First Merry Christmas!
As to the question about swearing in on the Koran if you are Muslim, I personally do not have problem with that. Because, if a person doesn’t believe in the Bible there isn’t much ‘force’ to their ‘vow’ or ‘oath’ that they will uphold the responsibilities of their office just because they lay their hands on a ‘book’ and say some words.
Let me quote Prof. Scott Hahn from SalvationHistory.com on the meaning of ’swearing an oath’ on The Bible.
First, contracts involve promises, covenants involve oaths.
When you enter into a contract, say, to buy a house, you make a promise to the seller, along the lines of: “I give you my word that I will pay you this amount of money for your house.” The seller, in turn, makes a promise: “I give you my word that if you pay me the sum we have agreed upon, I will turn over to you the deed to my house.”
The “word” you each pledge to the other is your name. And you each sign your name on the contract as a “sign” that you’ll uphold your end of the bargain or keep your promise.
Covenants are much different. In a covenant, you elevate and upgrade your promise. Not only do you give your word, you also swear an oath, invoke a higher authority - you call God in as your witness.
Think of the oath we’re most familiar with, the oath you swear before taking the witness stand in a courtroom: “I promise to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God.”
You’ve promised, given your word to tell the truth. You’ve also asked God to help you keep your promise. It’s not only you and the judge now. It’s you, the judge and God. Now, if you lie under oath, you’re not only liable to go to jail, you’re liable to be punished by God. The flip side of asking for God’s help in an oath is surrendering yourself to God’s judgment. You say, in effect, “I’ll be damned if I don’t tell the truth.”
In the old days, we used to have politicians swear on the Bible and the Bible would be opened to the Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 28, where the blessings and the curses are recorded. We were asking them to swear to uphold the constitution or suffer the curses recorded in those pages.
Even in our highly secularized society, we retain elements of this older understanding of oaths. We make doctors, police officers, military personnel and public officials swear oaths. Why? Because we depend on them; we literally put our lives in their hands. We want them to swear to God that they’ll do their jobs. We can’t just take their word for it, we want them to know that they’ll have to answer to a higher authority.
Incidentally, did you know that the word “oath” translates the Latin word sacramentum, where we get our word “sacraments”? In a future course, we’ll look sacraments as oaths. But for now, just keep in mind, as we mentioned earlier, that the notion of covenant and oaths is crucial to understanding the sacraments and our relationship with God.
END SALVATIONHISTORY.COM
Literally when a Christian lays their hands on the Bible and swears to uphold their office or ‘tell the truth, so help me God’, they are saying that if they tell the truth, by God’s Hand they will receive all the blessings contained in the Bible or the reverse is also true. They are saying that if they lie, all the curses contained in the Bible will come upon them.
A heady thought when understood properly.
My problem isn’t with the Koran.
But I pose a further question, if we allow the Koran, then we would have to cater to every possible group. For example, The Book of Mormon for Mormons or let’s get right to the nitty gritty… perhaps we would have someone who believes in Satan who wants to swear in on a Book of Rituals for Satanic practices.
In a case like that, you would have someone promising to … what? To cause chaos and disruption at every chance… perhaps. Then where would a nation founded on Christian principles be?
I submit that it is dilemma. Maybe we could have an “approved list” of books allowed.
I am wishing for you this day a Happy Christmas!
I wish you laughter, pure joy, a merry heart and a clear conscience!
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December 24th, 2006 at 7:35 p12
Ahhhhh …. YAWN, im still here.
YOU STOLE MY TOPIC!!!!! this is war!!!!!! Kidding, about the war part, not about you stealing my topic. Least you could have done is give me the credit for your inspiration! i mean if it wasnt for me you wouldnt be aware of most news, (especially bad news) since you refuse to watch it or read it. im your own personal newsreporter, much to your chagrin i admit, but nonethelless…….
All you did was turn your reply to me, into your own topic. how sinful. i feel a confession coming for you, you naughty, naughty boy!
Mine was posted a whole day b4 yours. here;s the link:
http://allworldviews.blogspot.com/2006/12/i-swear-so-help-me-god.html
and here’s the whole post:
I Swear ……….. So Help Me God
Democratic Minnesota Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, has requested to use the quran for his swearing in ceremony. This of course has caused a bit of a stir, mainly in conservative circles. For me the question to ask is why do we use the bible for swearing in? Is it because we think that swearing in on a book of ones religious beliefs will make them tend to be more honest, or a better person? Or do we continue to use the bible today simply because its an American tradition?
My opinion is, If its the former, based on religious beliefs and what it may or may not do to and for a person, then yeah, he ought to use the quran, quite simply because what good does it do to have a person swear on a book he or she doesn’t believe in? But if its the latter, based simply on American tradition, then no he shouldn’t be allowed to use the quran. Far too many American traditions have already gone by the wayside.
I believe originally the thinking was that a person would tend to be better after having sworn on the bible, for the bible was, back in the day, a much more forceful instrument than it is now. I’m not saying that it wouldn’t serve that purpose for someone who was a staunch believer, just that there aren’t as many people today that have the same fear or respect for the bible that once did.
peace bro…….
December 24th, 2006 at 7:35 p12
Merry Christmas!
Thank you for your comment.
I just want to point out to you how prideful it is to think that I first heard about this topic from you. In fact, I had heard about it several days before you told me and I had thought it over quite a bit as well as discussed it with church members, before I ever saw your blog.
December 24th, 2006 at 7:35 p12
yes i take pride in my knowledge of current events. unlike some i know. as to your assertions that you knew about it b4 i mentioned it, that my friend is between you and your confessor, i’ll make no further comments on it, ‘cept to say I am surprised, but it would be a nice change.
January 4th, 2007 at 7:35 p01
UPDATE - He DID use the Quran, yet with a twist that i found satisfying.
It was a Quran owned by Thomas jefferson. Now that IS cool.
Full story link and commentary here:
http://allworldviews.blogspot.com/2007/01/congressman-to-be-sworn-in-using-quran.html
January 4th, 2007 at 7:35 p01
for those who dont follow the link above here is a quote that i also found satisfying
Ellison spokesman Rick Jauert said the new congressman “wants this to be a special day, and using Thomas Jefferson’s Quran makes it even more special.”
“Jefferson’s Quran dates religious tolerance to the founders of our country,”