UPDATE::Lawmaker pulls bill to make Holy Bible Louisiana's official state book | NOLA.com

An update to this story and yes it was unnecessary, divisive, and completely contrary to the point of state books. Carmody created the distraction and it’s time he cleaned up his own mess.
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Rep. Thomas Carmody, R-Shreveport, scrapped his proposal to make the Holy Bible the official state book before it could go to a full vote of the state House of Representatives Monday evening. The bill had become a distraction, he said.

In introducing the legislation, Carmody always maintained he was not taking steps to establish a state religion, but rather to educate people. Critics have accused him of foisting faith inappropriately into the government sphere. Others thought such a designation would trivialize the Bible and its importance.

Initially, Carmody had just been intending to designate a specific, historic copy of the Bible, which he thought could be found in the Louisiana State Museum, as the official state book. But lawmakers amended Carmody's legislation two weeks ago to propose making any copy of the "Holy Bible" the official state book.

Lawmaker pulls bill to make Holy Bible Louisiana's official state book | NOLA.com

UPDATE::Bill to name the Bible as Louisiana's official state book advances to House floor for debate - Daily Journal

You can't adopt the Bible and not adopt Christianity ~ Rep. Wesley Bishop, D-New Orleans

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Lawmakers are moving ahead with a proposal to name the Bible as Louisiana's official state book, despite concerns the bill would land the Legislature in court.

A House municipal committee advanced the bill Thursday with an 8-5 vote, sending it to the full House for debate.

Rep. Thomas Carmody, R-Shreveport, said he sponsored the proposal after a constituent made the request. But Carmody insisted the bill wasn't designed to be a state-endorsement of Christianity or a specific religion.

"It's not to the exclusion of anyone else's sacred literature," he told the House committee. Again, later he said, "This is not about establishing an official religion of the state of Louisiana."

Bill to name the Bible as Louisiana's official state book advances to House floor for debate - Daily Journal

Louisiana Representative Introduces Bill to Make Bible State Book | Christian News Network

Yea, OK, the time and money to be wasted on this endeavor does what exactly?

A representative in Louisiana has introduced a bill to make the Bible the official book of the state.

Representative Thomas Carmody (R-Shreveport) recently filed HB 503 at the request of Shreveport resident Randy Dill. Dill told local television station KTBS that he has had the desire to make the Bible the state book since 1988, but could not find a lawmaker to help make it happen—until now.

“The Bible was their main inspiration along with our forefathers—Washington and all of them,” he stated. “They looked to it for their inspiration for our country. They called upon God to help us.”

Carmody’s bill would make a certain copy of the Bible in state possession the official state book.

“The official state book shall be the Holy Bible, published by Johannes Prevel, (Prevel, Jean, active 1510-1528, printer, & Petit, Jean, fl. 1492-1530.), which is the oldest edition of the Holy Bible in the Louisiana State Museum system,” HB 502 outlines. “The use on official documents of the state and with the insignia of the state is hereby authorized.”

While the men acknowledge that there will likely be opposition to the measure, they believe that the goal is attainable,,,

Louisiana Representative Introduces Bill to Make Bible State Book | Christian News Network