Court Nixes Challenge to 'So Help Me God' in Oath

[The Straight Story]

Court Nixes Challenge to 'So Help Me God' in Oath


(CN) - The D.C. Circuit on Friday dismissed as moot a lawsuit challenging the religious elements of President Obama's inauguration, including the inaugural prayers and the phrase "so help me God" in the presidential oath.

A group of atheists said they skipped President Obama's inauguration after learning that the ceremony would include invocation and benediction prayers by Revs. Rick Warren and Joseph Lowery, and that Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. would refer to God while administering the oath.

They never challenged Obama's recitation of "so help me God," however, because they conceded that barring him from making any religious references would violate his First Amendment rights.

"f it were otherwise," the appeals court wrote, "George Washington could not have begun the tradition by appending 'So help me God' to his own oath" and "Lincoln could not have offered a war-weary nation 'malice toward none' and 'charity for all ... with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right.'"

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/05/07/27104.htm

[brooklynite]

1. As an Atheist, this doesn't bother me...

The Constitution requires the President to take the following Oath:

"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.".

If the President chooses to add something after the Oath is finished, that's his or her choice. a lawsuit would be appropriate only if the "so help me God" was an obligation, rather than a choice.

[Goblinmonger]

2. I do get a little tired

of the religious pandering that happens with politicians, though. Statistically speaking, if 10% of the population is non-religious and the higher your education level is the more likely you are to be non-religious, I find it pretty damn hard to believe that there is only ONE atheists among the elected positions of the federal government. Seems to me, we live in a culture that expects its politicians to be religious (or just won't vote for those that aren't) and it seems like the "so help me God" bullshit just adds to all that.

Is it a violation of the 1st amendment? No, I don't think so. Though the religious leaders speaking etc. gets pretty close.