Questions About The Inauguration And My Thoughts

[Steely Dan]

1. Why does the President have to be sworn in on a holy book? Why can't he just be sworn in with an oath. The best way, IMO, to swear someone in is to make them say "I swear on the souls of my family that I will... It's my belief that that is a much more powerful oath than that of a holy book.

 

2. Why does every successful candidate for President have to be Christian?

 

3. Why doesn't character outweigh religious beliefs?

 

4. Why can't we accept differences easily?

 

Please explain why you made your choice please.

[Cugalabanza]

I picked Can belong to a non mainstream religion and represent my views, please explain

 

All the obligatory God rhetoric makes me tired sometimes. I was glad to hear Obama acknowledge "non-believers" in his speech. Too often, agnosticism and atheism are not included when people talk about religious tolerance.

[Chef Jim]

None of the above. Closest it this one:

 

I really don't give a crap as long he seems intelligent and represents my views

 

But I realize that my views aren't always the best views for the country, but they are in fact mine and sometimes you feel strongly enough about your views that they can't be changed. That's the problem with this country, too many people (and this board epitomizes that) feel that it's either my way or the highway. I don't agree with that person 100% so they're wrong on all accounts.

 

And I don't get why people who are either agnostic or atheist have a problem with the swearing in on the bible.

[Boomer860]

1. Why does the President have to be sworn in on a holy book? Why can't he just be sworn in with an oath. The best way, IMO, to swear someone in is to make them say "I swear on the souls of my family that I will... It's my belief that that is a much more powerful oath than that of a holy book.

 

2. Why does every successful candidate for President have to be Christian?

 

3. Why doesn't character outweigh religious beliefs?

 

4. Why can't we accept differences easily?

 

Please explain why you made your choice please.

Like all Tards , not a student of history. Why did the founding fathers come to this country and fight for independence? Sorry if I offended you its not your fault that history is not taught in the schools today. The only history today is Barney Frank is a rump ranger now thats important.

[UConn James]

Presidents do not have to be take the Oath of Office with the left hand on the bible. I'm reading that Theodore Roosevelt apparently took the oath with his left arm at his side. JQ Adams swore on a book of law.

 

As for the rest, that's what's happened. There is no religious test to be president written into the Constitution --- yet there is a de facto one in who gets elected. Who gets to say that religion is not something voters should consider?

[Adam]

1. Why does the President have to be sworn in on a holy book? Why can't he just be sworn in with an oath. The best way, IMO, to swear someone in is to make them say "I swear on the souls of my family that I will... It's my belief that that is a much more powerful oath than that of a holy book.

 

2. Why does every successful candidate for President have to be Christian?

 

3. Why doesn't character outweigh religious beliefs?

 

4. Why can't we accept differences easily?

 

Please explain why you made your choice please.

None of the above- they don't even have to represent my views. The system takes care of that- the President isn't supposed to unilaterally make moves. Bush wasn't able to make abortions illegal, despite the fact that he thinks they should be (just an example).

 

The President needs to present an encompassing vision and have excellent leadership skills. I don't think we've had anything like that as long as I've been alive.

[PastaJoe]

Like all Tards , not a student of history. Why did the founding fathers come to this country and fight for independence? Sorry if I offended you its not your fault that history is not taught in the schools today. The only history today is Barney Frank is a rump ranger now thats important.

 

Your fascination with rump rangers made you miss the fact that the fight for independence was not about religion, that was the issue for the Puritans. The fight was over excessive regulations and taxation by the British which benefitted them and not the American colonies.

[Chef Jim]

Your fascination with rump rangers made you miss the fact that the fight for independence was not about religion, that was the issue for the Puritans. The fight was over excessive regulations and taxation by the British which benefitted them and not the American colonies.

 

Yeah, the fact that there was a Church of England had nothing to do with it.

[C.Biscuit97]

Like all Tards , not a student of history. Why did the founding fathers come to this country and fight for independence? Sorry if I offended you its not your fault that history is not taught in the schools today. The only history today is Barney Frank is a rump ranger now thats important.

 

 

I guess English isn't being taught as well.

[blzrul]

If you think back, "Christian" wasn't always the measurement...witness the fear and suspicion about Kennedy. It was "WASP" really - Catholicism was not a plus for a Presidential candidate. I guess the old stories about "Papists" eating babies and whatnot were in the backs of their minds. Whatever. People fear those who are different. You can pick a random thread on this board - any thread - and it will be obvious.

 

I saw a good bumper sticker yesterday: "God is too big to fit into any single religion." Not a bad thought. Personally, I believe in God although I don't practice a religion. Some people are slaves to religious practice, and some people don't believe in God. I don't really care as long as they don't try to foist their beliefs on me.

[Adam]

Like all Tards , not a student of history. Why did the founding fathers come to this country and fight for independence? Sorry if I offended you its not your fault that history is not taught in the schools today. The only history today is Barney Frank is a rump ranger now thats important.

Who besmirched your tea? I don't care about Barney or other purple dinosauruses

[Steely Dan]

Like all Tards , not a student of history. Why did the founding fathers come to this country and fight for independence? Sorry if I offended you its not your fault that history is not taught in the schools today. The only history today is Barney Frank is a rump ranger now thats important.

 

If that made any sense at all I'd respond to it. Unfortunately because it's so poorly written I'm afraid any response would probably be wrong because I can't understand what it means.

 

I guess English isn't being taught as well.

 

 

Pretty much my point above.

 

If you think back, "Christian" wasn't always the measurement...witness the fear and suspicion about Kennedy. It was "WASP" really - Catholicism was not a plus for a Presidential candidate. I guess the old stories about "Papists" eating babies and whatnot were in the backs of their minds. Whatever. People fear those who are different. You can pick a random thread on this board - any thread - and it will be obvious.

 

I saw a good bumper sticker yesterday: "God is too big to fit into any single religion." Not a bad thought. Personally, I believe in God although I don't practice a religion. Some people are slaves to religious practice, and some people don't believe in God. I don't really care as long as they don't try to foist their beliefs on me.

 

Well said.

 

When I said that they must represent my views I was doing the best I thought I could with limited space, IMO.

 

Also the generality of being sworn in on religious books was seemingly the way it's done because people would freak out otherwise and it almost always has to be the Bible.

 

IIRC, a newly elected person wanted to swear in on the Koran and some people freaked out as if Osama Bin Laden had just been elected.

[/dev/null]

I find this poll to be offensive and intolerant

 

All those options for Christians/Catholics/Protestants, Muslims, Jews, etc. But not a mention of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

[Steely Dan]

I find this poll to be offensive and intolerant

 

All those options for Christians/Catholics/Protestants, Muslims, Jews, etc. But not a mention of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

 

 

OOOPS!!! My Bad!!

[ieatcrayonz]

The fight was over excessive regulations and taxation by the British which benefitted them and not the American colonies.

Take out the part about British and we can all wave a white flag.

[drnykterstein]

Why do all of your options have "represent my views"? Why does the president have to represent my views? Why are my views right? I'm smart enough to know that I don't know everything. Anyone who thinks their views are always right is a fool.

 

Goodness, all I want is someone very intelligent and full of integrity in office. The rest is just gravy.

[Chef Jim]

Why do all of your options have "represent my views"? Why does the president have to represent my views? Why are my views right? I'm smart enough to know that I don't know everything. Anyone who thinks their views are always right is a fool.

 

Goodness, all I want is someone very intelligent and full of integrity in office. The rest is just gravy.

 

Good luck.

[Booster4324]

None of the above. Closest it this one:

 

I really don't give a crap as long he seems intelligent and represents my views

 

But I realize that my views aren't always the best views for the country, but they are in fact mine and sometimes you feel strongly enough about your views that they can't be changed. That's the problem with this country, too many people (and this board epitomizes that) feel that it's either my way or the highway. I don't agree with that person 100% so they're wrong on all accounts.

 

And I don't get why people who are either agnostic or atheist have a problem with the swearing in on the bible.

 

Good post.

[Buftex]

None of the above. Closest it this one:

 

I really don't give a crap as long he seems intelligent and represents my views

 

But I realize that my views aren't always the best views for the country, but they are in fact mine and sometimes you feel strongly enough about your views that they can't be changed. That's the problem with this country, too many people (and this board epitomizes that) feel that it's either my way or the highway. I don't agree with that person 100% so they're wrong on all accounts.

 

And I don't get why people who are either agnostic or atheist have a problem with the swearing in on the bible.

 

 

It is a new day!

 

I still like basketball, and I love the Celtics!

[Britbillsfan]

The fight was over excessive regulations and taxation by the British which benefitted them and not the American colonies.

 

The fight for independence was about the right to control your own destiny. No taxation without representation, something the American leadership would have had the right to had their ancestors not moved to the colonies.

 

The reason for the increase in taxes at that time was to help pay for the (very large) costs of the war which had ended the threat to the American colonies from the French. So the taxation was for something that had ALREADY benefitted the American colonies.

 

The excessive bit is not really accurate as well (the tax burden on Americans was comparatively pretty small, a merchant in Boston would pay about one twentieth the amount in taxes as a merchant in Liverpool, with the only difference between them being their location).