Rep.-Elect Keith Ellison To Use Koran For His Swearing-In Ceremony
Rep.-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first Muslim elected to Congress, has announced that he will not take his oath of office on the Bible, but on the Koran.
This press release should have been relegated to the back pages of the newspaper, but it caused an uproar in the press and especially in the conservative blogosphere.
Conservative wingnut Dennis Prager wrote that permitting Rep. Ellison to take the oath of office using the Koran would “be doing more damage to the unity of America and to the value system that has formed this country than the terrorists of 9-11.â€Â
Ellison’s choice of a Koran instead of a Bible is not a sign that the Apocalypse is right around the corner. If anything it speaks of the wonderful religious diversity of our great democracy.
The Constitution guarantees that, “no religious test shall ever be required†to hold public office in America.Â
We are not a Christian nation and the Bible is not the official book for swearing-in ceremonies. The Bible does not have any talismanic properties, any holy or unholy book will do.
As a freethinker, if I ever hold public office, I will choose to be sworn in using Darwin’s “Origin of the Species.”
This is all a bunch of hullabaloo over nothing — no Member of Congress is officially sworn in with a Bible. The official swearing-in ceremony is done in the House chambers, with the Speaker of the House administering the oath of office in masse. After all they aren’t being ordained into the ministry, but sworn in as congresspersons.
What an outrage that a bunch of Christians are clamoring for a Muslim congressman to use a Bible, instead of a Koran, for his unofficial swearing-in ceremony.
How would they like it if members of the Church of Satan demanded that a Christian use the Satanic Bible for his swearing-in ceremony?
This is America for God’s sake, or Allah’s sake, or the Big Bang’s sake! And a politician should be allowed to use any book, including “The Joy of Sex”, in a swearing-in ceremony.
I write a weekly column for a small town newspaper in Virginia, and I also write for several Web sites. Please leave a comment or send me an email at: rreyes4966@aol.com | More from Robert Paul Reyes
Stumble It!
December 1st, 2006 at 6:49 pm
“This is America for God’s sake, or Allah’s sake, or the Big Bang’s sake! And a politician should be allowed to use any book…”
Or none!
One would think that an elected official might consider their constituancy. I believe “Politics for Idiots” may be suitable in this ceremony.
December 2nd, 2006 at 11:56 am
So long as he swears by what ever he deams binding and does support and defend the Constitution as the oath demands. I have my doubts about him doing that though he is a Neo-Socialist Democrat after all.
December 2nd, 2006 at 2:04 pm
[...] You guys are all probably well aware of the news that the first Muslim elected to congress, Keith Ellison (D-MN), “has announced that he will not take his oath of office on the Bible, but on the Koran.” And that it has raised some ire among my Christian brethren. For instance, at Townhall.com, Dennis Prager has written that: [...]
December 3rd, 2006 at 2:16 pm
[...] Iggoring xyzer’s press bashing foolishness and Wildmon’s bigotry, here is a far saner perspective on the topic. From MensNewsDaily Quote: [...]
December 3rd, 2006 at 6:44 pm
As a freethinker, if I ever hold public office, I will choose to be sworn in using Darwin’s “Origin of the Species.â€
You’re willing to take an oath that means nothing at all. Would an oath sworn on a rock mean anything?. Mighty “freethinking” (and manly) of you.
December 4th, 2006 at 10:11 am
Hey – hey – hey
What about that seperation of church and state thing? How is it that the bible or any religions text appears in any swearing in ceremony..?
Just stirring…..
December 4th, 2006 at 9:13 pm
I heard the furor, so today I read Prager’s column and then went looking for the news item that prompted it. I haven’t found it yet, but I did find this site which cannot be passed un-noted.
While I disagreed with Prager’s argument, I at least found a rational argument (with a flawed premise). Here Reyes offers nothing rational – just some rather juvenile rantings and the suggestion that it would make sense for someone to use “The Joy of Sex” as a token of sincerity and faithfulness to the oath that is being administered.
While there are no laws about this (and Prager agrees with me that there should *not* be any such laws), there is room for public ridicule and denouncement of inappropriate ideas. I have not yet found a clear statement from Rep-elect Ellison, but Reyes’ opinion deserves to be buried by a fussilade of over-ripe tomatoes and rotten eggs.
December 5th, 2006 at 7:15 am
gb53 wrote:
“Reyes’ opinion deserves to be buried by a fussilade of over-ripe tomatoes and rotten eggs.”
As you can see from comments 3 and 4 not everyone shares your opinion.
December 5th, 2006 at 7:18 am
NationalVoice said,
“What about that seperation of church and state thing? How is it that the bible or any religions text appears in any swearing in ceremony..?
Just stirring…..”
Amen, brother! I would be very happy if all books were banned from these unofficial swearing-in ceremonies. We are not a Christian nation, or a Muslim nation, we are secular democracy.
December 5th, 2006 at 7:47 am
Robert Paul Reyes said: “…we are secular democracy. ”
(on my soapbox:)
DISAGREE STRONGLY! America is a Constitutional Republic. ” I pledge allegiance to the… REPUBLIC….” not democracy. I am so tired of hearing that. The so called democratic powers of this country are permitted ONLY after the Constitution is examined. The phrase “seperation of church and state” DOES NOT appear anywhere in the Constitution. “CONGRESS shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” The framers knew the difference between Congress and everyone else. If they meant for it to apply to all government, they would have said so. This prohibition applies ONLY to Congress. No, I’m not a religious zealot; I’m a Constitutionalistic zealot. The Constitution is a contract between You The People, (aka gov’t) and me the Individual. Americans need to wise up and read the Constitution. Read it and comprehend it as if it were a contract; It IS! Don’t like what it says? Use the Amendment Process; propose a change and get it RATIFIED!
(getting off of soapbox)