# Oh Noes! Muslim Congressman Plans To Swear In On Koran! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 28, 2006, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073 "2006-11-28T14:54:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/1 "2006-11-28T14:54:29Z")
As described in this dire warning by a stalwart defender of American culture: [QUOTE=Dennis Prager] Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the first Muslim elected to the United States Congress, has announced that he will not take his oath of office on the Bible, but on the bible of Islam, the Koran. He should not be allowed to do so – not because of any American hostility to the Koran, but because the act undermines American civilization… [/QUOTE] Wow. Maybe you should try breathing into a paper bag until the hyperventalation subsides, Dennis. Or, if you can’t find a paper bag, feel free to use plastic. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/2 "2006-11-28T14:57:43Z")
Wow. It’s hard to know where to begin. Oh, wait, I know where: Dennis is a fucking moron. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/3 "2006-11-28T14:59:10Z")
Dag, yo. I bet the folks at al-Qaeda are feeling pretty silly now. Blowing up buildings, sending their best fighters on suicide missions, and all they needed to do was to get someone elected to Congress so they could swear in on the Koran. Maybe they could’ve even arranged to be sworn in before providing evidence at a trial; no need to waste all that money on campaigning! Shame the Founders didn’t see this simple threat to their design so they could’ve taken steps against it, but I guess this America thing’s had a good run, and probably been lucky to avoid heathens in Congress for this long. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/4 "2006-11-28T15:00:46Z")
That’s truly bizarre. Near as I can make it out, the basis for the columnist’s rant is the claim that the Bible is the official American book of swearing-in. Probably a stupid question – is there any legal basis for that assertion at all? Surely not, and if so, we really oughta fix that. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/5 "2006-11-28T15:03:42Z")
Do those members of Congress who affirm rather than swear use a Bible at all? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/6 "2006-11-28T15:04:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Forgive me, but America should not give a hoot what Keith Ellison’s favorite book is. Insofar as a member of Congress taking an oath to serve America and uphold its values is concerned, America is interested in only one book, the Bible. If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don’t serve in Congress. In your personal life, we will fight for your right to prefer any other book. We will even fight for your right to publish cartoons mocking our Bible. But, Mr. Ellison, America, not you, decides on what book its public servants take their oath. Yeah, you’re fine to believe in the Koran in your personal life, but you’d sure as hell better be a Christian if you want to play a part in government! I’d use a rolleyes, but that’s for unimportant things. This guy’s a bigoted moron. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/7 "2006-11-28T15:05:09Z")
Seems to me that this Dennis Prager moron hasn’t read the Constitution which he undoubtedly holds sacred. Last paragraph of Article VI, United States Constitution: > [@](#): > > The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States. Seems to me that making someone swear on a holy book that is not their own is pretty close to a “religious test”. After all, atheists get to do an affirmation or some such, so why can’t Muslims swear on the Koran, or Jews on the Torah, etc… The point of the bible at the swearing-in is to solemnize it, not to affirm any kind of religion. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/8 "2006-11-28T15:06:17Z")
Reading the comments to the article on the site are withering what remains of my soul, so read them at your own risk. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/9 "2006-11-28T15:06:18Z")
[QUOTE=Baldwin] Probably a stupid question – is there any legal basis for that assertion at all? [/QUOTE] Of course there’s no legal basis for Dennis’ latest idiocy. The Constitution expressly prohibts religious tests for office, and expressly allows the use of an affirmation instead of an oath in order to accomodate people with religious objections to the latter. In any case, given Congresscritters’ record for taking the oath of office seriously, they might as well swear them in on a copy of _The Book of the Sub-Genius_ while playing “Yakity Sax”. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/10 "2006-11-28T15:09:40Z")
[QUOTE=bump] swear on the Koran, or Jews on the Torah, etc… [/QUOTE] We don’t swear, particularly with the Torah. We “do so affirm” as the poster mentioned above. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/11 "2006-11-28T15:16:05Z")
[QUOTE=Revenant Threshold] Reading the comments to the article on the site are withering what remains of my soul, so read them at your own risk. [/QUOTE] That’s a dare, right? Because of your quote, I went ahead and read a few. After reading the first two, I wanted to ask “What’s wrong with those comments?” Then I read the third one: > [@](#): > > It is clear that we are losing are heritage. My forefathers died for the right to have only one Bible sworn on. Jesus was the 1st American. That guy was a patriot. He would surely desire to live in a land where only one book would be worthy of public office. That was His message, right? God Bless America, the greatest nation on God’s (the God w/ Jesus attached!) green flat-universe centering earth. My brane shrunk too sizes that day. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/12 "2006-11-28T15:23:05Z")
I’d like to think that Dennis Prager’s article was meant as satire, in the style of Jonathan Swift. The alternative is that Prager is a complete idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/13 "2006-11-28T15:26:44Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] That’s a dare, right? Because of your quote, I went ahead and read a few. After reading the first two, I wanted to ask “What’s wrong with those comments?” Then I read the third one: My brane shrunk too sizes that day. [/QUOTE] Actually, I think the third one is a parody (For my sake, please let it be a parody!). So the first two/three were alright. I was beginning to think that maybe there was a reasonable audience for this guy. Then I read further down the page. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/14 "2006-11-28T15:29:29Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Then I read the third one: My brane shrunk too sizes that day. [/QUOTE] I think you’ve been whooshed – the phrase “green flat-universe centering earth” rather gives it away. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/15 "2006-11-28T15:30:26Z")
[QUOTE=Revenant Threshold] For my sake, please let it be a parody! [/QUOTE] Let’s pray on a stack of Sagan, Dawkins, and Gardner that it is. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/16 "2006-11-28T15:37:44Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn] I’d like to think that Dennis Prager’s article was meant as satire, in the style of Jonathan Swift. The alternative is that Prager is a complete idiot. [/QUOTE] I don’t think Prager would know the meaning of “satire” without a dictionary. Or even then. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/17 "2006-11-28T15:39:22Z")
[QUOTE=bump] After all, atheists get to do an affirmation or some such, so why can’t Muslims swear on the Koran, or Jews on the Torah, etc… [/QUOTE] A reform Jew would probably also swear on the Bible, just one without the New Testament. By the way, it may come as a surprise to some of you that Prager is Jewish. My step-mother gave me one of his books over ten years ago. It wasn’t my cup of tea but it was interesting. As I recall it was essays that answered moral questions. His answers were religiously (Old Testament) based but there was no evidence of the assholish bigotry he has been showing lately. The man is an embarrassment. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/18 "2006-11-28T15:50:46Z")
The aftermath of 9/11 keeps on exposing an endless, and growing seam of ignorance that never ceases to shock me. I wonder though, the assertion that Jews have to swear on the Bible - is that true? ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/19 "2006-11-28T15:54:44Z")
It’s burningly stupid, of course. But also IMO it doesn’t make any sense. (Surprise!) If you wanted a person to take a binding oath to do a particular thing, wouldn’t you want that person to take the oath in a way that would make it binding on him or her? Assuming we’re talking about a person of faith who considers it A Big Deal to swear/affirm an oath before their God and/or on their holy scripture – well then, heck, it’s by their God and their holy scripture I want the oath taken. As a Christian, demanding that I take an oath by Cthulu’s Big Book is silly – I don’t believe in it and I’d no more feel bound by it than if I was swearing on the IKEA catalog. The guy’s not a Christian; he’s a Muslim. If he feels that it is appropriate to take a faith-based oath, then certainly he should take it in light of the faith he actually practices. An oath taken any other way will certainly mean less and may in fact be meaningless – if he would take it at all, which he probably wouldn’t (as neither would I). ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073/20 "2006-11-28T15:57:19Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] I think you’ve been whooshed – the phrase “green flat-universe centering earth” rather gives it away. [/QUOTE] I suppose you’re right. All the more is the pity that I couldn’t distinguish it from all of the genuine fucknuttery that was posted. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-noes-muslim-congressman-plans-to-swear-in-on-koran/382073.md?page=2)