Topic: Koran vs Bible
I find it distressing that a newly elected member of congress Minnesota Rep. Elect Keith Ellison wants to be sworn in using the Koran rather than the Bible.
I feel that there should be one answer to that situation, NO, Not Allowed. This representative was elected in the United States of America under the laws and edicts of The Constitution of The United States. And the Constitution states that the Swearing in of Congressmen will be done with the left hand on the Bible and the right hand raised during the recitation of the vows.
If this person happened to be elected in Iraq or Saudi Arabia or Iran, what possibility do you think the use of a Bible to be sworn in would be allowed? In some of these countries just the possession of a Bible is against the law. Just because here in the United States this person is allowed to possess a Koran does not give him authority to flaunt the laws of this country, and start demanding that we must do things his way or not at all.
What other laws of the United States does this newly elected congressman chose to ignore because he does not believe in them? How many other principles that this country has grown up on does this Congressman want to change because he was taught that only his way is acceptable? How many other organizations does he plan on re-writing their rules because he does not believe in them?
The United States exists because we are a great many different nationalities, cultures, and religions who have learned to exist under a certain code that was set up to serve all using a set of rules and regulations that serve all, no matter if some of the people who live here are of a different belief or religion. There have been members of congress who are Catholic, Protestant, Episcopalians, Mormon and Jewish, and possibly Atheists. And all of these people have been sworn in (Or have affirmed. their oath) using the Bible as the indication of trust.
This same procedure is used at many other functions such as the Court of Law, and any other function that are held where the truth and honesty of the participants are held dear to the members.
But now we have an individual who wants to ignore the procedures that have been the American Way for the past 400 years and do it his way. I say if this person feels that way he should be allowed to move to a country where the Koran is used in all events instead of the Bible.
It seems to me that this person is thumbing his nose at all things American. This congressman is purporting that his family has lived in this country for over a hundred years. I would like to ask if things are so great in the country of his ancestry, what the hell are they doing living here? Or is it that his parents and grandparents, and possibly his great grandparents found that here in The United States of America, where there is such freedom of rights for individuals and the freedom of religion, was and is a much better way of life for all, than the country they left in order to live here instead?
If this person can elect use the book he chooses to be sworn in, instead of the book described in The Constitution, then the people who are Jewish can use the Torah, Mormons can use the Book of Mormon, and that guy from the back woods can use the latest issue of Hunting and Fishing, sometimes referred to as The Hunter’s Bible, and if some day a woman is elected to be President of these United States, she can choose Ladies Home Journal as her symbol of Trust and Honesty . Any and all of these options are making the Declaration of Independence, Constitution of The United States of America, and The Bill of Rights worthless as just other pieces of paper with words printed on them, and all the principles this country was built upon, become the laughing stock of the world.
This is an article I found about Saudi Arabia concerning the possession of a Bible:
During the 1990s, Nalliah spent two years in Saudi Arabia, where he was deeply involved with the underground church.
"It's a very well-known fact that if you have a Bible at customs when you enter the airport, and if they find the Bible, that the Bible is taken and put in the shredder," he said in an interview this week.
"If you have more than one Bible you will be taken into custody, and if you have a quantity of Bibles you will be given 70 lashes for sure - you could even be executed."
Nalliah had not himself seen a Bible being shredded but said the practice was widely acknowledged among Christians in the kingdom.
Abuse of Christians and their symbols was not restricted to the destruction of Bibles, he added.
So back to my thoughts and opinion, if and when this Newly Elected Congressman shows up possessing a Koran, how about we do things the Saudi Arabian, Muslim way, and Execute him, and allow the replacement the Governor appoints to fill the open seat, be sworn in using a Bible
