# What happened to the Presidential Inauguration? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 20, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740 "2005-01-20T16:40:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/61 "2005-01-20T21:08:14Z")
Didn’t see the speech, but I’ve read the transcript. In terms of reference to the almighty (I counted five, including references to the “Author of Liberty” and “the maker of heaven and earth”), Bush is actually below his personal average. And as far as I can tell, he’s not trying to speak for God as much as he did in his first inaugural address. In fact part of this speech (“Not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills.”) were refreshing in their display of Christian humilty. So I have to say this speech was a step in the right direction, given Bush’s history. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/62 "2005-01-20T21:14:22Z")
> [@](#): > > the reflexive “EEEK, he mentioned God!” nonsense is as bad as the “EEEK, the TV mentioned gays!” from the other side. I agree. We have a couple people in this thread stating that Bush should keep his religion private and out of the public eye. If I were to suggest that someone keep their sexuality private and out of the public eye, I’d be verbally lynched. I believe there’s a word for such behavior. Begins with an “H”. Ends with “ypocrisy”. > [@](#): > > If, tomorrow, Bush converted to Islam, do you think he’d have the loving support and adulation he’s got now? Not by a long shot, no matter how devote a Muslim he became. Care to name a SINGLE politician in the history of man that would maintain his or her constituent base if he or she suddenly started acting in stark contrast to his or her previously established behavior? ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/63 "2005-01-20T21:17:27Z")
John Kerry? ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/64 "2005-01-20T21:23:49Z")
I could care less about Bush invoking God at every opportunity; he’s done it all the time, and only does it so he doesn’t have to obey every single wacky notion the Conservative Christian Coalition comes up with. Me, I object to his notion of exporting freedom throughout the world. Heard that, and immediately thought of the French guys from Quest for the Holy Grail: _Freedom? No thanks, we’ve already got some._ ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/65 "2005-01-20T21:24:22Z")
> [@SPOOFE](#): > > I agree. We have a couple people in this thread stating that Bush should keep his religion private and out of the public eye. If I were to suggest that someone keep their sexuality private and out of the public eye, I’d be verbally lynched. I believe there’s a word for such behavior. Begins with an “H”. Ends with “ypocrisy”. Then you misapprehend. The objection is not that he displays his faith in public, but that it influences political action in a hamfisted, narrow and intolerant way. Someone’s personal sexuality, and mention or display thereof, aren’t official public policy or laws. Bad analogy ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/66 "2005-01-20T21:58:57Z")
> [@Homebrew](#): > > Then you misapprehend. The objection is not that he displays his faith in public, Really? Jaade : "But the regularity with which Bush invokes the name of the Lord is discomforting, even to me. " GaWd: “If said public official is working in an official capacity at the time, I would like him to keep his faith to his owndamnself.” ParentalAdvisory: "Why don’t they just practice their beliefs in private? " World Eater: “I think it’s an awful idea and he should shut the fuck up with the sky pixie crap.” Umm…yeah. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/67 "2005-01-20T22:08:13Z")
> [@beagledave](#): > > Really? > > Jaade : "But the regularity with which Bush invokes the name of the Lord is discomforting, even to me. " > > GaWd: “If said public official is working in an official capacity at the time, I would like him to keep his faith to his owndamnself.” > > ParentalAdvisory: "Why don’t they just practice their beliefs in private? " > > World Eater: “I think it’s an awful idea and he should shut the fuck up with the sky pixie crap.” > Umm…yeah. Hey for me it’s like he thinks we’re 100% Christian or something. I’d like to see the president be a bit more neutral on these things. While I’ll respect anyones faith in whatever gets them out of bed, I find for someone as high profile as Bush, he should STFU. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/68 "2005-01-20T22:11:12Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > While I’ll respect anyones faith in whatever gets them out of bed, I find for someone as high profile as Bush, he should STFU. Thanks for exactly proving my point to **Homebrew** who claimed that folks were NOT objecting to public displays of faith by Dubya. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/69 "2005-01-20T22:12:25Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Well, we simply disagree. And there’s a practical component to this issue: in this country, we elect our leaders by popular vote. Since it’s well-nigh impossible for any national leader who espouses a “sky pixie” philosophy to get the support of a majority of voters, I’d say it’s unlikely that your view will soon find expression in our elected leaders. My view being a sane normal person in office that tells the truth. 😛 But yes, I agree with your point. As long as we have a majority uneducated idiots in this country, we’ll have an idiot in office. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/70 "2005-01-20T22:21:49Z")
Huh-yup, huh-yup! We Merkins shore are lucky that our natchural resources include things like aerospace plants and medical devices and machine tools and computers ‘n stuff or we’d be in real trouble, bein’ so dumb 'n all. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/71 "2005-01-20T22:26:54Z")
Considering that we’re shipping all that stuff overseas, it’s not obvious that we’re going to \*stay \* that smart for much longer. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/72 "2005-01-20T22:28:23Z")
> [@beagledave](#): > > Really? > Umm…yeah. Perhaps you missed the dependant clause of mine where I mentioned the complaints come from the way he uses his religion in a hamfisted (“faith-based charity”), narrow (“Jeezus”) and intolerant (“anti-gay amendmentment”) way. So yeah. You didn’t see folks complaining about other politicians who are religious when they don’t use it as a hammer against others. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/73 "2005-01-20T22:34:07Z")
> [@Homebrew](#): > > Perhaps you missed the dependant clause of mine where I mentioned the complaints come from the way he uses his religion in a hamfisted (“faith-based charity”), narrow (“Jeezus”) and intolerant (“anti-gay amendmentment”) way. Wow…I quote several posters who are INDEED complaining about PUBLIC pronouncements of faith (irrespective of public policy, they think …rightly or wrongly, that faith expressions should be a PRIVATE matter) and you still think that no one is complaining about public pronouncements of faith…not specifically linked to public policy? The mind boggles. > [@](#): > > So yeah. You didn’t see folks complaining about other politicians who are religious when they don’t use it as a hammer against others. I’ve seen plenty of posts in other threads from folks complaining about Clinton and others having public displays of faith…irrespective of public policy. Indeed…"GaWd: “If said public official is working in an official capacity at the time, I would like him to keep his faith to his owndamnself.” ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/74 "2005-01-20T22:59:01Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > John Kerry? Heh. That was funny. (And I voted for the guy.) ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/75 "2005-01-21T03:10:34Z")
Oh came on! Quit yer whining, fools! When was the last time you elected The American Taliban for President? _Of course_ they should be happy and thank their sky gods – and so should you. After all, who else put them there? ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/76 "2005-01-21T05:57:28Z")
If Christians think their faith is being used as a cynical political ploy, and they’re cool with that, what’s it to me? It’s their religion they’re letting get turning into a cheap political stroke, not mine. Presidents have always taken the Bill O’Reily approach to faith: go unapologetically for the cheap exploit to stroke the crowd. Bush is no better or worse than most (well, I didn’t much appreciate his dis of non-christian presidents, but then I don’t much appreciate lying sacks of shit a lot more), and at least he’s been willing to unequivocally state that non-religious people are Americans too: something that even past Democrats have been unwilling to stand up for. Only Nixon could go to China, and only Bush could get conservatives to sing his praises as he drives the stake through the heart of small-government conservatism, international realism, and virtually every other principle the conservative revolution was supposed to be about achieving. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/77 "2005-01-21T10:15:18Z")
It wasn’t so much Bush’s speech as it was the entire program. It was like a church service. But no big deal to me. Two things stood out. One was the minister who mentioned twice in his prayer that the founding fathers had given us “one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.” I wondered if he was aware of when that particular phrase came to be as it is – in the mid-1950’s. The other, and more important thing, was that everytime Bush mentioned _freedom_, I shuddered with the irony. If he wants an end to tyranny, let him start with Guantanamo. He has swore to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. And that Constitution requires due process under the law for all persons. I don’t care what religious faith he proclaims on his big day. What does concern me is the seeming lack of grasp of any real moral and ethical code of justice and decency. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/78 "2005-01-21T10:49:10Z")
Of course they keep talking about God, to give a moral facade to the completely immoral and evil actions of this putrid adminstration. There are people so stupid in this country they will vote for Satan if he’s waving a bible. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/79 "2005-01-21T10:53:41Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > Of course they keep talking about God, to give a moral facade to the completely immoral and evil actions of this putrid adminstration. There are people so stupid in this country they will vote for Satan if he’s waving a bible. Not necessarily stupid. Possibly corrupt. Possibly ignorant. But well said nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740/80 "2005-01-21T11:39:59Z")
Perhaps some would like to deride George Washington, who added the words “so help me God” to the sworn oath of office. He even had the unbridled temerity to show his affection for the Bible by publicly kissing it. :eek: Congress hadn’t made considered a Bible for the swearing in, and had to borrow one from a Masonic Lodge. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-presidential-inauguration/285740.md?page=5)