Inauguration and the bible

[bigshotceo]

A friend of mine was arguing with me over this:

When the president of the United States is inaugurated, be takes his oath with his hand on a bible. Our argument is this: is the bible actually required by law, or is it merely a tradition? If the president was of a religion that did not recognize the bible, would he or she be allowed to replace it with the religious text of their choice? What if the president is an athiest and does not recognize any religious text? What would happen?

Oh, and PLEASE don't make this a political argument (let's stick to the legal side of the argument rather than the politcal one).

[freestyler]

No need to go that far - how about the courts? Ever been on the witness stand?

[Tommyknocker]

The Constitution does not mention the Bible in the Presendential Oath of Office.

[freestyler]

taken from this page
http://candst.tripod.com/tnppage/arg11.htm

Nothing in [Article II, section 1 of the Constitution] requires that the oath of office be taken on the Bible. Neither do the words "so help me God" appear in the oath. While Presidents often include this phrase in their inauguration ceremonies, the words are customary; they are not required by the Constitution and have no legal significance.

It also mentions:

"The Constitution requires nothing of federal officers in the way of religion. The framers saw no need to refer to God in the oath of office, and explicitly provided an alternative to the oath that guaranteed secularity."

[pacmania_2001]

I've got a question, has their ever been a president that was an athiest or of a religion other than christianity/catholic/anglican?

[Conquest10]

I've got a question, has their ever been a president that was an athiest or of a religion other than christianity/catholic/anglican?

In the US, No. This is a country created by Christians for Christians. We tolerate other religions but they are wrong.

[Will Hay]

...is a country created by Christians for Christians. We tolerate other religions but they are wrong.

And here is the reason religion is the worlds biggest killer.
Ignorance on the highest scale.
Will

[Cobra]

Conquest,

Fair play. I don't knock other people's beliefs, because I don't want mine knocked either. I have no faith other than in science. I think that people should be free to believe whatever they want to.

We tolerate other religions but they are wrong.

I wouldn't have said that - it's asking for trouble. I certainly felt a stir when I read that and it's tempting to write down my views, which would probably upset a lot of people. I won't, because I value peace.

I guess this is why Baldrick doesn't allow religion on his boards.

Cobra

[luvvbuzz]

isnt this a religious thread and therefor no supposed to be on this message board? thought we dont do religion here? it just creates divides right? all religion is exclusive instead of inclusive.

[Will Hay]

Conquest,

Fair play. I don't knock other people's beliefs, because I don't want mine knocked either. I have no faith other than in science. I think that people should be free to believe whatever they want to.

We tolerate other religions but they are wrong.

I wouldn't have said that - it's asking for trouble. I certainly felt a stir when I read that and it's tempting to write down my views, which would probably upset a lot of people. I won't, because I value peace.

My view exactly, and the reason I made my post.
That comment is totally borne from ignorance and I tried my best not to be offended by it too.
.....I just wanted to reply before this thread was locked
Will

[Devanshu]

In the US, No. This is a country created by Christians for Christians. We tolerate other religions but they are wrong.

I thought he was just kidding...

[pacmania_2001]

I dont have a problem with religious people, as long as they don't force their beliefs on me.

So their has been no presidents of a non-religious or non big 3 religious beliefs?

[Will Hay]

In the US, No. This is a country created by Christians for Christians. We tolerate other religions but they are wrong.

I thought he was just kidding...

This is where or or comes in handy!
Will

[housepig]

In the US, No. This is a country created by Christians for Christians.

in case you weren't kidding, let's look to 1/2 of Mt. Rushmore...

I do not find in orthodox Christianity one redeeming feature.

It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God.It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.

The Bible is not my Book and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long complicated statements of Christian dogma.

most of our founding fathers, including George Washington, were Deists, not Christians.

[pacmania_2001]

Pardon my ignorance but what exactly are the differences/similarities between christians and diests?

[Conquest10]

I thought he was just kidding...

This is where or or comes in handy!
Will

Yeah, I was just kidding. I was going to use a smiley, but that would have been too obvious that I was kidding. However, a lot of Americans do feel that way. I feel that is the greatest hypocrisy in this country.

[Devanshu]

Pardon my ignorance but what exactly are the differences/similarities between christians and diests?

I'm not sure I understand it fully, but I think, diesm basically says that god made the world, but let man choose his destinly.

[indolikaa]

A long time ago I was called as a witness in a capital murder trial in New Mexico. When I took the 'oath' there was no bible present, and I didn't swear to tell the truth on God's name. The judge just asked me, "Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?"

I thought everything I learned in the movie Airplane II was true. I guess not.

[adam]

Usually they do ask you to swear on the bibile, but anyone can refuse and they just make you take the same oath without the bibile. My guess is that it would be the same with a presidential inauguration but I doubt we will ever know since its unlikely an athiest would ever be elected as president.

The bibile is just a tradition for swearing in now, it used to be a requirement though. Athiests were not allowed to testify or enter into securities because it was believed that a man's word was only good if they swore on the bible.

I think bigshotceo asked a legitimate question. It would be a shame to lock this because it delved too much into political debate.

[indolikaa]

I think bigshotceo asked a legitimate question. It would be a shame to lock this because it delved too much into political debate.

I agree.

[housepig]

Pardon my ignorance but what exactly are the differences/similarities between christians and diests?

my understanding is that Deists believe that the universe was created by a god / supreme being / prime mover, but that natural processes took over from that point - ie. we evolved, we weren't created by god specifically.

[indolikaa]

Pardon my ignorance but what exactly are the differences/similarities between christians and diests?

my understanding is that Deists believe that the universe was created by a god / supreme being / prime mover, but that natural processes took over from that point - ie. we evolved, we weren't created by god specifically.

This is also known as Evolutionary Creationism.

A critical argument has been made for this belief based on the historic (not biblical) context found in the Book of Genesis. I did a comparative analysis on this specific subject in high school. I'm afraid, though, that the contents of that paper cannot be published, lest they (might) tread on Baldrick's AUP.

[Will Hay]

I thought he was just kidding...

This is where or or comes in handy!
Will

Yeah, I was just kidding. I was going to use a smiley, but that would have been too obvious that I was kidding.