Last year, Oklahoma lawmakers introduced pandering legislation that would require "In God We Trust" signs to be displayed in all state buildings, except for the hedonistic ones owned by school districts.
Then, as the bill was going through the legislative motions, the Covid-19 pandemic that God created kicked into high gear, and the issue got shelved.
Now, like most bad ideas in this state, it's being regurgitated. Via The Oklahoman_:
Oklahoma’s House speaker once again is pushing for the national motto, "In God We Trust" to be displayed prominently in state buildings.
The Oklahoma House on Monday passed Speaker Charles McCall’s House Bill 2085 to add the phrase in 342 state buildings at an estimated cost of $85,000.
The legislation incited fierce debate from Democrats, who argued the bill violates the separation of church and state and could alienate Oklahomans with diverse religious beliefs.
As an agnostic-atheist type, this really doesn't bother me that much. Sure, it's stupid and a waste of time and resources, but I guess living my entire life in a conservative, Evangelical-dominant state has made me a bit immune to all the religious indoctrination we're bombarded with on a daily basis. If it makes people feel better to see the "In God We Trust" displayed inside a trailer at the state medical lab, go for it. It doesn't bother me. I'll only start caring when lawmakers propose that each state building also come equipped with Hobby Lobby-inspired cross wall.
Plus, as I mentioned last year, there could be some positives to this. If there is a God sitting in the sky, watching his master plan take shape while simultaneously judging our moral character, maybe placing these hallowed words in state buildings will inspire him to wave his magic wand and give us new lawmakers who actually care about real, important issues facing the state, and not just pandering to the theocratic Evangelicals who elect them. That's something we should all be praying for, right?
