Comments on: Ellison’s oath on Koran roils conservatives

By: Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 17:10:44 +0000

But, but, but! "No religious test..."

Oh, nevermind. I'm a conservative and an evangelical, myself, but I mean, come on, why would us Christians want Muslims swearing in on a Bible they don't believe in?

"If you can not uphold those beliefs and principles you should not hold a government office."

And with that, my friend, I have to ask where us where we Christians get off saying things like that. We're living in a democratic republic (not like China, you know what I mean) and we elect people to government office. The Constitution says "no religious test" which means, if I translate correctly from 1787 English, "no religious test".

By: Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 17:06:26 +0000

Haha! Communist! Marxist!

Kidding, just adding to informed discussion ;-)

It's just that the "opiate of the people" is a Marx quote (or is it Engels? I don't remember) and that made me laugh, thinking of the possible accusations. I'm not serious.

By: Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 17:04:57 +0000

As a matter of fact, that's what I tell people all the time You're right, I always tell people that, because I'm a conservative. Thanks for basically dissing everyone that has a different political view than you do, especially since all conservatives are Christians, right, yeah.

By: Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 17:03:25 +0000

Uh, not so much I'm not saying that there aren't a lot of people who agree with you, but many evangelical Christians like myself don't agree with that statement, since the Islamic understanding of Allah describes him in ways fundamentally different from the God of the Bible.

So, um, yes, many people say what you're saying, but many adherents to those religions disagree. So I wouldn't be quite so patronizing ("you need to check that out") and using all-caps.

And, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed are all prophets of one lineage in Muslim thought, but certainly not Christian thought and almost certainly not Jewish thought. I think Jews would have to reject the Biblical Jesus because he affirmed his deity (they could conceivably embrace a version of his life story that is not Biblical). Christians reject Mohammed because, for instance, he didn't preach the Biblical Christ (i.e. the one that made exclusive claims, such as "no one comes to the Father but through me"), so--

I wouldn't say that you're reflecting mainstream Christian or Jewish thinking here.

Just a thought.

By: Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 16:57:09 +0000

Still, if they want... I mean, I figure if a witness wants to swear on a Bible, etc., why not because many like it as an indication of solemnity.

Do they still say "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"So help me God."

By: Drnewell

Drnewell — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 12:51:41 +0000

What is this country coming to? I don't understand what this country is coming to. Why should we allow someone in a government position, a government mind you that was founded on CHRISTianity, to be sworn in on anything other than the Bible. This country has lost its roots. We were founded on CHRISTian beliefs and principles. If you can not uphold those beliefs and principles you should not hold a government office.

By: None

None — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 21:30:04 +0000

A bit more complicated Certainly Christians claim that their god is the same god as that of the Jews and even have incorporated the Jewish Bible as their “old testament”. However, the Christian concept of the trinity puts that on shaky ground as there is no equivalent concept in Judaism.

By: Ag

Ag — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 21:38:12 +0000

zzzzzzzz zzzz... uhh what, oh its those lies and distortions all over again, just catching up on your right wing talking points? that's funny and just a bit pathetic.

can we repeat again that no one officially gets sworn in on anything? the bibles etc that people talk about are just photo opts. They get sworn in as a group by simply raising their right hand and promising to uphold the constitution. Something that ya'll wingers need to read from time to time.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 18:58:33 +0000

…wow… when i am sworn in (which will probably be never), i'm going to swear on a copy of “1984″. it feels pretty relevant, considering what politics today is becoming.

By: pkauzi

pkauzi — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 18:54:40 +0000

Thanks Minnesotan's We citizens of the rest of the country are wondering if something is in the water up there in Minnesota. First you elect Jesse Ventura for Governor, who's got the mental capacity of a box of rocks. and now you give America Keith Ellison, the first Muslim who refuses to use the Bible and opts for the Koran. Has there ever been a member of Congress that has demanded this before? No. Thanks Minnesotan's for dumping one of your favorite sons on the rest of us.
According to thereligionofpeace.com: “In his official biography, Ellison claims that he hasn't eaten pork or drunk alcohol since converting to Islam at the age of 19, and has always found time to pray toward Mecca five times a day. That's nice. Since his religious epiphany he's also picked up at least 40 unpaid parking tickets, 17 moving violations, one failure of a breathalyzer test at a traffic stop, and two suspensions of his driver's license. He's also somehow found the time to climb up off the prayer mat and into bed with at least one mistress, and there are credible allegations of more. He has openly supported a string of convicted cop killers, known racial separatists and at least one domestic terrorist. This is in addition to the virulently anti-Semitic comments that he made while working for the Nation of Islam (an organization that believes white people were created in a laboratory by an evil scientist). Sounds like the perfect candidate for Congress.