>>>>>Then it doesn't really matter what he swears on.
>>>>
>>>>So, why do you want to get rid of the custom of using the Bible?
>>>
>>>Because using the Bible in any official or quasi-official capacity is, in my view, anti-American. FWIW, I'd also drop the invocation and benediction at the inauguration, get rid of the opening prayer in Congress, take "In God We Trust" off money, and drop "Under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance. In my view, all of that is in violation of the First Amendment.
>>>
>>>Tamar
>>
>>It is hard to call your position as neutrality that you tried to proclaim in previous messages, i.e. "it doesn't really matter what he swears on". This post indicates unfriendly attitude to Bible/God, i.e. they have meaning, negative one. By the way, First Amendment doesn't prohibit religious expression; it just says that government should not erect one form of religion over others. I see your position as desire to establish exactly this kind of dominance, i.e. atheistic religion over any others.
>
>I don't have hostility to the Bibie or God. I just think our Constitution says they have no place in our government. Since the government is not to promote any form of religion, and a mention of God promotes religion, I don't think the government should be mentioning God. What people do in their private lives is their business.
>
>Tamar

It is misleading again. Did you read my message? The Constitution says that government should not promote one religion over others. It is not exactly what you say. Prohibiting to mention God looks very close to suppressing religion, i.e. practice exactly outlawed by the Constitution. When practicing Christian, or any other person believing in God, is prohibited to use the word, it is exactly suppression. The only person loving this situation would be an atheist. This logical reasoning makes me believe that a person calling against 'God' word in official ceremonies is really hostile to God and Bible, regardless to his/her formal religious views. In other words, one cannot believe in God and disparage the usage of the word, especially when it is pronounced by other people sincerely believing.