National Bible Week

Floor Speech

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Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Congressman Lamborn for setting aside this Special Order.

We are following up National Bible Week, so as the listeners know, National Bible Week is the week surrounding Thanksgiving.

Why is National Bible Week relevant to us today? As those of us who look at America and see storm clouds ahead, we have got to remember John Adams' statement: ``Our Constitution was only for a moral religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.''

We have to remember, if we are going to continue to enjoy the benefits we have of our Constitution, we must one more time become that moral and religious people who John Adams warned us we had to be.

One more quote from John Adams on the Bible: ``A society that adopted the Bible as its only law book and lived according to its precepts would be a utopia.''

So, clearly, by a moral and religious people, John Adams meant a people who believe in the Bible.

Now, which parts of the Bible did our forefathers look at? There are quotes all over the place from our forefathers in the Bible.

It kind of surprised me a couple of years ago when I found out that the book in the Bible that our forefathers quoted the most was Deuteronomy. How often, when you hear somebody quote a Bible verse, do they turn to Deuteronomy? Not very often.

Why did our forefathers turn to Deuteronomy? Because the rules and the buildup to the founding of Israel took place in the Book of Deuteronomy, which may have largely been by Moses himself.

And I will point out in the room that we are right now, we have a relief of Moses. We have 30-some reliefs of various great thinkers throughout society in this room, but whoever put together this room in the Capitol put Moses in the head position overlooking this Chamber.

Now, I will encourage listeners out there, including clergy, as they reflect on National Bible Week, to read a book of the Bible you usually don't read. Read Deuteronomy. Tell your congregation about it. It was the book that I think our forefathers felt should be read so that we could duplicate the Jewish republic, which was soon to be founded, because I think our forefathers wanted America to be a country blessed by God as well.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Congressman Lamborn one more time for setting aside this time on National Bible Week.

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