HAS POLITICS RENDERED THE OATH OF OFFICE MEANINGLESS?
by Gary Stevens, ©2013
(Jan. 24, 2013) — Inaugural ceremonies at every level are blasphemous public performances. The oath-taking portends a serious God-fearing (hence, hand over Bible, or even two) commitment to upholding, protecting, and defending the Constitution as a binding, legal framework document governing the Republic, The United States of America.
What does the hand over the Bible signify? Is it tradition? Is it binding? Are there consequences for failure to keep the oath of office? We can Biblically analyze texts of reference to oath taking and historically document its practice in various religious and/or governing contexts. Since space and short attention spans rule the intake of opinion formation, let’s breeze through observations that defy logic in the public ceremonies of oath-taking.
First, why take an oath in court? What is the basis of the oath? It is presumed that putting your right hand up and swearing (it was over a Bible as precedent) that testimony that followed was indeed true. True, meaning no lying, false witness, or altered statements proceeded in words. Does our “yes” mean yes and our “no” a solid no? We now have a dilemma. The Bible (and its summary of law in Commandments) has been thrown out by the court (on which it was formed) and ruled unconstitutional as a religious practice in judicial matters. So why use it to swear in an office position? Does the same law apply?
Second, if the oath is broken (negligence, overt defiance, etc.), what are the consequences? Are politicians upholding their oath? Does the present state of this Republic indicate an adherence to Constitutional decrees, values, freedoms upheld by the oath-takers? What authority enforces the adherence to the oath by the oath-taker? When the oath of office is broken …ummm? Interesting assumption, when is it broken? Who decides the breach has taken place? What line has been crossed that constitutes oath-breaking? The sham of the ceremony is primarily accountability. If accountability is nonexistent, the oath is irrelevant.
Third, how does a nonbeliever swear on a despised (by unbelief) book called the Bible when that book (its verses) is banned from courtrooms and most schoolrooms across the Nation? The hypocrisy and deceit flaunted to millions as legitimate entry to authorize (the swearing in) the office of Congress members, justices, military officers and presidents is simply a contradiction.
Not ONE member of government has fulfilled his oath of office. Republican or Democrat. ALL have broken their oath of office. A cursory glance of public office performance reveals the concerted effort to subvert the Constitution, not uphold it. For example, the basic requirement of an Art. 2, Sec.1, Cl. 5 natural born Citizen qualification for president has been ignored, squelched, and demonized. The non-vetted status of Barry Soetero (aka Obama) violates the very tenets of loyalty insisted upon by the Founders, specifying the “natural born” clause. This is only one glaring example. There are so many more.
The oath-taking ceremony is a public testimony of allegiance, integrity (fulfill the office honestly), and moral conduct.
Now, if only our country could find ONE oath-keeper!
Blasphemy – Yes.
A most famous Lincoln line from a Bible preacher.
Leaders of the United States often quote the famous words, applying them to the government of the USA, as a “government of the people, by the people and for the people.”
In fact, President Clinton attributed these famous words to the U.S. Constitution.
He was soundly criticized by many, however, who recognized them as the words of President Abe Lincoln from his famous Gettysburg Address. Did Lincoln plagiarize John Wycliffe?
Amazingly, none who heard President Clinton falsely attribute these words, knew their real origin: Bible Scholar John Wycliffe, early translator of God’s Word into English.
John Wycliffe wrote these amazing words in the introduction of his translation of Scripture in 1382.
* * “This Bible is for the Government of the People, by the People, and for the People.”
General Prologue to the Bible translation of 1382, as quoted in Lincoln at Gettysburg
http://www.christianworldviewofhistoryandculture.com/johnwycliffe
Oops, Obama, did you really mean to use that Lincoln Bible????
A big “AMEN” to this article … oops, can I used that word ???
I was a legally qualified candidate for President in the 2012 election, and I was ignored, totally.
In theory, I could have received every vote, but even if I had received every vote, Obama/Barry Soetoro would have “won” anyway since the election was, beyond obviously, fixed, rigged, predetermined outcome assured by the traitors of our Constitution.
During one summer college break, I worked construction, as a laborer, on a high-rise condo and discovered that one of the elevator shafts was 12 inches off as we were laying the foundation forms, so I went to the construction trailer and informed the superintendent of the error. Hey, what do I know, right? I was just a lowly foundation form laborer who didn’t know anything, so I was ignored, totally.
Turns-out that one “little error” cost the construction company all its profit, and then some, when that “12 inches off” interfered with the plumbing, electrical, and elevator chases from the parking garage all the way to the 12th story.
I used to drive by that building and think I could have saved that construction company if only they’d had listened to me.
I feel the same way now as I look at our country slide down the precipitous into the abyss of no redemption: I could have saved our country but I was ignored, totally.
OPOVV