Bush Sworn In On Mason's Bible?

Did George Bush get sworn in with a Masonic bible? I know that his father did. I know he is a Mason but was just wondering if he was sworn in with a mason's bible.

I heard it was a family Bible. I'm sure there's a link out there somewhere...

Vice President Dick Cheney took his oath, administered by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., followed by Bush, who was sworn in four minutes before the constitutionally prescribed noon hour. As he swore to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," he placed his left hand on the family Bible, held open by his wife, that he used four years ago and that his father used 12 years before that.

Seattle Times

It appears to a family Bible used by both Bushes. I don't think there's a history of masonry in the Bush family.

It may have been a Masonic bible.

George Bush has also sometimes been referred to as Mason. But, neither he nor his son, George W. Bush, are Freemasons. The confusion as to President Bush arises from the swearing in ceremonies at his inauguration. He took the oath of office on the George Washington Bible which belongs to St. Johns Lodge in New York City. Because the Bible belonged to a Masonic Lodge many writers assumed he was a Freemason. The Bible was used at the request of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. This Bible was first used April 30, 1789, by the Grand Master of the Masons in New York, to administer the oath of office to George Washington, the first president. Other presidents who took their oath of office with this Bible were Warren G. Harding, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Jimmy Carter.

www.geocities.com...

[edit on 21/1/05 by Skibum]

Seperation of Curch and State? Where did I hear that...mmm...maybe its my imagination.


MAN!!! What does swearing on a bible have to do with being in elected official? I follow no religion, does that mean I would still need to swear on a bible at my inauguration? It would be meaingless. Thats if I actually did it, which I wouldnt.


Has any president not done this?

I have always found it odd to swear on a book that instructs people not to take oaths.

"“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." Matthew 5:33-37


" Above all, my brothers, do not swear–not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned. " James 5:12


Steve

He was sworn in on a Mason's bible that is now called the Washington Bible because George Washington was sworn in on it as well (at least that was reported by C-Span the day of).

Info on the Washington Bible

Must be copy of Washington's Bible because it would have fallen apart by now, even with the best of curators. Our constitution is sealed in a air-tight glass case in darkness because it is falling apart.

Why can't we ever just accept certain traditions of this country. Presidents swear into office on a Bible because it's a tradition started by our forefathers. We blast ourselves all the time for the ways we Americans seem to be taking away the traditions of other countries throughout the world byt "Americanizing" them, but we hate can't stand the traditions that we have been following ourselves. When we will get the idea that some of our ceremonies and such have a religious tone is because that is a tradition in this country. We act so pissed off when we don't respect the religious traditions of other countries, but we can't stand it when someone swears on a Bible, or says the name "God" in the pledge. In the immortal words of Tevya from Fiddler on the Roof, I say "TRADITION"

It's because of social evolution, traditions need to change for society to change. It we endorse religion through traditions then we are contradicting our constitution, but I believe it is okay if the President wants to celebrate and put his hand traditionally on a Bible. If we had a Muslim President then I hope he would use the Qa'ran. He is just celebrating his win, it has no connection with separation of church and state unless it is a law that he must be sworn in by the Bible, is it law?

Originally posted by skippytjc
Seperation of Curch and State? Where did I hear that...mmm...maybe its my imagination.


MAN!!! What does swearing on a bible have to do with being in elected official? I follow no religion, does that mean I would still need to swear on a bible at my inauguration? It would be meaingless. Thats if I actually did it, which I wouldnt.


Has any president not done this?

How is swearing on a Bible establishing a Government religion?

As far a Seperation of Church and State....where did you hear that? Maybe it is your imagination, because it is not in the Constitution.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"

The last thing we have to worry about is a non-Christian being elected President. It won't happen.


[edit on 21-1-2005 by Carseller4]

It could happen in about 150 years, just not in present time.

Just a point of curiosity... What is a Mason's Bible?

Thanks...

That's is so messed up and scarey, do I write "Scarey" alot? Anyway, that's a stuble occult symbol right there. Saying your worshiping God, but really are allowing yourself to devolutionize religion to about 8,000 B.C. in a messed up egyptian way. A-hole(Bush)! A-hole(My Father)!

As a Christian, I'm just as opposed to this kind of practice than an atheist should be... but not for the same reasons. Using the Bible to swear an oath to the authority of Men is a blasphemy... or to the least it is an offense to one's beliefs, by subordinating the spiritual domain to the so-called all-legitimate, all-powerful legal domain. I mean what gives the autority to a judge to force a christian to swear by his own beliefs??? We the people!? Naaah...

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Is the Mason bible the one with the girlie pictures in it?

I prefer that bible to most others.
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I mean what gives the autority to a judge to force a christian to swear by his own beliefs???

While I think the use of the Bible is a personal preference of the person being sworn in it is the "we the people" or more specificaly the US Constitution that forces the person to swear the oath.

Article 2 Section 1

Clause 8: Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:--"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

But as I said before I think that if the person being sworn in has an objection to using the Bible they would be allowed to use something else or nothing at all if they preferred.

A masons bible in a masons city in a masons country a masonic western hemisphere?!? Naaaahhh never.

Originally posted by skippytjc
Seperation of Curch and State? Where did I hear that...mmm...maybe its my imagination.

It's not your imagination, but rather the adoption of a term used in a private letter as law by judicial fiat during the mid-twentieth century and later as a slogan used to justify a coordinated program of religious persecution in the United States.

We are currently seeing the fallout from this ill-founded decision being carried to ever more absurd extremes, ironically in violation of the very same constitutional amendment it is based on as freedom of speech and religion are attacked with increasing vigor under unconstitutional and abusive federal auspices.

There is no shortage of irony in U.S. history, to be sure.

Biblical Authority

Originally posted by skippytjc
MAN!!! What does swearing on a bible have to do with being in elected official? I follow no religion, does that mean I would still need to swear on a bible at my inauguration? It would be meaingless. Thats if I actually did it, which I wouldnt.

An interesting question. I don't believe a bible is required, but rather a traditional prop.

I'm pretty sure a president could take the oath without a bible and without saying "so help me God". It's a public and legally binding declaration, not a religious expression of faith or service to a supernatural being.

The Godless President

Originally posted by skippytjc
Has any president not done this?

I don't think so, but I don't know one way or the other. It would be interesting if a past president refused to use the religious trappings, but I doubt any has.

They usually have other things on their minds on Inauguration Day, I would imagine.

Originally posted by skippytjc

MAN!!! What does swearing on a bible have to do with being in elected official? I follow no religion, does that mean I would still need to swear on a bible at my inauguration? It would be meaingless. Thats if I actually did it, which I wouldnt.

Swearing on a bible is a symbolic geture of promising to "tell the truth, the whole truth and notihing but the truth" just like they do in the court rooms.

Apparently, judging from the first four years, we might just need a new system.