America is a secular nation.

[rocka21]

Take your own advice:

Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.​

You now have Jesus' word for it on this thread in two different translations. You don't even have to open your Bible.

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.


I guess I should not make a promise to my wife at an alter before God.


I think a president saying this statement or pledgeing your love at the alter is what Jesus was talking about when he was correcting the Jew's Oath traditions. But thats just me.

 

[Smoke]

I guess I should not make a promise to my wife at an alter before God.

Well, that's up to you. But if you do, you're going against the clear teaching of Jesus.

 

[blackout]

I guess I should not make a promise to my wife at an alter before God.

Perhaps better to just let your yess'es mean yes,
and your no's mean no
each and every day?

 

[rocka21]

Well, that's up to you. But if you do, you're going against the clear teaching of Jesus.

Jews had oath-taking down to a science. Okay to lie if you took an oath by the right thing.
"If I swear by the temple - okay to lie; if by temple gold - not okay to lie."
"If I swear by the altar - okay to lie; if by sacrifice - not okay to lie."
Jesus comes saying "No" - Be honest always.


That is the clear teaching of Jesus.:angel2:

 

[doppelganger]

Jesus comes saying "No" - Be honest always.

Right. Oaths are an excuse to lie in situations where the oath doesn't apply. So honest people don't swear oaths. They let their "yes" be yes and their "no" be no and don't try to hind behind oaths.

That is the clear teaching of "Jesus." So an honest President affirms that he'll uphold the Constitution without swearing an oath on the Bible. This is precisely why the Constitution has the express option to "affirm" rather than "swear" in the "oath" of office.

 

[rocka21]

Right. Oaths are an excuse to lie in situations where the oath doesn't apply. So honest people don't swear oaths. They let their "yes" be yes and their "no" be no and don't try to hind behind oaths.

That is the clear teaching of "Jesus." So an honest President affirms that he'll uphold the Constitution without swearing an oath on the Bible. This is precisely why the Constitution has the express option to "affirm" rather than "swear" in the "oath" of office.

Hummm... Thanks Dopp and Blue

Makes me think. Yeah , I guess its just tradition showing he or she trust in God to guide him or her in this office. It should not be an oath thou..

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Keep your oath you have made to the LORD. Read it

Did you?

It describes Jesus correcting the practice that you advocate.

Personally, I dislike the implication of oaths: the flip side of having a way to declare a statement "extra true" is that all the other statements are "less true" than an oath.

When it comes down to it, swearing an oath is a way to declare, "When I say this, I mean it much more than everything else I say." I prefer to mean everything that I say.