More Religious Nonsense In Texas Legislature

Evidently some Texas legislators think they were elected to further their own religious beliefs. Yesterday, we discussed the ridiculous idea of Rep. Chisum to force Texas schools to teach a course on the Bible. Today we learn of another instance where a legislator want to force her own religious beliefs on Texans.

Rep. Debbie Riddle (R-Tomball) wants to pass a law that would put the phrase "state under God" into the Texas pledge. That would make the pledge read:

Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God and indivisible.

State law has required Texas students to say the U.S. and Texas pledges in school since 2003. I don't have a problem with having students say the pledge as it currently stands. It's kind of a silly sounding pledge, but it doesn't hurt to have the students pledge allegiance to the state in which they live.

However, I do have a big problem with Rep. Riddle interjecting her religion into the pledge, and then requiring students to recite it. Texas students should not be forced to pledge allegiance to any God, christian or otherwise - but that's exactly what the revised pledge would entail.

And don't even bother telling me that students could opt out of the pledge with a note from their parents. A family tried that in Lewisville, and it resulted in their son's suspension from school. This is really ridiculous. We send our children to school to get a secular education, and not to have some religious bigot force her own weird religion on them. If you want your child to be taught religion in school, send them to a religious school, but don't force your religion on others.

One commenter said since he was muslim, he would have to substitute Allah for God in the pledge. That opens up a real can of worms. If that substitution is OK, can a satanist substitute the word Satan? Can a hindu substitute Krishna? You can see the problem that would ensue.

As the pledge currently stands, all students (with the exception of adventists) can say the pledge without compromising their own beliefs. But after Riddle makes the pledge a christian one rather than a Texas one, there will be many who could not in good conscience take the pledge.

Doesn't it make more sense to have a pledge for everyone, rather than just a pledge for christians? I realize that christians are a majority in Texas, but this should not give them the right to force their beliefs on others. In a free country, all citizens should be free to practice whatever religion (or lack of religion) they feel is appropriate.

The state of Texas, and our schools, should not be in the religion business.