[steve-b]

"Furthermore, Bush put his hand on a bible when he took the oath - so did Clinton. "
That was his option. He could also have, as President Taylor did, simply affirmed his oath. It's in the Constitution. I suggest a reading of that document.

In any case (as I obliquely noted in my previous message), an oath made by someone like Clinton would be worthless if he took it in the name of every god, demigod, spirit, or other supernatural entity ever conceived by the mind of man.

[MineralMan]

"In any case (as I obliquely noted in my previous message), an oath made by someone like Clinton would be worthless if he took it in the name of every god, demigod, spirit, or other supernatural entity ever conceived by the mind of man."

Indeed. Any oath, whether taken on the name of a deity, or simply on one's personal honor, is only as strong as the person taking the oath.

I trust my own oaths or affirmations, for I know I will never break them. I trust those of others I know, but somewhat less, and wait for verification. The oath of a stranger to me is worthless without evidence of its sincerity.

That a President or member of Congress takes an oath of office, whether sworn in the name of a deity or not, is little comfort to me, since I have seen such oaths abandoned so many times.