[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 186 (Wednesday, November 20, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H9104-H9110]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL BIBLE WEEK
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Green of Texas). Under the Speaker's
announced policy of January 3, 2019, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr.
Lamborn) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority
leader.
General Leave
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous materials on the topic of my Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Colorado?
There was no objection.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to come to the
House floor tonight to commemorate National Bible Week. This is an
opportunity to celebrate the tremendous influence of the Bible on the
freedoms we enjoy today in America.
We are truly blessed to live in a nation where we are free to worship
and read the Holy Scriptures without fear of persecution. There are
many places throughout the world where such freedoms do not exist.
Americans have the right under our wonderful system of government to
respect and study the Bible or any other system of belief that they so
choose or even none at all. That is the beauty of the American way, and
I believe it goes all the way back to the Bible.
In 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared the week of
Thanksgiving to be National Bible Week. The National Bible Association
and the U.S. Conference of Bishops have designated the specific days of
November 18 to 24 as National Bible Week this year. This is the week
set aside to recognize the Bible as a foundational building block of
Western civilization, the Judeo-Christian heritage, and the legacy that
motivated and shaped the founding of the United States.
In this hour, we will hear from Members of Congress from all
throughout the United States from various faith traditions and
denominations speak about what the Bible means to them. We are here, in
keeping with tradition, to recognize National Bible Week.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs.
Rodgers), who is a good friend and colleague.
Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I want to say thank you to
the gentleman from Colorado for bringing us all together tonight for
National Bible Week.
Over the weekend, I finished reading through the Bible in a year, and
I can testify that it has been the best year of my life in giving me
perspective and quiet confidence for every day, reminding me to lead
with love.
The Bible says to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you. The Word of God is the source of love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, and self-control. Everything that we long for in
life is found in the Word of God, the Bible.
So why haven't I been more faithful to read the Bible every day
earlier in my life? Because, like a lot of people, I didn't always feel
like I had enough time, or I struggled to relate to the language.
Why read the Bible? Why wake up 15 minutes early each day? Why go to
all that trouble? That was my struggle for many, many years.
The Bible says in Psalm 90:12: ``Teach us to number our days, that we
may gain a heart of wisdom.''
Psalm 103 says that ``our days are few and brief, like grass, like
flowers, blown by the wind and gone forever,'' yet the Word of God
endures forever.
It is the Bible that provides us answers to our questions about life
more than any other book, seminar, or self-help program.
The Bible also offers words of encouragement and hope at a time when
despair has come over our country. We have record suicides. A million
people in America attempted suicide last
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year, and 47,000 committed suicide. I grieve this loss.
The deaths of despair are skyrocketing: suicide, drug overdoses,
opioids, alcohol, and drug abuse. People are giving up on life.
The Bible says in Matthew that not a single sparrow can fall to the
ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head
are numbered, so don't be afraid, you are more valuable to God.
We need the truth and the wisdom of the Bible. As Proverbs 12:18
says: ``Careless words stab like a sword, but wise words bring
healing.''
As I begin a second year of taking 15 minutes a day to read the Bible
and then pray, I would invite each one of you to join me. Let's do it
together. Let's agree that it cannot be business as usual. Let's see
what God could do on Capitol Hill through Members and staff who daily
walk the Halls of Congress--Democrats and Republicans, House and
Senate, men and women--if we all read through the Bible in 2020.
I am convinced the Democrats can't fix it. The Republicans can't fix
it. Only God can fix it.
My daily prayer is 2 Chronicles 7:14: ``If my people, who are called
by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn
from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will
forgive their sin and will heal their land.''
Lord God, heal our land. May You bring order out of chaos. Lift the
heaviness of misery and despair and busyness. Remind us that You are
with us in everything we do.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her words of
wisdom, her personal experience, and for being here tonight.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin).
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear colleague for having this.
Since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941, every U.S. President has
declared the week of Thanksgiving to be National Bible Week. Next week,
we will, once again, celebrate this beloved book, which continues to
mold the lives of millions and even billions around the world.
It is fitting that we take time today to bring attention to the very
book that was so influential in the founding of our Nation. The Holy
Bible was perhaps the most accessible book to our Founding Fathers. Its
principles gave them invaluable insights into human nature, civic
virtue, political authority, and the rights of citizens.
Personally, I consider it a huge and great privilege to speak on the
House floor today about a book that has had such a profound influence
on my life and on the life of our country, and it continues to do so
daily.
As a believer in Christ, the Bible has shaped the way that I have
lived my life, whether conducting my business as a dentist in
Woodville, Texas, raising my family, or serving the good people of the
36th District of Texas right here in the House of Representatives.
I believe that the Bible is more than a book of inspiration and
comfort or a compilation of moral teachings. I believe that it really
is the Holy Word of God that contains the truth and teachings of His
love for us and His plan for redemption through faith in Jesus Christ,
His Son.
In history's greatest love story, the Bible tells us that God
sacrificed His Son to redeem us from depravity. In John 3:16, we read:
``For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting
life.''
Centuries before, in one of my favorite passages, the Book of Job
prophesied of Christ the Redeemer who is to come:
For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the Earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and
not another.
How my heart yearns within me.
Whenever I read these words, I am reminded of my Lord's steadfast
love for me and His promise to always be with and guide me through
every chapter of my life.
{time} 1800
As we approach the 78th National Bible Week, I want to encourage my
fellow Americans out there to take a moment to open the Bible and to
read these profound words. No matter if it has been a while since you
have read the Bible or you read it every single day, may each of us
spend time reminding ourselves of the Word of God, especially during
this season of thanks.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for
sharing his heart with us tonight.
Throughout American history, many of our great leaders have turned to
the Bible for guidance, faith, and hope.
President Abraham Lincoln once said of the Bible: ``I have but to
say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Savior
gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it we
could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man's
welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it.''
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Thompson), as we go across the country and hear from folks all over
this great country of ours.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my brother in the
Lord from Colorado for hosting this Special Order tonight, during a
special week where we commemorate the Holy Word, the Bible.
Mr. Speaker, since 1941, every President since Franklin Delano
Roosevelt has declared the week of Thanksgiving as National Bible Week.
It is fitting that we celebrate this week along with the national day
of Thanksgiving. Both the Bible and this annual holiday provide us with
the time to reflect on what is most important in our lives: our faith,
our creator, our family, and our love for one another.
Mr. Speaker, part of my family lineage can be traced back to those
Pilgrims who set out for the New World in search of religious freedom.
They endured both hardship and sacrifice at a heavy cost to be able to
freely worship without persecution.
Forty-five of the 102 Mayflower passengers died in the winter of 1620
to 1621, and the Mayflower colonists suffered greatly during their
first winter in the New World from lack of shelter, scurvy, and general
conditions of hardship. They brought with them, though, their faith and
several Bibles.
The event that Americans commonly call the First Thanksgiving was
celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World
in October of 1621. This feast lasted 3 days, and, as accounted by
attendee Edward Winslow, it was attended by 90 Native Americans and 53
Pilgrims.
Thanks to William Bradford's journal, we have knowledge of how these
Pilgrims gave thanks. The question remains as to whom and why did they
do this.
As people of faith, I would like to believe they were acting out the
lessons of the Bible, such as that found in Psalm 107. This Scripture
states the theme of God's loyal love and redemption. It is written for
at the time of Israel in exile.
Wandering and overwhelmed by circumstances, I could see why these
early Pilgrims could find solace in this Scripture. They also found
themselves wandering and enduring hardship.
The Bible illustrated the power of giving thanks to the Lord, the
importance of assuming thankfulness as a human attitude.
These words indicate not just a knowledge of, but also a recognition
and a relationship through, the Word of God that the Bible offers.
I don't know if the Pilgrims referenced this Scripture in preparing
or dealing with the hardships that they endured. I do know that the
Bible and the Word within it was important to these travelers and early
settlers.
The Bible has had a tremendous influence in my life and the lives of
millions of Americans. The Scriptures inside serve as a guide for us in
both times of trouble and in times of triumph. And, for that reason, it
remains the best-selling book of all time.
During this week, I am thankful for the strong community of faith
that I have come to know through weekly Bible studies and prayer
service here in the United States Capitol and, certainly, back in my
district and my home community. It is a time where we put aside
differences and come together to share the love and the Gospel of Jesus
Christ.
The words of the Bible unite people, nations, and even politicians as
we
[[Page H9106]]
come together to celebrate faith, fellowship, and prayer.
As I prepare to close, let me share these thoughts.
God chose Israel; America chose God; and God's first love is Israel.
Let's make America God's lasting love.
Mr. Speaker, let us also celebrate the First Amendment, which affirms
our right to choose and exercise faith without government coercion or
retaliation.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for
his words, and I thank him for reminding us about the Pilgrim
tradition, especially as we enter this week of Thanksgiving.
It is interesting, in American history, we have two different strains
of life going on in this country: We had people starting in Jamestown
looking for gold, looking to make money, putting up with slavery; but
we had people in Massachusetts who wanted to just have religious
freedom, and they had a whole different view of the world and of God
and the Bible. They were the start of the abolitionist movement. So I
am glad that Mr. Thompson brought us the Pilgrim tradition tonight.
Ronald Reagan, when he designated National Bible Week, said, when he
was in office: ``When I took the oath of office, I requested the Bible
be opened to II Chronicles 7:14.''
Cathy McMorris Rodgers mentioned this earlier. It reads: ``If my
people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray,
and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear
from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.''
This passage expresses my personal hopes for the future of this
Nation and the world.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes).
Mr. ESTES. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and fellow colleague from
Colorado, Representative Lamborn, for hosting this Special Order
tonight as we honor National Bible Week.
Every President since Franklin Delano Roosevelt inaugurated the first
one in 1941, every President has since declared the week of
Thanksgiving as National Bible Week. It follows a long history,
stretching back to the founding of our country, of our leaders turning
to their faith and the Bible as guidance for our Nation.
This is just as important now as it was at our country's founding and
in the midst of terrible world wars.
This week, I am reminded of a passage in Luke 17, verses 5 through 6:
``The apostles said to the Lord, `Increase our faith.' The Lord
replied, `If you have the faith the size of a mustard seed, you would
say to this mulberry tree, ``Be uprooted and planted in the sea,'' and
it would obey you.'''
And also in Luke 17, verse 10, ``So it should be with you. When you
have done all you have been commanded, say, `We are unworthy servants;
we have only done our duty.'''
In this passage, Jesus' apostles plead for more faith to make it
easier for them to sacrifice and to do all that they have been asked to
do. But Jesus answers them by pointing out that, if they had only the
tiniest bit of faith--that, the size of a mustard seed--no task would
be too difficult. This included even the apostles' seemingly impossible
task to ``go out and make disciples of all nations.''
But instead of increasing the measure of their faith, Jesus tells his
apostles to humble themselves and be steadfast in accomplishing all
that was asked of them.
As public servants and representatives, I believe we, too, are called
to humble ourselves and to be unwavering in serving our fellow
Americans. The American people have put their trust in us to preserve
our democracy, protect our God-given rights, defend our country, and
champion the American Dream. This is not an easy task. But, as Jesus
pointed out, anything is possible if we humble ourselves, do our job,
and have faith.
I know for me, personally, I rely on teachings like this one in the
Bible to better serve my fellow Kansans and our country.
I am also thankful to live in a country where we are free to practice
our faith, as well as to all the Americans who have served to protect
this freedom.
As we approach National Bible Week, I hope my colleagues and all
Americans, regardless of their faith background, take some time to
reflect on their own calling to serve, as well as the gift of religious
liberty.
Like the Bible, public service and religious liberty are cornerstones
of our country, and I am honored to recognize those here tonight and
throughout National Bible Week.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kansas, in the
Nation's heartland, for sharing his thoughts with us tonight. I am
going to share my own story.
When I was a freshman at the University of Kansas--also there in
America's heartland--in the 1970s, someone approached me and asked me
if I knew what the Bible was about. I said: Yeah, sure I know what is
in it.''
But do you know what? I said that without ever having read any of it
for myself. Kind of presumptuous on my part.
Mr. Speaker, I wonder if there are any people listening in here to us
today who are in the same position. Maybe they think they know what it
is about, but they have never looked at it for themselves.
The only honest thing I could do at that point was to read for
myself. So I read the Gospel of John, and as I read it, I discovered
that I didn't know what was in there at all. It was totally different
than what I had expected.
And I found a man in there who said: ``I am the way, the truth, and
the life. No one comes to the Father but through me.'' So I ended up
discovering for myself a relationship with Jesus Christ, who became my
Lord and Savior.
Mr. Speaker, that is what I know from personal experience. It is
better to read the Bible for oneself and not just take someone else's
word for it. For me, it made all the difference in the world. My life
has been totally different as a result.
As David said in Psalms: ``The unfolding of your words gives light;
it gives understanding to the simple''--Psalm 119:130.
So, as we celebrate National Bible Week, we remember the importance
of faith in both our private and our public lives. We recognize the
Bible's powerful message of hope. We cherish the wisdom of the Bible,
and we thank God for providing this holy book that has truly been, in
the words of Scripture, a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King), another
person from the heartland of America.
Mr. KING of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Colorado
for yielding to me and for leading here on this National Bible Week.
I would like to start out with just a touch of levity, because we are
called to address the Speaker, and I know that the Speaker happens to
also be a man of God and a Bible scholar.
In addressing the Speaker, I enjoy revisiting Ecclesiastes 10:2,
which says: ``A wise man's heart is at his right, but a fool's heart at
his left.''
I couldn't resist that, and I pray that you forgive me, Mr. Speaker,
for that bit of levity at this time.
I would move on to my favorite verse, which is Ecclesiastes 9:10:
``Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.''
It calls us not to just wander through this life and touch things
gently and kind of let the flow of life go by, but we are given gifts
by God. He fills us with skill sets that we haven't yet developed,
whether it is intellectual, whether it is physical, but skill sets of
the heart, and to put our vigor to those things that please Him.
So with that verse in mind each morning, I pray that God will loan me
the measure of his wisdom, that He would have me use this day to go
forth and glorify Him. And if there is time for a little extra
blessing, let me do so with joy. That sustains me through every day.
Another verse that sustains me through these future days came to me
this morning at our gathering. This is the first chapter of Jeremiah,
verse 17, that says: ``Meet them undaunted, and they shall have no
power to daunt thee.''
That says, in my vernacular, never let them see you sweat, but go
forth with courage and with confidence. Do those things that God calls
you to do, and do so with your might.
I also look back on a verse in James that has caught my eye for some
time,
[[Page H9107]]
and it calls us, I think, in the right way, Mr. Speaker: ``Count it all
joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know
that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let
steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking in nothing.''
That fits with a prayer that I offered for years when we went through
the farm crisis years of the 1980s. Things were falling down around us.
The economy had essentially collapsed, and my neighbor's farms were
being sold weekend after weekend in farm sales.
I was being tested in a similar way myself. Each day, I would pray
that God would be finished testing me and start to use me.
{time} 1815
And we should take joy in that test before we are made perfect in the
tests that He provides for us. I know they are in the Book of James,
which is one that has stood out for me for a long time, and that is: If
you fail to do what you know is right, then you have sinned.
And I recall an issue that was going on in the Iowa State
legislature. I was here in Congress, but I needed a bill introduced and
moved in the State legislature. There were those who knew it was the
right thing to do, but they didn't have the courage to introduce it
because leadership was pushing against them, and it was going to be a
big political fight.
But I found a young man who is my State representative today, and
when I raised the issue with him, he said: I will do this. And I said:
You understand the burden of this and the potential consequences if you
step forward in this arena?
And he looked at me and he said: If I don't introduce this bill, I
will not be able to receive final absolution.
Whoa, that told me something about the man and the character and the
faith of this man. I don't know if this verse in James was something
that had been branded on his heart. The meaning of it was--the words, I
don't know--but he had to be thinking, if he failed to do what he knew
was right, then he would have sinned.
But he stepped forward and did what he knew was right. And I
appreciate Mr. Lamborn, the gentleman from Colorado, speaking today
about Western civilization and about the foundation of Western
civilization. It is everywhere where the footprint of Judeo-
Christianity laid the foundation, this Western civilization. The values
in it are rooted in the Old and the New Testament.
America would not and could not be the great Nation it is today if we
were not a nation that was rooted in Biblical values. And I think that
is something indisputable.
Mr. Speaker, I want to bring something to the attention of this
Congress and people across this country that not a lot of people know.
And this was in Jamestown in 1607. When they landed at Jamestown, the
first thing that the settlers did as they arrived there, they erected a
cross. They knelt. They took Communion, and they prayed.
The prayer is so profound, Mr. Speaker, that it should be hanging on
the walls or somewhere around this Congress, and I don't know that it
is. But here is their prayer, 1607, in this New World:
``We do hereby dedicate this land, and ourselves, to reach the people
within these shores with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to raise up
godly generations after us, and with these generations take the Kingdom
of God to all the Earth. May this Covenant of Dedication remain to all
generations, as long as this Earth remains, and may this land, along
with England, be Evangelist to the world. May all who see this cross
remember what we have done here, and may those who come here to inhabit
join us in this covenant and in this most noble work that the Holy
Scriptures may be fulfilled.''
If that doesn't speak to the American destiny, I don't know what
does. It had to be the hand of God on them. There is no way a mortal
would have understood the path that they were all to follow and all
that follow them.
I appreciate the opportunity to address this topic, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Many of the early
American settlers, we reference them many times. They came to the New
World with the express purpose of following the Bible according to the
convictions of their own consciences.
One of the first acts of Congress during the tumultuous beginning of
our Nation was the authorization of an American published Bible. The
war with the British had cut off any supply of Bibles from England.
Our Founding Fathers understood how important it was for the American
people to have Bibles. Robert Aitken, a private citizen, brought this
need to the attention of Congress. In his letter, he wrote: ``This work
is an object worthy the attention of the Congress of the United States
of America, who will not neglect spiritual security, while they are
virtuously contending for temporal blessings.''
So in 1782, Congress reviewed, approved, and authorized the first
known English language Bible to be printed in America. They passed a
congressional resolution. I am not sure how many votes this would get
if we brought this today. I know I would support it.
``Resolved: That the United States in Congress assembled, highly
approve the pious and laudable undertaking of Mr. Aitken, as
subservient to the interest of religion, as well as an instance of the
progress of the arts in this country, and being satisfied from the
above report of his care and accuracy in the execution of the work,
they recommend this edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of the
United States, and hereby authorize him to publish this recommendation
in the manner he shall think proper.''
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington).
Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, Mr.
Lamborn, my brother in Christ, and one of our spiritual leaders here in
this great Chamber.
I so appreciate the gentleman leading this effort to pay tribute to
God's holy, inherent, infallible, active Word, that Word that has
created the heavens and the Earth. The Word that became flesh and dwelt
among us in the person of Jesus, God's Son.
This Word of God, this Bible that we speak of, I don't know that
there is any book that has had a greater influence on the world. It is
no accident that the words behind me above our Speaker and our Nation's
motto are ``In God we trust.'' And as we trusted God, God blessed us.
As I trust Him in my life, He blesses me. And when I depart as His
child, as a follower of Jesus, and I say to Mr. Lamborn that I have to
confess, I depart from time to time. And when I do, I don't have that
peace that surpasses understanding, that hope and that joy unspeakable,
but because of this great gift of the Bible, I cannot only know the
will of God, the mind of God, the character of God, I can actually have
a relationship with God.
And that is mind-blowing. And the fact that I wouldn't run to the
Bible every day first thing when I get up, and I wouldn't cling to it
at night, every night, before I went to bed, is also mind-boggling,
knowing the power and the richness, the depth of the wisdom of God in
those Holy Scripture.
And one of my favorite things to talk about back home is--and I do
this often with school children--I talk about what has made America
great. Because like all of us, they have heard that statement over the
last couple of years, and they, I am sure, have pondered that question.
What has made America great? And how do we make America great again?
Well, I say America is great because America is free. And no other
Nation in all of the world has been gifted with that freedom like the
United States. And I say America is great because America is brave. It
is the 1 percent in every generation that is willing to sacrifice
everything for these liberties and the opportunities that we are
blessed with. But, ultimately, what makes America great is the goodness
of America.
Alexis de Tocqueville who set out to study what makes America great,
said these words, and I think they are important for us to reflect on.
He was a French philosopher. He came over here for a year, kind of a
sabbatical, and his thesis was: What makes America great?
He said: ``I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her
commodious harbors and her ample rivers--and it was not there . . . in
her fertile
[[Page H9108]]
fields and boundless forests and it was not there . . . in her rich
mines and her vast world commerce--and it was not there . . . in her
democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution--and it was not
there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her
pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her
genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America
ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.''
So I say this from my own personal perspective in my own life, and I
say this to this great Chamber and to this amazing country we have been
blessed to live in; we must return to the Bible and our relationship
with God, so His goodness, through the power of the Holy Spirit will
flow through us, so we can love our neighbors, serve our communities,
and we can make America great again.
Amen. God bless America. And I thank the gentleman for this great
opportunity to share in this tribute to the Bible, God's Holy Word.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Arrington for his
heartfelt comments and for being here tonight and sharing with us.
One reason many people respect the Bible is that so many prophecies
for telling future events have come true exactly as foretold. It is one
of the reasons I look at whenever I ask myself: Is the Bible really
true? Is it just a collection of stories and legends, or is it rooted
in history and fact?
So when I look at the prophesies of the Bible, that gives me the
answer. In the Old Testament, there are many predictions that were
given to prove that the speaker who claimed to be divinely inspired
really was or not. If, and when, those predictions or prophesies came
true, it validated the words of that speaker.
In the Book of Daniel, for instance, there are scores of detailed
prophesies that were literally fulfilled. So skeptics who want to
criticize the Bible have fallen back on the position that Daniel must
have been written of after the facts about which they talk about.
But, the Book of Daniel is found in its entirety in the Greek
Septuagint and partially in the Dead Sea Scrolls, which were discovered
in later years and now we know predated the events that were talked
about in the Book of Daniel. So Daniel gave prophesies that came true
in history.
So the critics of the dating of the Book of Daniel are the ones who
are not being honest. The rise and fall of empires, the capture and
destruction of cities, the destiny of kings, all of these are
prophesied about in minute detail, and history has literally confirmed
hundreds of such prophesies as having come true.
So that is one of the reasons I believe in the Bible and know it to
be true, and not just a nice collection of stories.
I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen).
Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Bible Week
and thank Congressman Lamborn for the time tonight to recognize the
importance of honoring God's Word.
As was said, 7 or 8 years ago, FDR declared National Bible Week just
before the start of World War II. Just as it was then, the Bible is
God's gift to us, standing the test of time, and serving as our guide
during times of both joy and hardship. It is the way that God speaks to
us.
I was born in rural America in Georgia and as most youngsters, I was
baptized at an early age because I believed in John 3:16:
That God who gave us his Son, His begotten Son, that who
shall ever believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal
life.
What an amazing gift.
And almost 20 years ago--and of course, there are many highs and lows
during my time since then--but some 20 years ago, in one of those times
of despair, I made a covenant with God. And that covenant was to put
Him first.
And that meant an intense study of His Word. And He actually showed
me how to change my priorities and put Him first because I had this
thirst for His Word as soon as I got up in the morning. In fact, I
would wake up and I would be quoting His Word because of something I
thought of during the night.
I learned that my strength and abilities did not come from myself,
but through Him, and Him alone.
{time} 1830
In this great country, we pride ourselves on freedom, and that
freedom is knowing that God is our strength and His grace has no
limits.
I often pray that thy kingdom come on Earth as it is in Heaven, and
the Bible reveals to us that we already have a glimpse of what that is
like.
Genesis 1:26 through 28 shows us that, from creation, we were all
made in God's image and likeness. Now, wouldn't the world be a much
better place if we treated each other, our relationships, as if we were
with God himself in those relationships.
Our country's very foundation comes from Judeo-Christian values, and
these principles are woven throughout our founding documents.
The Bible says we were created for God's purpose and God's image and
in His likeness.
If we study His Word and put it into action to value all people, even
those we disagree with, I am certain that the division and hurt in this
country would heal.
We are a divided nation, and we have a divided government. You know,
Jesus prayed for us in John 17:21 that we would be one, just as He and
the Father are one.
The enemy divides; God unites. And if we trust God, as His word
says--and just above me, above the flag, says, if we put our trust in
God, it would unite all of us here around those important issues that
our Founders and the American people care about.
I believe that if we actually, in this Chamber, debated what the
Scriptures say about the very issues that divide us--and they are very
divisive issues that we deal with on this floor every day--if we took
the Scriptures and debated what the Scriptures say about those issues,
that we would all come to agreement that God is correct and that his
way is the only way.
In fact, his instruction in Joshua 1:8 was: ``Do not let this book of
law depart from your lips. Be careful to do what it says; meditate on
it night and day, and we will be prosperous and successful.''
America stands as a beacon of hope for the rest of the world and can
truly be a shining city upon a hill that God described if we treat each
other with the dignity and respect that God shows us how to do through
His Word.
I pray that God gives me the strength and humility to serve Georgia's
12th District so that more people come to know and love Christ, the
truth, so that the truth will set us free.
God bless America. God bless His great Word.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for his
words and for being here tonight.
We have been on the Pacific Coast. Now we are with Georgia on the
Atlantic Coast. We have been hearing from Texas, people from Texas down
at our Mexican border, and we are about to hear from someone from
Wisconsin, our border with Canada in the north of our country. And as
Mr. Grothman comes forward, I want to just say a word about
archaeology.
It is a historical fact that there are archaeological discoveries
that have validated accounts in the Bible, which gives trustworthiness
to the Bible that we acknowledge during this National Bible Week.
Time and time again, archaeology has shown that Biblical
personalities, locations, and events actually existed in time and
space. They weren't just made-up stories.
Claims by critics that a Bible statement was simply made up have been
debunked by later archaeological discoveries more times than we can
say. The Jewish archaeologist Nelson Glueck has said: ``It may be
stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever
controverted or controverted a Biblical reference.''
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).
Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to address National Bible Week.
The Bible is very important in this country. In part, it is important
because it is the Word of God, and that makes it the most important
book, but it is a particularly important book in America, and it is a
book that everybody should familiarize themselves with because I don't
think you can understand either the Declaration of Independence or our
Constitution without reading the Bible.
You have to remember what America was like in its founding and
probably
[[Page H9109]]
at least the first 125 years after its founding. People learned to read
by either learning to read the Bible itself or maybe learning to read
another book, such as ``The New England Primer,'' which had many
excerpts from the Bible in it, or ``McGuffey's Fourth Reader,'' which
had 10 chapters, which were solely parts of the Bible and also included
the Sermon on the Mount.
The Puritans, of course, who were such an important factor in the
founding of America, encouraged everyone to read the Bible. In 1782,
the U.S. Congress even commemorated an American Bible. The reason they
commemorated an American Bible is, at that time, there was somewhat of
a crisis in America. We had a Revolutionary War going on. It was
difficult to get Bibles from England. So somebody else had to get a
Bible or they had to get Bibles in other ways, and Congress talked
about that. But when you think about that, you realize why, for so many
early Americans, the Bible was so important to them.
It is kind of funny nowadays where they pretend that there is a
separation between church and state in America, because John Jay, who
was the first Chief Justice of the United States, was also president of
the American Bible Society; and I could go on at length from early
Supreme Court decisions in which they talked about the importance of
God and made reference to the Bible.
Other important Americans early on, Andrew Jackson, the Bible is
``the rock on which our Republic rests.''
We can take two things out of this: First of all, we could remember
that the great Andrew Jackson felt the Bible was very important, and,
secondly, remind people--because a lot of people around here don't know
it--that we are a Republic.
Abraham Lincoln, of course, was known as our greatest Biblical
President. There are all sorts of lessons in the Bible.
I think in First Samuel it is interesting to read when the Lord did
not like Israel turning from Him and viewing Him as primarily their
king over Israel, but instead they wanted kind of a strong central
government under a king--example one of many lessons that I think our
forefathers read when they designed our wonderful country.
But in any event, I think, for National Bible Week, what every one of
us should do is take some time to read the Bible, particularly the
parts of the Bible in which Israel was formed, because I think it was
very important for our forefathers because they envisioned our country
as a country which would be pleasing to God, and they wanted the type
of country that God would love and bless. I think we have been given
that love and blessings not so much because of the way we behave today,
but because of the faith of our forefathers.
So, again, my encouragement for whoever sits at home and listens to
this, maybe say: Can I read the book of Deuteronomy or read First
Samuel and learn a little bit of the Bible, not only the Bible for its
own right, but to remember the type of books that were being read by
our forefathers when they wrote our Constitution, when they wrote our
Declaration of Independence, and those books which created their view
of the world.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Grothman for his words tonight,
and I appreciate him being here.
Listen to what President Harry Truman said during his address at the
Attorney General's Conference on Law Enforcement Problems: ``The
fundamental basis of this Nation's law was given to Moses on the Mount.
The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings
which we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul. I
don't think we emphasize that enough these days.''
He continued: ``If we don't have the proper fundamental moral
background, we will finally wind up with a totalitarian government
which does not believe in rights for anybody except the state.''
Now, we have been hearing from people from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, from the Canadian to the Mexican border. Mr. Speaker, I yield
to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Hartzler), my friend and
colleague from the Nation's heartland.
Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. It is great to be
here tonight.
I just came from the Library of Congress, and there are a lot of
books there, but there is one book in particular that is there, and it
is in the homes of many American families right now that I would call
the most dangerous book in the world.
It is a book that people are being put in prison for just having
possession of. It is a crime in many nations for people to own this
book, to read this book. There are thousands and thousands of people in
prison right now in other parts of the world who are being tortured and
killed because they possess this book.
I was reading earlier today about a country where there are people in
prison who have friends who tear this book up into little pieces, and
they smuggle it into the prison. And that person takes them, and they
piece together those pages so that they can not only read this book,
but they can memorize it. Because as one of the prisoners said: ``Even
though they can take the paper away, they can't take away what's hidden
in your heart.''
And there is another story from another country where parents, if
they have the privilege of getting one of these books, it is so
precious they read it at night to their families and then they hide it.
But the schools and the government trick their children in playing a
hide-and-seek game, and they trick the children into telling their
teachers if their parents have that book and where it is. And they are
given candy if they win this ``game,'' and then, sadly, they realize
their parents are taken away to prison camps as a result of that.
So what is this book that I think is really one of the most dangerous
books in the world? It is the Bible. It is the Bible. It is what we are
commemorating this week.
But why is it so dangerous? Why are governments around the world so
threatened by it? It is because it is the Word of God. I will say that
again: The Bible is the Word of God.
Now, that seems radical. I mean, some people would view that as
radical, but people who have read this book, whose lives have been
transformed by it, who have experienced the power of it, who have been
set free from difficulties in their life and the chains of either sin
or the chains of bondage of a government that is trying to oppress them
will tell you it is the most precious book in the world. And that is
why governments fear it, and that is why people seek it, and that is
why everyone should take advantage--especially in America--of reading
it. That is why it is such a popular book.
By far, it is the world's most popular book. There is no other book,
fact or fiction, which comes close. Most estimates place the number of
Bibles printed each year at 100 million.
Mr. Speaker, 20 million Bibles are sold each year in the United
States alone. The American Bible Society estimates that 9 out of 10
American households--or almost 9--87 percent of American households own
a Bible. In fact, they say the average American family owns three
Bibles.
My question tonight to all of us is: Are we reading it?
Having a Bible and not reading it would be just like being frustrated
that you need to go somewhere and having a car in the garage but just
not taking it out, or complaining about the room is so dark when you
just don't go over and turn the light switch on, or having no idea how
to go somewhere when you can just turn on your Google Maps on your
phone.
The Bible is the source of help; it is the source of power; and it is
the source of direction in our lives--and it is right there in our
homes, too many times, sadly, gathering dust.
In my own life, I started off going to church with my parents as a
child, but I never read the Bible myself. It was something, we used it
on Sunday, and the pastor would share a verse or two, and that was it.
And then I went to camp when I was 13. It was a Youth for Christ
Camp. I learned that we could read the Bible ourselves and how powerful
it is to, every day, start your day off reading from God's Word,
talking to Him through prayer, listening to Him through prayer, and
getting inspiration and guidance for your life.
And it was a revolutionary idea, so I started doing that when I was
13, continued that through my teenage years
[[Page H9110]]
to the present. And I can't tell you what a difference that has made in
my life.
Day after day, I would pick up the Bible to read, maybe 15 minutes
before the schoolbus came, and what I read that day would be something
that later on, a couple hours later, I would face at school. Whether it
would be something dealing with one of my classmates or a hard test or
being sick, it doesn't matter.
{time} 1845
They say the Bible is living and active, and it really is. That is
one thing that makes it so special, because it is very, very powerful.
There have been many instances in my life where the Bible has made a
difference for me. But I want to certainly say the most important verse
is not just because it is the word of God; it is because it points me
to how I can have a personal relationship with him. And that is John
3:16.
I don't know about you, but I love football. Many times when you
watch a football game, somebody is holding up a poster that says,
``John 3:16.'' I hope you go and read what that says because it is so
powerful. It says, ``For God so loved the world.'' That is what makes
this different than other religions. God is a god of love, and because
He loved the world, He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes
in Him should not perish but have eternal life. It goes on and says,
``For God did not send his Son to condemn the world but to save the
world through him.''
I believed that when I was 9 years old, and I am so thankful to have
the privilege of knowing God and that God has made a way for each one
of us to know that.
I would, this week, encourage all of us to get our Bible off that
shelf, dust it off, open it up, and experience knowing God, hearing
from Him, and receiving the hope, healing, and help that only God can
provide.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Missouri for
her passionate and powerful words.
Our last speaker now before we conclude our hour is from the great
State of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Gohmert).
Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, John Adams, our first Vice President, such
a prominent fixture within the Continental Congress, Declaration of
Independence, so important to our founding, such a strong antislavery
personality--and he was very, very learned, constantly reading--said: I
have examined all the religions, and the result is that the Bible is
the best book in the world.
Patrick Henry, who gave the stem-winding speech that moved so many to
support the Revolution, said: The Bible is a book worth more than all
the other books that were ever printed.
Benjamin Rush, also a Founder, a dear friend of John Adams, said:
``By renouncing the Bible, philosophers swing from their moorings upon
all moral subjects. . . . It is the only correct map of the human heart
that has ever been published.''
And I love what C.S. Lewis said in his book ``The Case for
Christianity.'' He was discussing dualism, this idea that there are two
equal forces in the universe and that they are at war, and we don't
know how it is going to come out.
He said there is a war going on, but it is not between two equal
forces. It is between a master and a rebel, and we happen to live in
rebel-occupied territory. Basically, he goes on to say, can you imagine
being behind enemy lines and getting a message from your home
headquarters and you don't even pick it up and read it?
Those of us who are Christians, we believe that God gave us this book
of messages, just like C.S. Lewis said. Unfortunately, many don't pick
them up.
It is well known that Thomas Jefferson, though he was not a deist,
believed the Bible, not all of the miracles. But the story is told that
he was coming down--and CRS has verified he came to church every Sunday
here in the Capitol. He usually rode his horse. When Madison came every
Sunday--he was here in D.C.--he came down to the Old House Chamber.
But someone asked Jefferson: Where are you going this Sunday morning?
He said: I am going to church in the Capitol.
He had a big Bible under his arm.
He said: But you don't believe everything they do.
He said: Sir, I am the highest elected magistrate in this country. It
is imperative that I set the proper example.
I thank my friend for setting that same proper example.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for his
words, and I thank him and all the others who have spoken here tonight
from all over this great country of ours for their heartfelt comments.
It has been an honor and a pleasure for me to commemorate National
Bible Week this evening. I am grateful to my colleagues who joined me
to honor, respect, and commemorate the Word of God.
Mr. Speaker, the prophet Isaiah, thousands of years ago in this book
right here, the Bible, in Isaiah 40:8 says: ``The grass withers, the
flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.'' Those are
powerful and true words.
Civilizations have risen and fallen, generations have come and gone,
yet here today, on November 20, 2019, we are still celebrating the
enduring Word of God given to us starting thousands of years ago.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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