hindu Diwali, King apparently though to himself, “I’ll show them — I’ll get a Christmas resolution, too!”

And isn’t that really the true meaning of the season? Spite and religio-political culture-war agendas?

Post Script: By the way, for the record, King refused to endorse the Ramadan resolution, voting “present.” One assumes lawmakers are not supposed to follow his example on the Christmas resolution.

Congress to vote on Christmas’ significance

Thank God. That’ll stop the liberals.

  • “By the way, for the record, King refused to endorse the Ramadan resolution, voting “present.” One assumes lawmakers are not supposed to follow his example on the Christmas resolution.”

    So much for the ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’ part of Christianity…

  • And I hope he will buy Christmas presents for all the Democratic Senators, too, to demonstrate the true spirit of Christmas.

  • This morning i welcomed again the festive time of year when sentiments collide like planes and buildings. I was listening to c-span’s Washington Journal and the caller, in feminine southern crackle, ended her rant against liberals with, “…send more soldiers over there and KILL THEM ALL! Oh, and Merry Christmas!”

  • “recognizes the Christian faith as one of the great religions of the world,” “expresses continued support for Christians in the United States and worldwide,” and among other things, “acknowledges and supports the role played by Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the western civilization.”

    you’ve. got. to. be. kidding.

  • I agree with King’s way of highlighting this ridiculous trend. Congress had no business considering resolutions about the first two religions, and King’s resolution ought to give them a clue they have no business considering this one either. Stop the insanity through mockery!

  • Nevermind all that! I want my own religion honored by a Congressional resolution.

    I am a member of The Round Church. Our church has no corners. That way, no matter when we pray there, the Devil can’t trap us in a corner.

    The Round Church was there at the founding of America, albeit quietly, giving faith and hope to numerous people who had cherished desires for freedom of religion and freedom from state-sponsored religion in their hearts but alas, the Devil in their corner.

    Were it not for the Round Church, the Devil would have caught most of you non-believers by now and sent you to that hot place down below. Thus, without us, there would be no democracy.

    Long live The Round Church, the one roundly correct religion.

    Yours in a roundly-furious huff,
    The New York Crank

  • Thank you, dear Iowans, for ensuring that the congressional ranks included at least one clear-eyed pragmatist who could keep the House’s priorities focused on the issues which will help the greatest number of citizens in the greatest ways possible.

    Any chance we could convince you to reschedule your caucus to, say, July?

  • Well, the resolution should give Bill O’ a wet dream, no doubt proving his leadership against the War on Christmas is working.

  • , “acknowledges and supports the role played by Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the western civilization.”

    The United States emphatically was NOT founded as a Christian nation. This stupid resolution is the foot in the door for declaring Christianinity the official religion and making us very literally a theocracy.

  • For without Christmas and the Christians that make it necessary, we wouldn’t have the office Christmas party where you find out who among your coworkers has a serious drinking problem and what sleazeballs you work with will hit on your wife as if a gathering of people who work together and their spouses somehow emulates a pickup bar. Plus this season keeps the companies that make cocktail weenies in business. Thanks Mr. King, you can put that in your resolution too.

  • If only King were making a mockery of the previous resolutions, but I think he is upset that Christmas cannot claim a Congressional resolution of its own – and Christmas takes a back seat to no religion, you know. And – bonus points – he gets to put into the record that Christianity was part and parcel of the founding of the nation AND the formation of western civilization (which is, I think, some kind of code for “all those other religions are for less evolved, no, wait – can’t say “evolved” – well-designed cultures.”)

    Aside from being a total waste of taxpayer-funded time, Congress has no business passing resolutions honoring, acknowledging, or kowtowing to, any religion. Those who subscribe to the religions in question no doubt already know and appreciate the significance of their respective faiths, and probably have those important dates on a calendar. If not, the Christians, at least, can see reminders in every store window, newspaper insert, windshield flyer and magazine that Christmas is vitally important – at least to the economic bottom line.

    I’ve really had it with these people.

  • I’m a Christian, but I’m not paranoid! Will and Ariel Durant said it something to this effect: The strongest cultural agents are those that are not on the surface of any society. These paranoid “Christians” are idiots! Christianity is a strong belief system not because of the political ploys its modern Congressional representatives can invoke. It is a strong belief system because it gives spiritual relevancy to human beings.

    As I look out at our American landscape, I see a whole bunch of charlatan “Christians” using the political process to achieve their goals at the expense of other Americans who are just as deserving, but lack access to the political process. As these “Christians” work to monopolize our society with their monolithic group think medicine, they are forgetting their golden rule as they are surely not doing unto others as they would have done to them. That is unless these King types want others to treat them with disrespect, as their disrespect for others is open for all to see. -Kevo

  • ok, Cleaver, if you want to insult just the Western 1/3rd of Iowa (i.e. King’s district), we may be able to reach some common ground. . .

  • Of course, Christmas is important! Without it, retailers would never get into the black — and where would we be without retailers?

  • And at the Last Sportsbar, J.C. and the disciples are giving each other high fives and jumping up to bump chests, declaring, “Yeah respect, that’s what I’m talking about.”

  • I’m looking forward to the resolution on oxygen.

    Congress “recognizes oxygen as one of the great elements of the universe,” “expresses continued support for oxygen-breathing in the United States and worldwide,” and among other things, “acknowledges and supports the role played by oxygen-breathers and oxidation in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the western civilization.”

  • How petty the mind of King. Unable to rise above creating conflict for conflict’s sake. How many hours of his time and focus directed at such trivial unimportant activities? Anybody up for arm-wrestling and another beer? He should have been a researcher for the National Enquirer…as it would more closely match his interests and abilities. No telling what this guy said to get elected. Just pathetic.

  • btw, could we get someone to sponsor a resolution praising the noodly goodness of the flying spaghetti monster!

  • God just stopped by the house a little while ago. He says that this resolution should die in committee. I’m guessing he was pretty serious about it, as he had a nice 11-by-14 glossy of King skewered on the tip of this really big sword with the words “imbecilic Philistine” scrawled across it—and he didn’t have time for a beer (which is truly scary; he has this affinity—almost an addiction, if a god named God can have such a thing—for the Christmas Ale). He did mention how much fun he’s been having recently with “rapturing the political careers of GOPers,” though….

  • I’m important! This I know,
    House Resolution 847 tells me so.
    Earth to Christians does belong;
    This resolution makes us strong.

    [chorus]
    Yes, I’m important! Yes, I’m important!
    Yes, I’m important! The Congress tells me so.

    I’m important! This I know,
    Foreigners to Hell can go.
    Congress recognized Diwali,
    Now they must recognize me.

    [chorus]

    I’m important still today,
    Hail the American way,
    Freedom the whole world we give
    At least those whom we let live.

    [chorus; repeat and fade]

  • Sorry about King.

    His district is the western third of Iowa. You know the place where they think Bush is a liberal wuss. He seems to be elected because those people want to remind the world that the image of Iowans being stupid hicks is still good in that part of the state.

    A friend of mine told me she is moving to that part of the state because of a job transfer. I told her she’d better practice beginning every 3rd sentence with “Last night at church…” I also suggested that she get to know the pastor at her church out there because he’ll be controlling her social life for as long as she is living there since everything revolves around the local church out there.

    Separation of church and state is unheard of out there.

  • OK, no more fooling around. This year I really am declaring war on Christmas (or as I like to call it XMAS! — as in the holiday I want to put an “X” through — muah-ha-ha!)

    Happy Holidays, everyone!

  • Since when does Congress have time to worry about shit like this? Don’t they have real jobs to do? Real laws and resolutions to pass? Seems to me this King guy has way too much time on his hands and precious little of importance on his mind.

    I am so frigging sick of these whiny xtians and their thin skins. You can’t fart sideways without some xtian claiming you’re trying to snuff him and all his kind out. Besides, this whole Christmas rigamarole is just pure, unadulterated crapola. Jesus (if he existed at all) wasn’t born anywhere near December 25th. It’s a completely pagan European solstice celebration that the early church hijacked to keep the heathens happy. It’s always amusing to see these ignorant sops go on about their ersatz holiday.

  • At least one could argue that the Muslim one had useful p.r. benefits abroad, and was in response to some ill will and persecution…but still, fucking stupid and not appropriate.

    King’s measure passes overwhelmingly 372-9 [results], with 10 protesting “Present” votes and 40 not voting. Interestingly Dems “Yeas” outnumbered Republicans 195-177. Jackasses all. My Congressman (Old Man Dingell) voted “Yea.”

    The whole point of this crap is not just to make insecure religious Congressjackasses feel good and pander to their equally stupid constituents, but also to force Democrats into casting a vote “for” or “against” Christmas.

    Smart Democrats (of which there are apparently only nine) should have regarded this as the waste of time that it was and voted “present.” Intead, almost two hundered of them cast a throwaway “Yea” vote that contributed to the steady erosion of the wall between church and state.

    Morons.

  • I have a question… does a non-binding resolution like this one set an “intent-of-the-legislature” precedent in court, or does is it truly meaningless in every sense of the word?

  • ” and among other things, “acknowledges and supports the role played by Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the western civilization.”
    You mean the role Christians played in the founding of the United States AFTER they systematically killed as many native peoples as possible??? They make me sick with this BS.

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