A recent article by Dennis Prager is a prime example of why I no longer consider myself a Republican and consider myself outside of the current conservative movement. I would like to lay out for you why I believe he is dead wrong, and show the history of oaths and affirmations in a different light.
Dennis Prager says a Muslim elected to Congress should not take the oath on the Koran. Not only that, but he says allowing it is un-American.
Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the first Muslim elected to the United States Congress, has announced that he will not take his oath of office on the Bible, but on the bible of Islam, the Koran.
He should not be allowed to do so - not because of any American hostility to the Koran, but because the act undermines American civilization.
What? America was built on religious tolerance. Though I have my qualms with some of the religious leaders of Islam, primarily abroad, if a Muslim wants to swear his oath to defend and protect the United States of America on the Koran, he should be allowed to. It is his Holy book.
The purpose of using a Holy book to swear oaths is to be held accountable. It makes you accountable to a higher authority. Namely God. If you believe in God, and you promise, declare, and swear in the presence of your God to serve your country you are swearing to the highest authority. If there is anyone that you will want keep your oath to, it should be God above all else. In other words, If you are to be held accountable to anyone, God should be the one you are most accountable to.
To say that it undermines American civilization is, if not bigotry, then it is supreme ignorance of the Constitution.
Article 6 of the Constitution says regarding oaths: Emphasis given
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
If no religious test is required, where did the idea of swearing the oath of office on a Bible come from?
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Brent
"I believe that Prager's column, and the support of many right wing pundits of it, shows an attitude of religious intolerance and some selective reading of the Constitution. They believe that we are foremost a Christian nation."
Except that Prager is Jewish. Talk about selective reading.
2 - Rufus Brown
Doesn't matter what the president is swearing on, most of them break the promises anyways.
3 - ss
Nice article. Prager's own words, from the article you link to, are so ignorant of an Americans rights-
"What Ellison and his Muslim and leftist supporters are saying is that it is of no consequence what America holds as its holiest book; all that matters is what any individual holds to be his holiest book."
-I can't help but think I'm being set up for some partisan nonsense meant to generate noise all for the benefit of one Dennis Prager.
I realize Prager is one of those AM radio talkshow hacks, but could anyone write what he wrote and not see the contradiction? It just feels like he's stirring up phony controversy.
Perhaps his market share has been shrinking lately.
4 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
A SECOND LOOK AT THE PRAGER BRAIN FART
Taking a second look at all of this, it essentially shows what happens when Jews living in exile refuse to leave for home and therefore have to twist their own ideas into pretzels.
Prager, as noted in one of the comments above, is Jewish.
Jews apparently swear on Christian bibles in the States. That is nearly the equivalent of a Jewish member of the British House of Commmons being required to swear on their good faith as a Christian. It's not quite as bad, but bad enough. Had I realized that clearly, it would have told me what I understand now.
This is yet another episode of how Jews have to cut corners with their own beliefs to accomodate the Christians in America. Now Christians CAN'T tell ME that if I don't like it I can leave. I left. But they can tell any other kike who gets too uppity to get lost. And many do, in that many words. I have not forgotten. One kike who got too uppity, Rav Meir Kahane, may G-d avenge his blood, was booted out. He left for Israel rather than do hard time in jail. At least he had a choice, unlike Jonathan Pollard who rots in jail because the Israeli politicians (in this case, Shim'on Peres) he helped will not treat a fellow Jew as a hero.
So the contest is how American Jews like Prager can manage to delude themselves that a)they live in freedom, b)they are secure, and c)they should not leave Babylon on the Hudson, or the Delaware, or in this case, on the Mississippi. Oy, what a pathetic sight. The putz who heads the Jewish Anti-Defamation League, Foxman, condemned Prager for racist remarks. Why? Because Prager demanded that Ellison do what Jewish politicians in America do - take an oath on a Christian bible.
This is why American Jews are so damned neurotic - they are trying to maintain, in addition to all the other illusions people maintain about themselves, the illusions of freedom, security and belonging to American culture.
I'm so glad I live here folks. I'm poor, have to stand guard duty every month where I live, voluhteer for guard duty in Jerusalem, and do not the "fabulous standard of living" you all (think you) do. And I have plenty to complain about.
But I have something very few American Jews have. I can look the truth in the face and NOT hide or run away.
5 - Tom Bux
Let me clarify. I mean that conservatives want to overemphasize that America was founded on Juedo-Christian values.
6 - handyguy
Whatever Prager's religion may be, his column was ridiculous and offensive. It's so ridiculous, however, that I'm surprised Tom would allow Prager to represent the entire "conservative movement." One assumes Tom could stick to a brand of conservatism that is non-bigoted and not inclined to post silly, hot-headed opinions the way Prager regularly does.
Being a non-conservative myself, I welcome Tom back from the dark side; but surely he has better reasons than Dumb-Dumb Prager.
7 - Tom Bux
I am by no means a liberal. I am a true conservative, which I guess now is called libertarian. I suport freedom from governement. I want them out of my personal life, and out of my wallet.
8 - A Concerned Citizen
Mr. Box, after reading this post I took the liberty to view your home site. Apparently you "38% want the terrorists to win"? Your article here today serves only to prove your unpatriotic fervor and heinous, backstabbing ways.
America is a God-fearing nation. America loves God. Let me ask you this, Mr. Bax: Why do you hate God? The Bible is the Word of God. All the information in the Bible supports this. You probably haven't read the Bible, otherwise you would know that it alone is the true Word of God.
Go ahead. Admit it, [Personal attack deleted]. You're part of the conspiracy to destroy Christmas, and by that, America.
First you want to allow this guy to swear on the Koran. Then, nonchalantly, like Satan's pet viper lying in wait to bite the jugular of God's favorite country, you pass legislation to replace Christmas with Ramadan. Things quickly escalate so that anyone who practices Christmas is martyred at the foot of Satan's power, the ACLU headquarters. And finally, in a fiendish coup de grace, the economy collapses like a black hole and the entire world, without the beacon of hope and leadership that is the United States, enters into a period of intense darkness and suffering.
You, Mr. Bix, are intent on initiating the Apocalypse.
9 - Tom Bux
When a side resorts to swearing and name calling, I know I am getting under their skin. Name calling is to debating as baking cookies is to getting your hair cut.
10 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Concerned Citizen, if you are for real, I am damned glad I'm writing this from the Samarian mountains and not the Minnesota prairie.
If you are for real, pick up your bible and read
Yeshayá/Isaiah 63:1-6. Remember it well, for it is a warning for America and for Europe...for Edóm.
11 - Tom Bux
Another thing I'd like to add. If Prager wants to go down the road of implying that allowing Ellison to swear on the Koran will destroy the fabric of society, I say the opposite.
Not allowing him to do so will do more harm than allowing him. The purpose of swearing on the Bible is partly tradition, but is also an acknowledgement that there is a higher authority you are accountable to. To require him to swear on a holy book that is not his you are essentially saying that the tradition itself is more important than the meaning behind the tradition.
12 - Peter J
Hey look,
You Judas pinko commie bastard, you with your unpatriotic fervor and backstabbing ways, you and Satan's pet viper lying in wait to bite the,,,,Jeesh, ya gotta lov'im
13 - Bliffle
Xtians seem to never miss an opportunity to inject their bogus claims that the USA is based on xtianity.
14 - SHARK
Wow. The Far Right Conservatives are INTOLERANT?!
Who'd a thunk it.
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Tom, let us know when you decide the earth orbits the sun, eh.
BTW: I wrote a similar confession a while back; it was much funnier -- and more profound.
Shark Gives Up Bein' a Liberal
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I wonder if they'd let me be sworn in on a copy of R. Crumb's Zap Comix. ...Or a CD of Mozart.
I mean, at least my gods are real.
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re. Ruvy vs Concerned Citizen in a biblical-quotation-death-match:
I love to see people *fight over whose fictional, mythological being is badder.
*pretty much the entire history of humankind
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Note to All Religions: SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GO AWAY.
Thanks,
The Management
15 - SHARK
Tom Bux: "I am a true conservative, which I guess now is called libertarian."
Libertarian. Ahahah. Welcome to the one political group in America that is MORE MARGINALIZED than the Democrats. Prepare to have yer heart broken at the highest levels.
16 - SHARK
I don't know about the rest of yall, but the google "ads" on this page are for "ISLAM RINGTONES."
*Truly, The End is Near.
*To Concerned Citizen, apologies; You were right!
17 - D'oh
"you know when that SHARK bites, with his teeth bare,
scarlet bellows, start to spread."
Thanks SHARK, I needed the smile.
18 - Hank Sloan
"I am by no means a liberal. I am a true conservative, which I guess now is called libertarian. I suport freedom from governement. I want them out of my personal life, and out of my wallet."
IM WITH YOU TOM!!!!!
19 - D'oh
One thing about this "out of my wallet" fetish.
You do realize that somebody has to pay for things, like the military, roads, health and safety regulation enforcement, border security, the department of Homeland Security, printing the money your are talking about, the Postal service, the national debt, ad nauseum?
I'm all for keeping as much of my earnings as possible, but bills need to be paid, don't they?
The real discussion appears to actually be centered around setting the boundaries and priorities of what we as a nation require as a nation, then pay for it.
Now, I'm not too certain as to what political label you want to put on that kind of thinking, but unless I'm missing something, that appears to be an accurate description that would apply to according to any rational examination, regardless of ideology.
20 - A Concerned Citizen
By the way, just in case anyone was wondering, my little rant was a joke. I didn't think anyone would take it seriously (I thought it too bombastic), but apparently some did.
I'd just like to clarify -- Tom, I basically agree with everything you've said. Good article.
Sorry if I pissed anyone off too much. Take care everybody.
21 - Baronius
My first instinct was that Prager's totally off-base, but I read the article, and he makes his argument pretty effectively. I still think it's not a big deal though.
22 - STM
On a very realted note, so if I became a member of the Senate or the House of Representatives, could I swear my oath whilst holding a picture of Queen Elizabeth II and secretly muttering an oath of allegience to the Crown under my breath?
My point is, as Dave Nalle has pointed out, why use anything at all (despite the fact it has become a tradition, in fact US word of law almost officially discourages it) and why not just swear on the Constituition of the United States.
It's as fine a document or piece of writing as you'll find anywhere, and encapsulates most of what's good about "holy books".
23 - Maurice
Did Lieberman use a bible?
24 - John Bambenek
Prager, a name I hadn't heard of before his childish rant, is in no way representative of anyone except those who wish to make a name for themselves by pissing people off.
I'm not sure what hole he crawled out from under, but I'd hardly consider him a harbinger of conservatism.
25 - Clavos
D'oh #19:
You're right, of course, about the bills needing to be paid.
Still, it's good to keep reminding the Congressmaggots (Nancy's apt word) who the hell's wallet all that money they're spending comes from; so that when we all finally get fed up and march on Capitol Hill with AK47s to wipe them all out, they'll know why.