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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION |
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| INTRODUCED BY COHEN, BRENNAN, BRIGGS, V. BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GINGRICH, HARKINS, HENNESSEY, JAMES, JOSEPHS, MAHONEY, MANN, MILLARD, MURT, SCAVELLO, SCHMOTZER, STABACK, STURLA, WILLIAMS, YOUNGBLOOD AND SWANGER, JUNE 13, 2012 |
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| REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JUNE 13, 2012 |
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| A RESOLUTION |
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1 | Recognizing the year 2012 as "The Year of Religious Diversity" |
2 | in Pennsylvania. |
3 | WHEREAS, William Penn, a devout Quaker, offered Pennsylvania |
4 | as a "Holy Experiment," where all would be free to practice |
5 | their religion in whatever manner they saw fit; and |
6 | WHEREAS, William Penn's Declaration of Rights in 1677 assured |
7 | that "no man can of right be compelled to attend, erect, or |
8 | support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry |
9 | against his consent"; and |
10 | WHEREAS, In order to assure that government would abstain |
11 | from favoring one religion over another, William Penn also |
12 | declared that "no preference shall ever be given by law to any |
13 | religious establishment or modes of worship"; and |
14 | WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's Benjamin Franklin welcomed all |
15 | religions, donated funds to the construction of their churches, |
16 | meeting houses and synagogues and further promoted the |
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1 | construction of an auditorium where all would be welcome to |
2 | preach, including Muslims; and |
3 | WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is now home to Christians, including |
4 | many Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant denominations; Quakers; |
5 | Jews of Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist and Reformed |
6 | congregations; Mormons; Muslims of Shia, Sunni, Sufi and others; |
7 | Unitarians; Buddhists; Hindus; Sikhs; Taoists; and other |
8 | religious traditions, as well as many who claim no religious |
9 | affiliation and nonbelievers; and |
10 | WHEREAS, Among the religious traditions practiced in |
11 | Pennsylvania, there are many sacred or holy texts, such as the |
12 | books of the Bible, Talmud, Koran, Book of Mormon, Veda, |
13 | Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, The Four Books and Five Classics of |
14 | Confucius, Tao-te-ching (The Way and Its Power), Tipitaka and |
15 | others; and |
16 | WHEREAS, These revered books impart great wisdom and beauty |
17 | to believers and are appreciated and respected by nonbelievers |
18 | as well; therefore be it |
19 | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize and |
20 | celebrate the religious diversity encompassed by Pennsylvania as |
21 | a fulfillment of the vision of William Penn; and be it further |
22 | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the |
23 | year 2012 as "The Year of Religious Diversity" throughout this |
24 | Commonwealth and continue to welcome all to Pennsylvania in the |
25 | spirit of our founder. |
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