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Old 01-21-2009, 11:15 AM
DrPhil DrPhil is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 14,733
Quote:
Originally Posted by KSigkid View Post
The way it's outlined in the Constitution (Article II, Section I), the President doesn't have to take the oath on a Bible; the Constitution just gives the wording of the oath (it doesn't include any language about "God" or other supreme being) and no other guidance.

I'm guessing that using the Bible is just tradition, and that the President wouldn't need to swear on the Bible if he or she did not want to do so.

ETA: For the court proceedings I've seen (trials and hearings), I haven't seen a Bible used; the witness just had to raise their right hand.
There ya have it, especially the bolded.

I can't recall the last time I saw the Bible used during a court proceeding. It was probably on television.
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