Sacred Text and the Oath of Office
For the most part, I try to shy away from commenting on religion. I am not particularly religious but I am of the persuasion that whatever religion one chooses to practice is their own business and no one else's. I also think it is wrong to force your beliefs onto others which is why I find the controversy surrounding Congressman-elect Keith Ellison so repugnant.
You see Ellison is a Muslim. He intends to take his oath of office on a Quran rather than a Bible. This didn't sit well with right-wing talk show host Dennis Prager who said that America is a Christian nation and as such, anyone who doesn't swear on the Bible shouldn't be able to serve in Congress. "Mr. Ellison, America, not you, decides on what book its public servants take their oath" said Prager in a column for Townhall.com.
Never mind that the Constitution forbids any religious test for holding office or that the issue of a Bible as part of the swearing in ceremony is a rather moot one considering it is mostly for photo-ops, it still has the religious right in a uproar.
Prager is right about one thing though. America does choose a sacred text to which it's public servants swear an oath to. It's called the Constitution. At the end of the day, their willingness to uphold that text should be what really matters.
You see Ellison is a Muslim. He intends to take his oath of office on a Quran rather than a Bible. This didn't sit well with right-wing talk show host Dennis Prager who said that America is a Christian nation and as such, anyone who doesn't swear on the Bible shouldn't be able to serve in Congress. "Mr. Ellison, America, not you, decides on what book its public servants take their oath" said Prager in a column for Townhall.com.
Never mind that the Constitution forbids any religious test for holding office or that the issue of a Bible as part of the swearing in ceremony is a rather moot one considering it is mostly for photo-ops, it still has the religious right in a uproar.
Prager is right about one thing though. America does choose a sacred text to which it's public servants swear an oath to. It's called the Constitution. At the end of the day, their willingness to uphold that text should be what really matters.
Post a Comment