What Religion?(Sujatha)

While Congressman Virgil Goode of Virginia is at it again, denigrating Congressman-elect Keith Ellison of Minnesota for wanting to take a ceremonial oath on the Koran, rather than a Bible, Mr.Ellison has managed to come up with a hard-to-assail reply: He is going to be taking his oath on a translation of the Koran once owned and initialled by no less a personage than Founding Father Thomas Jefferson.
The Washington Post reports:

Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, found himself under attack last month when he announced he'd take his oath of office on the Koran -- especially from Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode, who called it a threat to American values.

Yet the holy book at tomorrow's ceremony has an unassailably all-American provenance. We've learned that the new congressman -- in a savvy bit of political symbolism -- will hold the personal copy once owned by Thomas Jefferson.

--snip--

Jefferson's copy is an English translation by George Sale published in the 1750s; it survived the 1851 fire that destroyed most of Jefferson's collection and has his customary initialing on the pages. This isn't the first historic book used for swearing-in ceremonies -- the Library has allowed VIPs to use rare Bibles for inaugurations and other special occasions.

What religion, again was it, that Thomas Jefferson solely drew from, along with others, to create the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution?

Comments

[Craig]

Thanks for the great story of using Thomas Jefferson's copy of the Koran. I heard something about it but didn't quite know the details.

The ultraconservatives all too frequently forget our own history. One thing blogs can do is help recover that history.

[Sujatha]

Adding to the irony, Mr.Goode's district includes the area where Monticello is located, so there goes his assumption that no-one living in his constituency past or present, would countenance a Koran.
Ideally, the oath should be sworn without any reference to holy books of any kind, to underscore the separation of church and state. But since Christian lawmakers love to make a show of their religiosity ( some genuine, some put-on) and swear ceremonial oaths on their Bibles, I don't see why this should not be extended to allow books of other religions as well.

[Deb]

Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode: "I believe that the overwhelming majority of voters in my district would prefer the use of the Bible," the Virginia Republican told Fox News, and then went on to warn about what he regards as the dangers of Muslims immigrating to the United States and Muslims gaining elective office. Maybe he should familiarize himself with Article 6, especially the last sentence:

U.S. Constitution - Article 6 (Debts, Supremacy, Oaths)

All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

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.

Some of our elected leaders must not think the Constitution is all that important!

[Sujatha]

Exactly, Deb. I only wish that this was firmly entrenched in the brains of our 'esteemed' BM, especially Dr.T who is so 'fond of pushing the concept that the U.S. Constitution is explicitly theistic because of the reference to 'the Year of Our Lord' in the date and assorted proclamations issued by George Washington as President.
Another thing that I forgot to add to the article is that Rep.Goode's assailing of Rep.(elect) Ellison by insinuating that this is a consequence of immigration and increasing numbers of 'non-Christian infidels' is especially ludicrous, considering that Mr.Ellison is as American as they come, having ancestry traced back to 1700's America.