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Defenders of this custom often cite that the United States was built as a "Christian nation;" they mention the founding fathers and claim that the foundation of the U.S. was one of unified Christianity, and that simply because non-believers are more prevalent today is no reason to dismantle a tradition rooted in the largest religious denomination in the country.

The truth in that defense is that yes, Christianity is currently the largest organized religion in the country, with 76.5% of Americans identifying themselves as Christian in 2001 (religioustolerance.org). But the truth is that the United States was not founded as a Christian nation. This was clearly echoed in the 1797 treaty the U.S. forged with Tripoli, which was signed into effect by John Adams and drafted by none other than George Washington himself:

"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility...it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

While the secularism referred to in the above text seems lost among today's prominent Christian following, the truth remains that the founding fathers were concerned more with religious freedom than with religion itself. Thomas Jefferson remarked that "Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man," a statement no serious presidential candidate would ever make today for it would surely cost him the election. Even believers from Jefferson's era, like Benjamin Franklin, were more deistic than theistic, believing in one Creator but refuting the concept of the meddlesome God who listens to our prayers and punishes our sins. "You desire to know something of my religion," Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter to Ezra Stiles. "I believe in one God, creator of the Universe...I do not perceive that the Supreme takes it amiss, by distinguishing the unbelievers in His government of the world with any particular marks of His displeasure." This deistic, uninvolved God is drastically different from the vengeful, egomaniacal God of the Bible.

This raises the question as to whether the Bible itself is a book worthy of such a high privilege, that we should swear on it in ceremonies and courtrooms. Granted, there are some good morals in the Bible, but any positive lesson is unfortunately overshadowed

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