Roberts didn't mess it up this time! Who's your Daddy?

[lonestarnot]

[Historic NY]

1. He has had practice, lots of practice.

[derby378]

2. Thank God for small favors

It's the least we can ask for. Congrats, Mr. President!

[longship]

3. Yes, he did. He said, "So help you God."

Which is not prescribed in the Constitution.

[lonestarnot]

4. What's the first date that phrase was put into the oath?

[longship]

5. That's irrelevant.

I don't care when it was first used. The fact that it is always used, in spite of the fact that the US Constitution does not prescribe it, makes it difficult for an atheist who would take the oath of office. If the Supreme prompts it and the one swearing does not repeat it, what then?

It would be better if the oath sticks to the prescribed words, and nothing more.

Also, the Constitution also says, "swear or affirm" (my emphasis), so even the founders realized this.

[lonestarnot]

7. No it's not irrelevant.

No matter how hard someone like you tries to believe it is so.

[longship]

11. It's cultural, my friend.

Culture changes. And this is one cultural affectation which I and many others in this country very much wish to change. Part of that change is to help people see things from another point of view. The inauguration of the president is not a freaking church service.

I love President Obama, but i find his injection of so much religious trapping into his inaugural off-putting and exclusionary. His is a religious person -- I have no problem with that -- but the inauguration is a civil ceremony, not a sacred one. Barack Obama is a president and rules by the grace of law, not a King who rules by the grace of god. I think this country's founders wrote a treasonous document in 1776 who's main point was breaking with the latter idea. It was signed on or about July 4 of that year.

Meanwhile, it seems like there is a concerted effort in this country, mostly by the GOP, to put back that very same grace of god which we rejected on that July Fourth and which fought a war to reject.

Again, the inauguration of our president is not a freaking church service.

[RudynJack]

8. It's not...

"in" the oath. George Washington said it at his first inauguration, and it's become tradition.

An atheist could simply ask beforehand not to include it, as well as ask to "affirm" instead of swear.

[longship]

13. Which would make the private matter of religion a very public one.

If we are to maintain a secular government the public square during these affairs must also be strictly secular. Both Jefferson and Madison refused to proclaim national days of prayer. One of them (I cannot recall which) eventually did so but wrote later that it he regretted it.

I know there are many who will disagree with me here. I am okay with that. But my purpose here is to make people aware that there are many in this country who think like I do on these issues. I certainly hope that people here would not claim that we have no right to say these things, or that because of some strictly cultural tradition things should not change.

I've said my peace. I hope I have made my position clear. Thank you for paying attention.

[RudynJack]

14. I have been an out and proud atheist

for decades.

But this stuff doesn't bother me. But believe me, I understand your position. I just came to understand long ago that such battles are not winnable, and it doesn't really affect my day-to-day life in any way.

When people use religion to deny me rights, or use my tax money to promote religion, then I get exercised. But four words uttered every four years - I don't like it, but it doesn't hurt me.

[Renew Deal]

10. I heard it stated that way in another Inauguration

Maybe Truman?

It's important that Obama gets it right, not Roberts

[longship]

12. He does not need to say either!!

There is no God in the Constitutionally prescribed oath. In fact, god is never mentioned in the Constitution -- not once.

[zbdent]

6. Not really surprisingly, a commentator on NPR yesterday said that Obama flubbed the

oath in 2009 as well as Roberts ...

If you think about it, Obama didn't want to spoil the moment by CORRECTING the guy who said "repeat after me" ... Obama was being respectful.

[lindysalsagal]

9. Obama choked up on "states"

There's a moment where you're just doing as told, and another where it all hits you like a truck.