Teddy Roosevelt did not swear on a bible

[ikojo]

for his inauguration....This according to a brief news story about inaugural preparations on Channel 5 in St Louis.

[histohoney]

1. But FDR did

I believe FDR also started the tradition of the prayer.

[saltpoint]

2. I wish Teddy Roosevelt were the model for modern --

-- Republicans instead of you-know-who.

I imagine Teddy Roosevelt somehow meeting someone like Rick Santorum. I don't think Santorum would survive a comparison.

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. But... Teddy liked to invade foreign countries too..

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[saltpoint]

11. That's true. The part I guess I'm yearning for is the --

-- idea that he understood the concept of public service.

The militarism isn't my cup of tea -- you're right to point it out.

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. Right we need Teddy's public service and conservationism minus

the big stick. ;)

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[democracyindanger]

13. Nah, the RW needs to be thwacked now and then

Besides, he did say "carry" and not "use." ;)

[saltpoint]

14. : )

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. He SAID carry, but he USED it in the Phillipines

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[Tweed]

19. When necessary, yes...

[underpants]

3. What did he supposedly swear on?

VERY curious

[Liberal In Texas]

5. I don't think you have to swear on anything.

You raise your right hand and just swear to tell the truth or uphold the Constitution or whatever.

One is affirming that this is on your honor, and you would be dishonored to not uphold that oath.

Right now when swearing in witnesses, (for a deposition or trial) you don't have to use the phrase "so help me God".

[tjwmason]

6. The constitution states 'swear or affirm'

I always assumed that to 'swear' was to take it religiously (e.g., on a Bible, Qur'an, or Torah), and to 'affirm' was to take it in a non-religious manner. Certainly this is how the British courts, and the Oath of Allegiance for M.P.s is take over here.

Sorry to be a limey telling you what your constitution says.

[Book Lover]

17. "Affirm" was placed to accommodate the Friends

who are not allowed to swear. Now, of course, we recognize other faiths that forbid their members to swear, but it was put in there to make the Quakers happy. Not that there's anything wrong with that :-)

[cestpaspossible]

4. I thought that was Franklin Pierce. nt

[Dangerous Felon]

7. Nor did Nixon, as a Quaker his religion forbid it.

n/m

[Reverend_Smitty]

8. So he wouldn't swear on a bible because his Quaker religion...

prohibited it, yet he continued an un-winnable war for years. I'm pretty sure that would be against the Quaker religion as well!

[Dangerous Felon]

10. I never said I understood it, just metioned it.

n/m

[CubsFan1982]

16. Nor did JFK

In fact, when Kennedy swore the oath, his right hand was raised, but his left remained at his side, and there was a minor controversy. A lot of people were under the impression that the oath of office is not valid unless one's hand is on the Bible, when in fact, the Constitution makes no allusion to any such requirement.

[DustMolecule]

18. Somewhere in the bible it says, "not to swear on anything"

(Jesus said...) Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord."

But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No." For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Mt 5.33-37 (see also Jam 5.12)

[St. Jarvitude]

20. I thought you were referring to the SomethingAwful cover story...

http://www.somethingawful.com/ (scroll down to "Coronation of Democracy")

For example, did you know that:

• After his first Inaugural Ball in 1933, the wheelchair-bound FDR's erratic gyrations gave rise to a short-lived dance fad called the "Fluttering Frankie."


• Martin Van Buren remains the only president to not attend his own inauguration ceremony after security officials refused to let him in. They later claimed that they had never heard of Martin Van Buren and people had just made him up.


• Upon approaching the dais for his inaugural address, an overexcited George H.W. Bush told the assembled crowd to "raise the roof," which was followed by a long, embarrassing silence.


• Teddy Roosevelt did not swear his oath on a Bible, because he felt it would conflict with his Islamic faith.

[DustMolecule]

22. Huh?

This site isn't even funny. Why do you reference it?

~~~~dazed and confused~~~~~~ *not*

[orleans]

21. GASP!

no bible? gasp gasp gasp!!! how did he ever manage to run the country?