What's in the water in Missouri?!

If you think this is silly, you're not alone. And you're probably not living in Missouri.

Two branches of a public library in Savannah MO have moved the book "And Tango Makes Three" from its children's section to the non-fiction section. Why? Because the book is based on the true story of Roy and Silo - two male penguins who adopted an abandoned egg in the 1990s at the NYC Central Park Zoo.

It seems some parents in Savannah were concerned about the "undertones" of the book. Apparently two male penguins getting together to raise a baby penguin just screams, "HOMOSEXUAL!" At least in Missouri. Read more.

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In other Missouri news, the state legislature wants to pass a non-binding resolution recognizing Christianity as the "majority" religion.

A Missouri House resolution stating that “voluntary prayer in public schools, religious displays on public property, and the recognition of a Christian God are not a coalition of church and state” has made it through the committee process and is scheduled for a floor vote as early as today (Thursday, March 2.)

(...)

The resolution, which is concurrent with the Senate, does not have an enacting clause, and therefore “is just a political statement about Christianity,” said Rep. John P. Burnett (D-Kansas City), a Rules Committee member who voted against passing the resolution to the full House.

The resolution states that:

“Whereas, our forefathers of this great nation of the United States recognized a Christian God and used the principles afforded to us by Him as the founding principles of our nation…

“Whereas, as elected officials we should protect the majority’s right to express their religious beliefs while showing respect for those who object…

“Now, therefore, be it resolved…that we stand with the majority of our constituents and exercise the common sense that voluntary prayer in public schools and religious displays on public property are not a coalition of church and state, but rather the justified recognition of the positive role that Christianity has played in this great nation of ours…”

Someone should send the legislators of Missouri a copy of all the writings of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and the other Founding Fathers - the majority of whom who were Deists, not Christians. They themselves made it very clear in their personal and public writings that the United States was not a country founded on Christianity.

On June 10, 1797, John Adams - signer of the Declaration of Independence and 2nd President - signed the Treaty of Tripoli. This treaty was unanimously approved by Congress - which made no objection to the following wording:

As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion — as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen — and as the said States have never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries. (emphasis mine)

Thomas Jefferson mentioned only a "Creator" in the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution avoids all mention of any religion. Jefferson wrote later than an attempt was made to add a reference to "Jesus Christ" in the Constitution, but that it was voted down.