Dennis Prager has written a scathing indictment of Representative Keith Ellison, D-Minn. Apparently Representative-elect Ellison wants to use a Koran for his swearing-in ceremony, instead of a Bible. Prager is outraged, and now the AFA is calling for Christians to floods Congress with demands for a law requiring the use of the Christian Bible during oaths of office for federal officeholders.
Hmm.
Yes, well, as soon as Mr Prager and Mr Wildmon can get around the 1st Amendment to the US Constitution(You know, that pesky part about “making no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof), they’ll have to deal with Article VI, which states in part:
no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States
Go on all you want about how this nation was founded by Godly men on Christian ideals. I won’t argue much with you.
But the keystone for this country’s founding was freedom, not faith. The founding fathers wanted to be free to things they weren’t allowed to do under the King’s laws. The Pilgrims were seeking the exact same thing: a place to practice their faith in freedom, without fear of persecution.
In looking at Representative-elect Ellison’s website, I certainly wouldn’t have voted for him. But I support his right to use whatever religious text he chooses for his swearing-in. Remember that he’s not swearing or affirming to uphold the Koran. He’s swearing or affirming that he will uphold the Constitution.
Swearing the oath on a Bible isn’t even required. George Washington chose to do it at his first inauguration–because it is part of a Masonic rite, and the Bible continued to be used afterwards. (The line “So help me God” was ad libbed by Washington at the oath-taking; it appears nowhere in the Constitution.)
That being said, three or four Presidents have opted not to place their hands on the Bible while taking the oath. The only one I can think of right now is Herbert Hoover. He was a Quaker, so his beliefs prevented him from swearing oaths. He affirmed (promised) to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. To a Quaker, one’s word was sacred enough; it did not need to be backed up by the Creator.