Mississippi Legislature OKs Bill to Ban Leavened Bread, Eating Shellfish, Shaving, and Wearing Polyester

The Mississippi Legislature approved a bill on Wednesday that gives the state the power to ban anything that is prohibited by The Bible.

The bill goes further than the one signed into law last week that allows individuals and corporations with religious objections to deny services to gay couples. This law has been widely condemned throughout the 21st century.

The state's Gov. Phil Bryant said he wanted "to protect sincerely held religious beliefs."

Bryant also is expected to sign the so-called "Religious Preservation Act," which bans, among other things, leavened bread (Deuteronomy 16:3), eating pork (Leviticus 11:7-8), eating shellfish (Deuteronomy 14:9-10), and eating anything with fat (Leviticus 3:17); cutting the sides of your hair and trimming your beard (Leviticus 19:27); wearing polyester or anything else with more than one fabric (Leviticus 19:19); getting tattoos (Leviticus 19:28); or having women teach or having jobs where they have authority over men (1 Timothy 2:12).

State Sen. Euphus Imbroglio (R-Gaptooth), one of the bill's sponsors, admitted the last provision was unnecessary because "we have few jobs where women have authority over men, or few jobs of any kind, for that matter."

The Bible also calls for executing anyone who works on the Sabbath (Exodus 31:14).

Experts say the law may have an unintended consequence in the immigration debate. Leviticus 19:33-34 maintains that all foreigners be treated the same as those who are native born.

Economists expect the new law will have a devastating effect on the state's economy - particularly in its leading industries -- fishing, tattoo parlors, and Sunday liquor sales.

When asked what impact, if any, the law would have on technology industries, Imbroglio responded, "What's technology?"

States such as North Carolina and Indiana are considering similar bills.