All the talk regarding the botched Oath of Office, that officially made Barack Obama the 44th Christian in Chief, was about how Chief Justice John Roberts flubbed his lines, thus causing Mr. Obama to flub his lines, which may or may not have meant that the Oath was null in void.
Nobody focused on the last four vile words, "So Help Me God."
For those of us who don't believe in the myth that there is a higher power, it's a little unnerving that the President of the United States asks an imaginary figure for help with the most important job on the face of the planet. I mean I'd be scared if the guy who took pictures at the DMV asked for God's help in performing his duties. "God, help me focus the camera so I don't have to do a bunch of retakes." I would rather he or she just asked their supervisor for assistance.
The problem is that President Obama doesn't have a supervisor.
Bush basically governed based on conversations with his God and look where that got us.
Just like prosecutors use vague laws to indict people that didn't violate the spirit in which the law was written, politicians can use vague words said by their God to make horrific decisions that affect millions of people.
If some Muslims can use the Koran as justification for the murder of children, while others can use it to declare their chosen faith is, "The Religion of Peace," we can easily tell that people will interpret their book any way they choose.
In other words, most people don't let their book guide them; rather they guide their book. And the Muslim example is a good illustration of how religious folks go from one extreme to the other.
Look at some of the very real and very crazy things religious people claim their books teach; claims that others of the same religion say are asinine.
"My religion teaches me that the power of prayer will cure my child's malaria."
"My religion teaches me to marry Suzy, Jane, Jennifer, Wanda and Paula. And he wants me to have lots of children with each, though I can't even support myself financially."
"My religion teaches me to kill anyone who does not believe in my religion, even if we're talking about children who can't comprehend the notion of a higher power."
One of the major criticisms of Barack Obama during the campaign was his affiliation with Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Reverend Wright said things like, "God damn America," and, "The US of KKK."
The problem is, those doing the criticizing were followers of the same religion!
This is yet another example of a person who follows a certain book appalling followers of the same book with words spoken in a religious setting.
So basically we have a situation where every Federal official who takes the Oath of Office can claim they're doing certain things in the name of their religion. And how they interpret their religious text is, "a very personal matter that should not be questioned."
I suppose it's too much to ask that our elected officials ask for help from mythical creatures that have at least been spotted.
So help me Mokele-mbembe.
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