Okay, here is a patently silly thing to spend money on.

Bibles are available for free all over the place.

Bushels of Bibles for Pa. lawmakers

By Mario F. Cattabiani

Inquirer Staff Writer
HARRISBURG - Talk about swearing on a stack of Bibles.

With the state sinking deeper into a fiscal hole, the Pennsylvania General Assembly bought 220 Bibles and other holy books for legislators as they took the oath of office last month.

And the public paid for them - roughly $13,700 in all.

"Holy Moses," said Eric Epstein, a Harrisburg activist and founder of RockTheCapital.org, when told about the bulk purchase. "By the time you arrive at this station in your life, you shouldn't need the taxpayers to pay for your moral boarding pass."

The House chief clerk and Senate secretary said yesterday that it was a tradition dating back decades for lawmakers to receive a personalized holy book, courtesy of the public, at the start of their terms.

Volumes were ordered for 24 of the 25 senators who took the oath last month. Officials in that chamber could not immediately provide more details yesterday.

House members got to pick from more than a dozen choices, ranging in price from $30 to $90. Each was embossed with the lawmaker's name at an additional cost of $15 per book, according to public records.

All but seven of the 203 House members received one, with 72 picking the New American Catholic Bible, making it the most popular choice.

State Rep. Chris Ross (R., Chester) got a copy of the Quran. He said yesterday that he took the Jan. 6 oath on his own Bible, but ordered the Muslim holy book because he had always wanted to read it.

State Rep. Dan Frankel also got a Quran, but it was an ordering mistake. He traded it in for another copy of the Torah - the sixth he has received from taxpayers since first being elected in 1998.

The Pittsburgh Democrat downplayed the overall cost of the books as minuscule, given that state spending this will top $28 billion. But he acknowledged that it might not send the right public message in these bad economic times.

"Everybody is looking to conserve resources," he said. "At a time like this, maybe people should be asked to bring their own scripture with them."

That's the case in New Jersey, where taxpayers do not provide Bibles for their state legislators.

Could be worse....I just found out today that beginning April 1, that tobacco taxes are increasing from the 146% to over 200%!!!!!

I roll my own to avoid the pre-rolled tax but, a pound of tobbacco costs $12 and will now have $25 in tax added to it.

Absolutely criminal and unjustifiable!!!!! Screw em....I will avoid the taxes all together and just buy mine from outside the US. To hell with the govt and thier criminal taxes.

To all believers and non believers alike - buy your own religious or non religious books.

Why couldn't they just bring their own from home? That's insane to spend $13,700 for that.

Hmmm, good question. who knows how many politicians actually have their own at home ya know? lol

probably not very many

on one hand I can see it as a commemorative thing as a memorabilia of their swearing in ceremony. The legislators name is embossed on the bible

on the other hand maybe they should have to pay for it out of their own pocket?

that would definitely be a good idea if they were required to pay for the bibles themselves and not just let it be a voluntary thing. if it was voluntary it might just get swept off the porch by most of them.

well said

I have no problem with it as a keep sake, but not on the tax payer. Where the heck is the common sense here.. Geezuz.

So much for seperation of church and state too... hmmm