by Patrick Julius

Created on: June 08, 2007

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

That's the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America. It states quite clearly and unambiguously that government has no place dictating religious beliefs to the citizens of this free nation. Other countries have different policies, of course; but then again, most other Western countries don't require religious texts at swearing-ins, and most nations outside the West would not use the Bible.

It is in blatant violation of this founding principle of our nation to require an oath upon any specific religious text or belief for any circumstance. The government has no right to require anyone to believe or swear anything that they do not freely choose to. Any less violates the most basic principles of secular democracy.

Indeed, the fact that people would even *consider* requiring an oath on the Bible is absolutely terrifying to me; it steps on the rights of millions of Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, and others to believe and practice as they choose. It's the kind of thing that would be done in an Islamist theocracy (with the Qur'an, of course), not what we ought to be doing in a developed secular nation.

And what benefit can accrue from requiring such an oath? Will Christians be more likely to tell the truth? Do we honestly want to elect politicians who wouldn't be honest if they hadn't sworn on a Bible? Does anyone really believe that God keeps track of people's oaths but not their other actions? Elected officials and court witnesses do not take on the duty of honesty by promising to be honest; they take on the duty of honesty by being in the position in which they are. No one may cross his fingers as he swears on the Bible and expect to be absolved of the duty of honesty.

If anything, people should be asked to swear upon the Constitution, or upon their own consciences; but honestly, I think everyone in the position to swear an oath already knows what their duties are.

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