Quote for Today
(Via Preemptive Karma Blog):
"Senator, when you took your oath of office, you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You didn't place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible."
-- Maryland state Senator, Jamie Raskin
EDIT:
While I agree with the sentiment of this statement, I guess we need to ask why (if we truly expect a separation of Church and State) - why is it we swear someone in using a Bible to begin with?
EDIT #2: Thanks to Bacchus (Eros Blog) for clearing this up - I did not realise the Bible was not an absolute. I do still wonder if it always has to be some sort of 'religious' book that is sworn on? I mean could they swear on a copy of the 'Captain Underpants' book? How about swearing on a copy of the constitution to begin with - since that is what they are promising to uphold?
Regardless - while America should be a place where people may safely practice their religious pursuits - it should not be a place where only one religion reigns supreme or gets all the say. If fact, dare I say that there should be no religion involved at all....
"Senator, when you took your oath of office, you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You didn't place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible."
-- Maryland state Senator, Jamie Raskin
EDIT:
While I agree with the sentiment of this statement, I guess we need to ask why (if we truly expect a separation of Church and State) - why is it we swear someone in using a Bible to begin with?
EDIT #2: Thanks to Bacchus (Eros Blog) for clearing this up - I did not realise the Bible was not an absolute. I do still wonder if it always has to be some sort of 'religious' book that is sworn on? I mean could they swear on a copy of the 'Captain Underpants' book? How about swearing on a copy of the constitution to begin with - since that is what they are promising to uphold?
Regardless - while America should be a place where people may safely practice their religious pursuits - it should not be a place where only one religion reigns supreme or gets all the say. If fact, dare I say that there should be no religion involved at all....
Labels: Politics, Quotes, Religion, Separation of Church and State
posted by Colette at 2:12 PM
1 Comments:
Actually, we don't really require a Bible ; the requirement is generally to "swear or affirm" and the person taking an oath of office is free to use a Koran, Book of Mormon, or pretty much whatever they want (including nothing, if they are atheist, which almost no US politicians will admit to being) to solemnize their oath or affirmation.
There was quite a stink a couple years ago when a Muslim Congressman was being sworn in, so he went to the Library of Congress and made special provision to borrow a Koran they had their. It had belonged to Thomas Jefferson, you see...
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