President Obama!

[Deadshow Dan]

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/01/20/us/politics/20swearing_600.jpg

[Deadshow Dan]

the photosynth from cnn should be spectacular

[Sunshower]

I am soooooo very proud to be an American right now!:clapping::heart:

[The Village Idiot]

Michelle had it easy, did you see the size of the Bible Mrs. Biden had to hold...

[Feesh]

Michelle had it easy, did you see the size of the Bible Mrs. Biden had to hold...
I did!

That was one big honkin' Bible! :lol:

[FellowTraveler]

what if a non christian or muslim gets elected
what does he swear on?

if we came and made this country to seperate church and state
why do they swear on a bible?
why in court so they swear on the bible?

i hope theres never a day i have to be in court and swear so help me god
cause i wont...to a god

[Deadshow Dan]

in court you are not required to use a bible. I think they don't make you say "so help me god"... in NY anyway. Cur?

If a non believer were elected president (not gonna happen anytime soon!) they would not be required to put their hand on anything.

[TexasSnowmonkey]

http://viralpolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/obama_sw.jpg

[SunshineDrummer]

what if a non christian or muslim gets elected
what does he swear on?

if we came and made this country to seperate church and state
why do they swear on a bible?
why in court so they swear on the bible?

i hope theres never a day i have to be in court and swear so help me god
cause i wont...to a god

You're not required to swear on a Bible in court. You can give an affirmation instead.

[FellowTraveler]

but why do they use the bible as a standard
hmmmm
damn got me thinking now
D'oh!

[bast]

He has a beautifully genuine smile, sort of best described as an Aloha vibe.

[Joia]

what if a non christian or muslim gets elected
what does he swear on?

if we came and made this country to seperate church and state
why do they swear on a bible?
why in court so they swear on the bible?

i hope theres never a day i have to be in court and swear so help me god
cause i wont...to a god

who cares?
it's a tradition. seriously.
I watched the inauguration on tivo so I could fast forward through the boring parts... they prayed so much... how many times did they pray? If you're non christian, it could be a little offensive... I did notice in the luncheon, instead of "in Jesus' name we pray" the guy said something like, "in your name (somethin something) we pray"... I caught it. He implied Jesus, but didn't say it outright... who cares, live and let live, ya know?

[wookie luvvah]

The so help me God part was added to the ceremony as part of recent history. It wasn't always the case. It is also optional.

As a non-religious person (I dislike the term non-believer - I believe in plenty of things), I did not enjoy the first prayer. However, I had a strong appreciation for the benediction. It was universal.

[wookie luvvah]

what if a non christian or muslim gets elected
what does he swear on?

if we came and made this country to seperate church and state
why do they swear on a bible?
why in court so they swear on the bible?

i hope theres never a day i have to be in court and swear so help me god
cause i wont...to a god


Actually - you have an easy out. Go ahead and make me swear so help me god. That phrase does not impact me in any way. I could fib fib fib and I know that there will be lightening bolts coming out of the sky for me.

[Jack Straw]

You're not required to swear on a Bible in court. You can give an affirmation instead.

True. FDR ad libbed "so help me God" when he was sworn in. It's become a tradition, but it isn't required.

[rayndawn]

Today, history was made! This is the year of change!
<a href="http://s218.photobucket.com/albums/cc288/spinrayndawn/?action=view&current=partytime.gif" target="_blank"><img src="http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc288/spinrayndawn/partytime.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[Deadshow Dan]

I watched the inauguration on tivo so I could fast forward through the boring parts... they prayed so much... how many times did they pray? If you're non christian, it could be a little offensive... I did notice in the luncheon, instead of "in Jesus' name we pray" the guy said something like, "in your name (somethin something) we pray"... I caught it. He implied Jesus, but didn't say it outright... who cares, live and let live, ya know?
I did the same thing.

I loved that the president mentioned non-believers.

[The Village Idiot]

According to a single source, Washington Irving's biography of George Washington, in the first inauguration President Washington added the words "so help me God" after accepting the oath, although there is no contemporary evidence of this. However, the only contemporaneous source that fully reproduced Washington's oath completely lacks the religious codicil.[3] The first newspaper report that actually described the exact words used in an oath of office, Chester Arthur's in 1881[4], repeated the "query-response" method where the words, "so help me God" were a personal prayer, not a part of the constitutional oath. The exact time that the current procedure, where both the Chief Justice and the President speak the oath is unknown.

[Jabadoodle]

I'm not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew. But I'm not a non believer.

I' believe in a lot of things. I'd much rather Obama and others called me what I am, an a-theist.

Christians don't believe in the things that Muslim's do. But they are not called non-believers. Muslim's do not believe in the things Jews do. But they are not called non-believers.

(Guess this atheist is in an ornery mood today.)

http://images.icanhascheezburger.com/completestore/2008/4/25/shun1shunth128536395386577398.jpg


http://welcomeconsumer.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/cute.jpg

[Feck]

< Secular Humanist / Humanitarian - no books for me thanks

[DifferentDrummer]

what if a non christian or muslim gets elected
what does he swear on?

if we came and made this country to seperate church and state
why do they swear on a bible?
why in court so they swear on the bible?

i hope theres never a day i have to be in court and swear so help me god
cause i wont...to a god


because the CULT known as christianity has taken over this country.

separation of church & state is a joke.

[Joia]

I did the same thing.

I loved that the president mentioned non-believers.

I noticed that too... I wouldn't call myself a "non believer", but I guess when the choices are christian, muslim, and jewish, I don't believe in those beliefs....

[The Village Idiot]

http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00158/images/allseeingeye.jpg

[mrs.peloquin]

Actually I was listening to NPR and the whole religious aspect is new-- Abe Lincon never belonged to a church. And John Quincy Adams put his hand on book of laws not a bible

[Joe]

He looks stoned in that pic.

[KindGeeGirl]

because the CULT known as christianity has taken over this country.

separation of church & state is a joke.


YUP.

[Nevrmore]

I loved that the president mentioned non-believers.



I just wish for once someone would mention we Pagans (and generic "Pagan" would suffice). But to most people we are not important (dont have a big enough voting power to mention) or they think we aren't worth it cause we're gonna be burning in their hell, or they are afraid of losing the votes of the people that are sure we are destined for a cosmic BBQ. :-/

[gregoir]

Can't you people just be happy for a day. It's a historic day in America. Chill out.

[Count P-Funk]

http://punditkitchen.wordpress.com/files/2009/01/political-pictures-obama-th.jpg

[B. Real]

It really all comes down to this:

"Be The Ball Danny"

[Sir Nose]

People who believe in a religion where faith is a requirement (all religions that I know of) are

non-believers of reason and logic.

[Deadshow Dan]

I just wish for once someone would mention we Pagans (and generic "Pagan" would suffice). But to most people we are not important (dont have a big enough voting power to mention) or they think we aren't worth it cause we're gonna be burning in their hell, or they are afraid of losing the votes of the people that are sure we are destined for a cosmic BBQ. :-/
exactly what the friend I was watching with said. She did think that you can't list everything. And certainly "non-believers" (yeah, I'd prefere atheist and agnostics) are a different category.
A full list would be long but worthwhile

[Deadshow Dan]

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/images/photo/2009/01/20/20090120SWEARINGIN/26565107.JPG

[Deadshow Dan]

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/01/20/us/20sasha2_600.jpg

[TexasSnowmonkey]

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k249/Maccono_2006/obama_full.jpg