Obama picks Bible for inauguration, but what verse?

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: Obama picks Bible for inauguration, but what verse?
By Alan Silverleib


The 1861 Lincoln Inaugural Bible against the backdrop of the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress.

(CNN) -- While President-elect Barack Obama will certainly be making history when he takes the oath of office on January 20, he'll also be repeating it -- by placing his hand on the same Bible that Abraham Lincoln used during the inauguration of 1861. The Constitution does not require presidents to be sworn in on a Bible, though almost every chief executive since George Washington has chosen to do so. Presidents have differed greatly, however, on the question of which passage the Bible should be opened to during the swearing-in ceremony.

It brings up the question of what -- if any -- biblical passage Obama will emphasize....

In this season of economic distress...the president-elect may prefer to follow the lead of Franklin Roosevelt. When FDR first took the oath of office in 1933, the country was reeling under the crushing weight of the Great Depression. "Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment," Roosevelt said in his inaugural address. Urging his fellow Americans to lend a helping hand, Roosevelt had the Bible opened to I Corinthians 13: "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."

Obama campaigned as someone who would strive to bridge the nation's bitter partisan divide. "We have never been a collection of red states and blue states," Obama said in his Election Night victory speech. "We are, and always will be, the United States of America." If Obama wants to stress that theme again on January 20, he may prefer to follow Bill Clinton's lead from the 1997 inaugural and open the Bible to Isaiah 58:12: "Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations, and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach."

Questions of war and peace are always in the back of any president's mind. Obama campaigned in part on a promise to end America's war in Iraq. Shortly after winning the White House on a similar pledge to end another divisive conflict -- this one in Vietnam -- Richard Nixon took the oath with a family Bible opened to Isaiah 2:4: "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."...

(F)or the nation's first inaugural, the Bible was hastily opened to a completely random page. The same thing was done 72 years later when Lincoln was sworn in.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/24/inauguration.scripture/index.html

[Captain Hilts]

1. I wish he'd do something about turning the LibraryofCongress reading rooms into adjuncts of the gift

shop.

[liberalmuse]

2. You mean...he's not going to take the oath of office...

by placing his hand on The Koran? He's not going to force all Freepers to become Muslims or die? I'm completely shocked!

[rpannier]

3. I thought this. Especially since the protector of our Christian Heritage lost his House seat

When Virgil Goode lost, I figured they'd see it as a message to only use Korans in everything public.

[zeemike]

4. I have a suggestion for him.

The words of Jesus;
"A house divided against itself cannot stand"

[Rwalsh]

5. First Obama angered gays

by picking Warren and now has angered atheists by planning to quote from the bible in public.

How many other supporters is he going to anger on Inauguration day?

[enlightenment]

6. I'm an atheist and I'm not angry. It's tough to get peeved

about just another round of 'more of the same'. It's always disappointing, true, but I doubt I'll live to see a president sworn in who doesn't feel the need to put his/her hand on a religious document, whether it's because they believe what's in the document or because they believe it is politically expedient to pretend that they do.

[Rwalsh]

7. You should be.

It's a matter of principle.

[enlightenment]

10. Ah - principle.

As I said, it's disappointing (also annoying), but not enough to get angry about it. I reserve true anger, which is a largely unproductive emotion, for relatively rare occasions. Anger is photogenic - people look oh, so, inspirational when they're foaming at the mouth furious - but I've always found that it is not a good platform for actually accomplishing anything.

Now, if you want to see me get pissed off (a step up from annoyed), lecture me on 'principles' . . . that smells a lot like preaching . . .


:evilgrin:

[Uzybone]

12. LOL

as an atheist, I'm not outraged that a Christian plans to quote from his book on his most important day. Why be outraged and why be surprised?

I agree with you, faux outrage and anger seems to be the in thing amongst some nowadays.

[DeepModem Mom]

13. He won't quote -- the question is what page the Bible will be open to. As indicated...

the pages open for Washington and Lincoln were random.

[Politicalboi]

8. They should use

The Constitution to swear on. I wish they could get rid of the bible at government ceremonies. The Constitution IS and should be their bible. He can read laws instead of bible verses.

[kwenu]

9. I'm sorry, did some folks just figure out after this long election season that Obama is a Christian?

If he was atheist, buddist, muslim, jewish or something else, then I would expect him to do something different but he isn't and it is a source of inspiration for him. His religion has never been a secret that i know of.

[madmom]

11. Why does it have to be open?

[DeepModem Mom]

14. Interesting question. I don't think it would have to be. In fact, I think the article indicates...

that not every President has used a Bible for the oath.

[IndianaGreen]

15. Leviticus 11:9-12 (the GAWD hates shellfish and catfish passage)

9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.

10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:

11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.

12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

Catfish has skin, not scales!

Pinch the Tail
Suck the Head
Burn in Hell

http://www.godhatesshrimp.com/