National Bible Week

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CLOUD. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Lamborn for his leadership in putting this Special Order together. It is appropriate. It is right. It is certainly fitting for us to come here on the 80th anniversary of National Bible Week and talk about the Bible's immense importance to our identity as a Nation.

George Washington said that religion and morality are indispensable supports of our Nation. Benjamin Franklin said that only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.

Benjamin Rush said that without religion there can be no virtue; without virtue there can be no liberty; and liberty is the object of all republican governments.

Thomas Jefferson warned us when he said:

Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed the only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people, that these liberties are a gift of God? They are not to be violated, but with his wrath I indeed tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just and that his justice cannot sleep forever.

Indeed, even in this Chamber just outside the realm of the C-SPAN cameras, this Chamber is circled by lawmakers. It is notable that Moses is the only lawmaker that is full faced; the rest are profile. Such is the importance of Scripture in this Nation's foundation and understanding of the rule of law.

When I was sworn in, we had the Bible open in the ceremony to Proverbs 14:3 that said that righteousness exalts a Nation. For me, it was a reminder to keep the important work that we do here in perspective because we can pass perfect laws, but if the hearts of the people are corrupt, we still have a poor Nation.

So we need to do our best effort to do right by the people and to pass good laws, but we also need to acknowledge that God is the hope of this Nation.

Our form of government, that thing that protects freedom and liberty, only works for people who have a respect for a moral framework. Indeed, John Adams said: ``Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.''

It is reading through Scripture that gives us also an understanding of things like Romans 3:23 that says: ``For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.'' That Scripture is what helps us to begin the path to find personal forgiveness and salvation, but it also helps us especially in times like we find ourselves in our Nation right now not to ignore our differences but to be able to look past them, to find the humility, to discuss and to embrace each other and to work toward a path of unity and healing in our Nation.

This book is still packed with wisdom for us as a Nation. We have often as a Nation turned to it in times when we needed comfort. May we now continue to turn to it at a time when we desperately need guidance.

As Abraham Lincoln said: ``I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.''

Let's turn to Scripture, and may God bless this Nation.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source