just a thought

[asimplechord]

Only tangentially related to the election.

Brought on by Tom Brokaw's comment about how historical and profound it will be when Obama "puts his hand on the Bible" to be sworn in as the POTUS.

If citizens of the US have an unalienable right to practice whatever religion they choose (or to not practice, as the case may be), why are government oaths made on the Bible?

Wouldn't it make more sense to do it on... oh, I don't know, the Constitution, since that's what they're swearing to uphold?

Keith Ellison's (D - Minn.) decision to use the Koran at his swearing-in caused a furor, even though the copy he utilized was part of Thomas Jefferson's collection.

Out of curiosity, did Joe Lieberman use a Bible for his swearing-in?

Does our right to free expression of religion only apply to Judeo-Christian denominations?

Comments

[blushandrecover.livejournal.com]

I have a feeling that America will only be super-friendly for Judeo-Christians for awhile, mostly only for Christians. I've always wondered what I'd swear on if I had to for some reason. One of the atheist/agnostic groups' leaders was interviewed on Colbert, and she said she could swear on anything or nothing-- that what she was touching didn't matter, she just refused for it to be a Bible.

[asimplechord.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I think you're right - just look at the furor in NC, when Dole accused her challenger of being "godless". The challenger whipped out her role in church functions as her defense, but what if she'd said, "No, I'm not christian, I'm wiccan" or atheist or agnostic? I sincerely doubt that the backlash would have been as negative as it was.

I'm an atheist, and make no apologies for it, so when my husband asks why I don't run for local office, I always tell him that it would be a waste of time and effort, because I'd never get elected after I answer honestly about faith.

I asked my sister, who was sworn in for her govt job and to the bar association, and she said that she was not forced to use anything. Which was good, since she's a godless heathen just like me.