Why is it that when someone is elected to office they are sworn in using the Bible?
351211
The reason that government officials are sworn in by the bible is because the first set of laws people followed were those of the old and new testament. Therefore, becaue that was our first set of laws, we as people will always be obligated to understand that before we can come up with new laws and guidelines for our nation, we must first have to remember the laws and guidelines that were set in the Holy Bible.
1022968
Far too many people have Bible, and wouldn't be able to explain the meaning of a passage, if you asked them.The book is meant to be read, understood, and the Word is to be put into practice daily in our lives.
917068
No you cannot refuse.  But you are not asked to swear on a Bible.  You are asked if you solemnly avow that you will tell the truth and are expected to do so or face possible charges of perjury.
1141361
The authority is given through the calling of God; if your postulation were to be true, there would be no pastors as the Bible was written in the first century.\n\nYou are mistaken because God still reveals things to us today, but the things he reveals today do not contradict what he revealed in the past.  If they did contradict, the kingdom of heaven would fall.\n\n"Jesus knew what the Pharisees were thinking, so he said to them, 'Every kingdom that is divided against itself will be destroyed. And any city or family that is divided against itself will not continue.'"
853008
The elect and chosen are the same in the New Testament. \nThe Jews were the chosen people in the Old Testament. But they rejected Jesus as the messiah, so the kingdom was taken away from them (Matthew 21:43). \n"Chosen" has a different meaning in the OT & NT. The chosen in the OT received "the law" and were to spread the message.\nThe chosen in the NT are the ones God predestined to be adopted (Ephesians 1: 4:11)
494518
All Christians interpret the Bible differently because it is so convoluted and contradictory.  They pick and choose which verses suit their own personal interests regardless of what anyone else thinks.  If the same one God was speaking the same words to everyone, then they should all have the same answer.  Clearly that isn't happening!  People are just using the bible as a weapon for their own gain.
663084
Anytime the gov't tries to incorporate church and state. I can't believe how easily we forget that our ancestors came here to get away from just that. This country was built to allow it's citizens freedom to make their own religious choices. Yet we allow the gov't to sneak their christian beliefs into our laws.
975283
I suppose he had his own authority since he founded his own church.  But I agree, the Deuterocanon should not have been taken out of the Bible.  I have pointed out on this site more than once that Protestants would be much better off to read them, regardless of whether they believe in them or not.
1019305
Nothing was "taken out" of the bible. Some things were left out, but they were never "in" to begin with. The bible is a hodge podge collection of writings from many different people. Not one of those people ever meant for or expected their writings to become part of a holy book. Some of them are freaking letters, ffs, written specifically from one person to another, not for the purpose of being scripture. One day a bunch of priests got together and decided that some of it was "the word of god™" and some of it not. How do decide what's "the word of god™" and what isn't, you ask? You don't. You do what they did and pick whatever suits your agenda (power, money) and leave out the rest.
1053384
There is an old superstition that many folks, even non-Christian folks, follow about keeping a Bible in each bedroom of the house to prevent folks dying in their sleep.  Missionaries used to hand them out, even to folks who couldn't read, and folks would look at them as some sort of charm and use them accordingly. This one stuck pretty well. It may, or may not, have something to do with it.
39212
I am a cop and in a court of law, you do not swear on a bible, you are actually asked If the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  You raise you right hand and answer.  Never once do they mention god, or religion.  Well in Louisiana that is.
563893
they use a lot names from the bible.\nlike John, Paul,David,Mary,Ruth, etc,etc
137711
Never forget that many a nation was colonised with the Bible in one hand and the "slave's whip in the other"!!\nThis slavish mentality is splashed across our Tv, Press and other media and influence or lives so much that we just can't live without them!\nTelevangelist do more harm than good  and that is a fact.\nIt is a "rat race" to use the Bible and the church to enrich themselves financially and otherwise and at the same time to wield power by waying the opinion of the masses.\nIt is a sad fact but one that would ahve to be studied carefully and with the passage of time " televengalists" have gone morally from bad to worse and we are yet to see the worst!
697287
They would not swear on a bible they would swear a solemn oath.  If they were to swear on a bible their testimony could be disregarded!
877013
True, and it is what I've been saying all along. When I was a Christian, I still didn't believe in the letters of Paul. Was it not the prophets of the ancient times that brought laws and the word of G-d through revelation (ie. a burning bush, the direct voice of G-d)? Then years later, the "new" testament is revealed through letters and secondary sources written by people who weren't even there.  Another great point, thanks for the question.
637233
When it comes to reading the Bible, there is any number of ways to study the scriptures.  Depending on the legitimacy of scriptures scholars have used them for support of either their lifestyles or their ideologies for millennia.  When the scriptures are contrary to these lifestyles or ideologies, some scholars have de-legitimized the scriptures rather than adjust their illegitimate action or philosophy to the edicts of the scriptures.  You can recognize them easily when you hear arguments like, “The (entire) Bible is written in metaphor.” Or  “You can’t apply instructions written 2-3 thousand years ago to the issues of today.”\n\nIn fact, the Bible is timeless.  There are very few passages that are agreed upon to be applied only for a specific generation.  An example can be found in the New Testament at 1Corinthians 14:34.  This describes the cultural habits of the day in which women were required to be silent in the service.  This arose because under the Law of Moses women were not allowed to study the Law or to sit in study of the prophets.  They received all of their instruction through the men in their families.  Plus during a public meeting the men and women would separate having men on one side of the building and women on the other side.  Since women were encouraged to attend Christian services if the speaker referred to the Prophets for support of a specific message a woman might, having no familiarity with the passage and being in the habit of asking her husband or brother, and having not learned etiquette for this new form of service, ask her man across the room what the speaker is referring to even though they were in the middle of a public service.  This would be disruptive to the speaker and likely the entire service.\n\nThe Bible was not intended to be a confusing, convoluted tome of laws and rules by which God can condemn us to hell, but a simple set of guidelines for living and for relating to God and each other.  Matthew 11:25  It is only the prejudices  of men that confuse and attempt to convolute the scriptures to make them fit their own desires. \n\nHere are some guidelines for understanding the love letter God wrote for His children.\n\n\nELEVEN PRINCIPLES OF A LITERAL METHOD OF INTERPRETING THE SCRIPTURES\n\n1.FOLLOW THE CUSTOMARY USAGES OF THE LANGUAGE.  Accepting what the words literally mean is a vital part of this first rule.  Unless the passage says otherwise, or is clearly using metaphorical language begin by giving Scripture a literal meaning.  The rule is well stated, “If the literal sense makes sense, seek no other sense.”\n2.COMMIT NO HISTORICAL OR CULTURAL BLUNDERS.  The Bible was written over a period of about 1400 years.  During that time many historical and cultural changes have taken place.  To arrive at the correct meaning of a passage you must consider when the statement was made and the historical and cultural situation surrounding the passage.  \n3.MAKE CHRIST CENTRAL IN ALL INTERPRETATIONS.  In John 5:39, Jesus said, “Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life:   and they are they that speak of Me.”  The whole Bible is about the Lord Jesus Christ, and Christ is central in all Scripture.  \n4.BE CONSCIOUS OF CONTEXT.  The context of a text or verse refers to its setting within a larger portion of Scripture.  It refers to the verses that occur before and after the text.  This would include the paragraph, chapter and book.  The situation surrounding the text is relevant in understanding its meaning.\n5.INTERPRET BY THE ANALOGY OF THE FAITH.  The Bible does not contradict itself.  God did not make the Bible to be contradictory.  If a passage of Scripture seems to contradict other Scriptures the problem is not in the Bible but with the interpreter.\n6.RECOGNIZE THE PROGRESS OF REVELATION.  In the proper interpretation of Scripture it must be understood that God gave His revelation, the Bible, to man over a long period of years.  This is the doctrine o
42823
I believe that all authority is appointed by God wether it is good or evil. So with that being said I feel it is up to our leaders to make that decision not us and that Christians should not be involved in politics unless God has led them to be a figure of authority. I fear the religious right getting their way in the political realm far more than I do the atheists. It is the religious leaders such as the Christian coalition that are stripping the American citizens of their rights.