Arthais

Congressman Keith Ellison, the first Muslim in the United States Congress was today sworn in on a Koran, despite protests from the religious right that claim politicians in America, even Muslim ones, should be sworn in on a Bible, and that swearing on a Koran is an attack on american values.

And in quite a master stroke against the criticisms that the founding fathers would not support such an action, Ellison was sworn in on the Koran of his chosing...one once owned by Thomas Jefferson.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/....ap/index.html

Calthine

Now, THAT is serious Pwnage.

Doesn't anyone realise that for someone of the Muslim faith, swearing on a Bible would really carry no weight?

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Calthine

EQ2 Allakhazam Senior Community Manager

MysidiaDrakkenbane

It's not an attack on American Values. There is more than one religion in this country and a Muslim swearing on a Christian Bible means absolutely fuckall to him. Swearing on his holy book, probably holds a bit more water.

I'm mildly surprised that this wasn't offered earlier, especially as more religions pop up in mainstream...

Of course here's an obvious question, what would Atheists swear on?

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Arthais

whatever they wish, or nothing at all. The oath or affirmation is required constitutionally. However it need not be a religious oath, and need not involve any book of any type.

The oath is to the constitution, not any religious entity. Some wish to make that oath on their religious texts, others not. John Adams was sworn in on a legal text book. Many politicians were sworn in with their hands on a copy of the constitution itself.

many more made their oath or affirmation to the constitition on nothing at all. legally while the oath or affirmation is required, no book, religious or otherwise, need be required. One could, if he or she wished, be sworn in on a playboy, the newest issue of Spiderman, or the head of a midget.

Arthais

Well...he is the first muslim elected to the federal legislature...so I'm unsure who would have wanted to before him.

MysidiaDrakkenbane

Any politican who's sworn in on a Playboy would quickly become my favorite of all time. Not only does that person have a proverbial set of large massive ones, but a sense of humor as well.

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Arthais

I decided a long time ago that if I were ever elected to public office I'd be sworn in on a phone book.

Rinion

whats a Koran?

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"Before one can identify anything as "gray", one has to know what is black and what is white. In the field of morality, this means that one must first identify what is good and what is evil. And when a man has ascertained that one alternative is good and the other evil, he has no justification for choosing a mixture. " Ayn Rand

Ily

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Arthais

An alternative spelling of Qu'ran. In arabic the "k" and "q" sounds somewhat blend together, same principle why the surname of the leader of Libya is sometimes spelled Kadhafi and sometimes Qadhafi.

Unless you were being serious and not poking at my spelling of "koran" where it's usually spelled "Qu'ran". In which case the Koran (or Qu'ran as you please) is the muslim holy text like the christian bible or jewish tanakh